Microsoft Word Guide

Microsoft Word is a word processing program used in many workplaces. It can help you create documents that
you use once or use multiple times. The advantage of a word processing document is that it that you can easily
modify it and save it with the same filename or as a totally different file. It has many features to help it look
like a professional, well-designed document in no time.

Getting started
When you start Word, you
will have the option of a
new “Blank Document” or
using a template.

Alternatively, you can

click on one of your Recent
documents or click on
Open Other Documents
to find a file saved on your
computer or on a server
somewhere.

“Save” and “Save As”

It is recommended that you save your document/file immediately and then as you work on your document you
can save it again as often as desired to ensure you do not lose any work if something unexpectedly happens to
your computer. In fact, some word processing programs that work online, automatically save your document
after every change you make.
The first time you save a document both SAVE and SAVE AS options do the same thing which is provide you
with the “Save As” features. (see below)

Save - Except for the first time, when you click this button, it will just Save your file by replacing the previous
version you saved of the file. This is great when you have added more information to a document or just
changed the spelling of someone’s name as you don’t want the old version of the document any more.

Save As - This allows you to choose

1) your file’s location to be saved
2) its filename
and 3) its file type.
Sometimes you will have default options chosen for you so you don’t actually always change them. For
example, by default in MS Word, you will be saving it as a Word document (with a file ending likely of
.docx) but you could save it as a pdf or other file type. Note: When choosing your file’s location to be
saved, you can even create new folders to save it in, which can help with file management. Also, it is
important to use filenames that will help you find the file again later.
This is great when you want to have more than one version of a document. For example, with a
resume, you might take your general resume and modify it for a specific job but keep both versions for
future.

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 Becoming Familiar with parts of the Word screen
Minimize Maximize Close
Quick Access Toolbar Filename If you need HELP finding a button or (or Restore)
(with the Save, Undo, Redo/Repeat buttons)
don’t know how to do something
Ribbon
tab(s)

Ribbon

To begin in MS Word, just begin typing here.

File Tab/File Menu/Backstage View

In the most recent version of Word, clicking File in the top-left corner of the Word screen will bring you to the
Backstage view where files are managed such as creating, opening, saving, printing, and setting Word options.
In older versions of Word and many other programs, clicking File will bring you to a Menu with similar options.

Ribbons
There are several different ribbons in Microsoft Office programs. The most common ribbon is the Home
Ribbon. Clicking on any Ribbon tab will switch to that Ribbon. The three mains components of the Ribbon:
 Tabs: folder-like tabs divide commands into related tasks
 Commands: The visual icons/buttons that perform a task when they are selected
 Groups: Organize commands into a logical grouping to make them easier to find
Note: Some ribbons will only show when a feature is active such as “Table Tools” or “Picture Tools” Ribbons.

Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is usually found in the top-left corner of Microsoft Office programs. It contains
buttons for frequently used commands and is visible no matter what Ribbon is active.

To add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar, right-click on the icon you want to add (from any of the
icon/button on any Ribbon) and select “Add to Quick Access Toolbar”. To remove commands from the Quick
Access Toolbar, right-click on the icon and select “Remove from the Quick Access Toolbar”.

Home Ribbon
Fonts
Fonts are the set of letters/characters of the same style. Different fonts will change how the letters/characters
look. While the default font is Calibri, the Font can be changed by clicking its dropdown option.

The Font Size can be changed by clicking on its dropdown options and selected a size or clicking on the number
of the font size and typing it in.

Note: For any icon, if you hover over it without clicking on it, Word will show a screen tip with the name of the
icon, a description of it, and its keyboard shortcut.

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 Fonts Group (with Font & Font options)
Change Case

Font color

Bold Underline Font Highlight Color

Italic Superscript
st
(slant font to the right) (used for exponents, 1 , etc.)

