Guide - Word for Windows

Word for Windows

Issue/Environment/User Role

A Student, Faculty, or Staff member using Windows OS would like more information on Word.

Cause

The user is new to the platform, and would like more information on Microsoft Office Word.

Resolution

New to Word? Use this guide to learn the basics.

Create something

Begin with a “Blank document” to get right to work. Or start with a template to save yourself time and steps. Just select “File” > “New”, and then select or search for the template you want.

Find recent files

Whether you only work with files stored on your PC’s local hard drive or you roam across various cloud services, selecting “File” > “Open” takes you to your recently used documents and any files that you may have pinned to your list.                                    

Stay connected

Need to work on the go and across different devices? Click “File” > “Account” to sign in and access your recently used files anywhere, on any device, through seamless integration between Office, OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, and SharePoint.              

Discover contextual tools

You can make contextual ribbon commands available by selecting relevant objects in your document. For example, selecting within a table displays the “Table Tools” tab, which offers additional options for the “Table Design” and “Layout” of your tables.           

Share your work with others

To invite others to view or edit your documents in the cloud, select the “Share” button in the top right corner of the app window. In the “Share” pane that opens, you can get a sharing link or send invitations to the people you select.                                                                         

See who else is typing

Co-authoring Word documents that are shared on OneDrive or on a SharePoint site happens in real-time, which means you can easily see where other authors are making changes in the same document that you’re currently working in.             

Review and track changes

Whether you just want to check spelling, keep your word count in check, or fully collaborate with other people, the “Review” tab unveils essential commands to track, discuss, and manage all of the changes made to your documents.           

Format with styles

The “Styles” pane lets you visually create, apply, and review the formatting styles in your current document. To open it, select the “Home” tab, and then select the small arrow in the lower right corner of the Styles gallery.                                                       

Find whatever you need

Type a keyword or phrase into the “Tell me what you want to do” search box on the ribbon to quickly find the Word features and commands you’re looking for, to discover “Help” content, or to get more information online.                                                                                         

Look up relevant information

With “Smart Lookup”, Word searches the Internet for relevant information to define words, phrases, and concepts. Search results shown on the task pane can provide useful context for the data and information in your documents.                             

Need more information?

To download our free Quick Start Guides for your favorite apps, go to https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2008317.

Explore the new and improved features in Word and the other Offices apps. Visit https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=871117 for more information.

Ready to dig deeper into the capabilities that Word has to offer? Visit https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=871123 to explore our free training options.