Paragraph group
Bullets Decrease Increase
Numbering Indent Indent Borders

Line and Paragraph Spacing button

Left Right
options for line spacing
Align Align
Centre
Align Justify
adding or removing paragraph
spacing that occurs

Clipboard group
Cut - Select text or object(s). Then use the Cut option by clicking it or using
keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl + X). The item will no longer be on the screen but
will remain in the computer’s memory on the clipboard waiting for
someone to click elsewhere and paste it there.
Copy - Select text or object(s). Then use the Copy option (Shortcut: Ctrl + C).
The item will remain as is but can be copied elsewhere (using Paste option).
Clipboard - Clicking the Clipboard (dialog box launcher) option will open the
Paste - Click on the document Clipboard box on the left side of the screen and will allow up to 24itmes to
where you want to paste be copied or cut and placed in the clipboard. This is useful if you want to
an item from the repeatedly paste items in a file at different times. If not opened, only the
clipboard. Then use a last item will remain on the clipboard.
Paste option [Keep
Source Formatting,
Useful tip!!
Merge Formatting, You can copy and paste items from one source (such as other files or the
and Text only] Internet) and paste them into MS Word or other files. Some programs do
(Shortcut: Ctrl + V). not have a copy or paste button but usually the Keyboard shortcuts work
You may Paste multiple times. and if you right-click on the selection you may see the options.

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 Insert Ribbon
Page (saved) (Auto) Header Page Equations
Break Pictures Shapes (top of every page) # (Input math formulas,
fractions, etc.)

Table Online Screenshots Comments Footer Text Symbols

Pictures (including clippings (often used when (bottom of Box (including ¢, €,
(sometimes or different windows sharing files every page and é, ç, ⅓, ↑, □,  )
called Clip Art) on the screen, etc.) Also on Review Ribbon) options on
Header/Footer
Ribbon)
Table Tools
When clicked in a table in MS Word, a couple of other ribbons with Table Tool features will be visible.
Everything related to tables will be in these ribbons. One option for changing sizes of table rows or columns,
click on the border line you want to move and drag the line to where you want it to be.

Cell Alignment options

Merge Cells - select cells to be Choosing exact

Add or Delete merged into one cell
Rows or Columns dimensions for height
Split Cells - take one or more cells and width of cells
and split into multiple cells

Layout Ribbon (Page Layout Ribbon in previous versions)

Paragraph Spacing - This option allows a person

Margins - Select text or object(s). Then use the Cut
to determine the size of the line spacing
option by clicking it or using keyboard shortcuts
before or after paragraphs.
(Ctrl + X). The item will no longer be on the
In MS Word, a paragraph is determined by
screen but will remain in the computer’s
every time the Enter button is pressed.
memory on the clipboard waiting for someone
If you want some lines to be considered one
to click elsewhere and paste it there.
paragraph, you can use Shift + Enter instead.
Orientation - Choose Portrait or Landscape
orientation (to rotate page)
Size - Choose paper size for printing.

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 View Ribbon & Zoom Slider
The buttons on the View ribbon just change how we view the file on the computer. None of the buttons in this
ribbon change the information or it will look when printed; however, there are options for changing how you
view it on the computer screen. Some of these View options are also in the bottom right corner of the Word
screen.

Print Zoom Zoom

Layout Out In

References Ribbon

Table of Insert Insert Insert

Contents Footnote Citation Bibliography/References/Work Cited

Review Ribbon
There are several options on the Review Ribbon to use to proofread and improve your document such as
Thesaurus, Comments (Add, Delete), Track Changes, Spelling & Grammar, Change Language, etc.

Spelling & Grammar features

Words that have a red wavy line under them are not in the program’s dictionary or a word is repeated. Often
this means that a word is misspelled. However, sometimes such as in the case of some people’s names the
word/name may actually be correct; it is recommended you still look at the options of correctly spelled words
just in case as sometimes the word/name is correct but just needs a capital letter or something else.

Grammar or misused words (such as using too instead of to) will have either blue or green wavy lines under
them. If you cannot understand the reason it is underlined, look for the listed Grammar explanation of why it is
wrong. (For example, Extra Space between words, Verb Form, etc.)

 A common way to correct spelling/grammar errors is to right-click on the “mistake”.

To change the word to one of the suggested words to fix it, click on it.
If the word(s) are correct, click the Ignore or the Ignore All or Add to Dictionary option.
 Click th Spelling and Grammar button (Shortcut: F7) and you will go through one
error at a time in your document and allow you to correct each one.

Printing Options
The Print button is under
the File tab in the
Backstage view in newer
versions of MS Word. # of copies
(Shortcut: Ctrl + P)
Print button - click to print

Change printer
Choose which pages to print:
All, select ones
Single-sided
or Double-side
Collate

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