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Tips and Tricks for Word Tips & Tricks for Word (in Windows) There are a lot of things you can do in Word to save time, such as changing default settings to your preferred settings and using keyboard shortcuts. Samplings of those options are included in this document.
Change the Default Location Where Files Are Saved By default, Word saves files in (My) Documents. If you prefer a different default location, here is how to change it: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Click the File tab Click "Options" Click "Save" In the line labeled "Default file location", browse to the desired folder Click "OK"
Change the Default Font Settings To change the style of your default font, follow these steps: 1. On the Home tab, In the Font group, click the Font flyout (or click Ctrl+D).
2. Select the options that you want to apply. 3. Click “Set as Default”. 4. When the dialog box opens, select “All documents based on the Normal template?” option 5. Click “OK”
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Customize the Default Line Spacing Click the "Home" tab 1. Click on the “Line and Paragraph Spacing” drop-down 2. Click “Line Spacing Options…” 3. Click on the “Line Spacing” drop-down menu
menu
4. Make your desired selection 5. Click "Set as Default"
Recover an Unsaved Document If you close your document accidentally, without saving it, the file can (sometimes) be retrieved. 1. Open the last saved version of the file 2. Click the File tab 3. Under “Manage Versions” select one of the versions listed, or click the Manage Versions button to see your options to recover unsaved documents.
Pin Word to your Start Menu You can pin Word (or any program) directly to the Start Menu so you do not have to search for it in All Programs every time you use it. To pin Word to the Start menu:
Click Start, find Word, right-click it, and then click “Pin to Start Menu.”
The Word icon will now appear at the top of the Start menu. As you pin additional programs you can click and drag icons to change the order.
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Pin Word to your Taskbar You can pin Word (or any program) directly to the taskbar (the row of applications that runs at the bottom of your screen) so you always have quick, direct access to it.
To pin Word to the taskbar, do one of the following:
If Word is already open, right-click the Word icon on the taskbar to open the Jump List, then click “Pin this program to taskbar”. – or –
If Word is closed, click Start, find the Word icon in the Programs Menu, right-click the icon, then click “Pin to Taskbar.”
Use Quick Parts The Quick Parts button is located on the Insert tab of the Ribbon. Use this feature to save text, pictures, shapes, etc. that you use often in documents. Every time you open Word on your computer these “parts” will be available to you from the gallery to reuse as often as needed. To quickly add a “part” to your gallery: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Select the text or image to be added Click the Insert tab Click the Quick Parts button From the drop-down menu, select “Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery…”
To add a previously saved “art” from your gallery to your document: 1. Click the Insert tab 2. Click the Quick Parts button 3. From the drop-down menu, select the desired “part”
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Adding to the Quick Access Toolbar The Quick Access Toolbar is located at the top left of the window in Word (above the File and Home tabs on the Ribbon). It remains persistent as you move through various tabs on the Ribbon. If there are certain tools you use often, you can add them to the Quick Access Toolbar so you can use them from anywhere within Word:
Right-click a button, and then click Add to Quick Access Toolbar.
Use the Navigation Pane When you have a long document, the option to quick search in the Navigation Pane can be very handy. However, the Navigation Pane is not displayed in the default setting. To display it: 1. Click the View tab 2. Put a check by "Navigation Pane Show" The Navigation Pane will open on the left side. It provides some very useful functions for searching within your document and moving quickly to a location within your document.
How to Combine Multiple Word Documents If you want to combine two or more Word documents into one, you can always use copy and paste. But there is another way. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Place the cursor where you want the material to be added Click the Insert tab Open the drop-down menu for "Object" Choose "Text from file" A dialog will open, where you can choose the file or files you wish to combine with the presently open file. 6. Click the button "Insert"
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Fix Numbering / Autocorrect Issues So you’ve started a list with items 1, 2, and 3, but a page break, image, or something has broken the list and you want the list to continue auto-numbering at number 4 rather than starting over with number 1 again. Or vice versa – you want the auto numbering to start over at 1, but it just keeps reverting to 4.
To keep the numbering counting up: Click on the “Auto Correct Options” icon next to the number, and select “Continue Numbering”. To start over at 1: Click on the “Auto Correct Options” icon next to the number, and select “Restart Numbering”. You also have the options to right-click on the list item and choose to Restart, Continue, or choose a completely different number.
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Inserting a Screenshot or Screen Clipping You can take a screenshot directly from within Word to add to your document: 1. Click on the Screenshot button. You will have two options: To add a shot of a whole window or a portion (clipping) of a window. 2. To add a shot of the whole window, click the thumbnail of the shot you want to add from the Available Windows gallery.
a. To add a clipping, select the Screen Clipping option, and when the pointer becomes a cross, press and hold the left mouse button to select the area of your screen that you want to capture.
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Keyboard Shortcuts Numerous shortcuts exist that can be done with a just a stroke or two on your keyboard. Below are some of the most commonly used shortcuts:
"Undo" command Typed the wrong thing? Deleted something you want back? Then use this shortcut: Ctrl+Z This is a shortcut that can be used in many applications; in Word it can repeated multiple times to go back almost as far as you want. A note of caution: Word does not always undo one character at a time but may undo a whole block of type.
"Redo" command / “Repeat” command If you change your mind and want to restore something you just undid, use this shortcut: Ctrl+Y If there is nothing to undo, this shortcut becomes "Repeat" and will reproduce your last few words or highlighted text as many times as you want.
Copy selected text To copy text you have highlighted, click: Ctrl+C
Cut selected text If you want to remove highlighted text and place it somewhere else, use this shortcut: Ctrl+X
Paste Also used a lot in various applications, usually in conjunction with the Copy or Cut shortcuts, to Paste copied text, click: Ctrl+V
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Save your document It pays to save your work frequently; get in the habit of performing this shortcut often: Ctrl+S
Make selected/highlighted text bold or italic Want to make selected text stand out? Make it bold with this shortcut: Ctrl+B Or emphasize it with italics… Ctrl+I
Select/highlight your entire document Want to highlight the entire text of your document without scrolling through the entire thing? Highlight/Select your entire document with this shortcut: Ctrl+A
Change the case of selected text Want to go from lower case to upper case or vice versa? Or maybe you want words placed in Title Case. Cycle through all upper case, all lower case, or title case (first letter capitalized) with this shortcut (uses the F3 key): Shift+F3 (hold shift and hit F3 multiple times to cycle through options)
Copy & Paste Formatting (Format Painter) You can use a keyboard shortcut to copy and paste the formatting of the text rather than using the Format Painter button. Ctrl + Shift + C (copies the formatting) Ctrl + Shift + V (pastes the formatting)
Change line spacing Change the line spacing of selected text or your entire document. Select the text then hit: Ctrl+1 Ctrl+2 Ctrl+5
Changes to single line spacing Changes to double line spacing Changes to 1.5 line spacing
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Skip to the end of the document If you have a long document and want to go to the end, there is a quicker way to get there than scrolling all the way down. Use this shortcut: Ctrl+End
Skip to the beginning of the document To get to the start of a document quickly, use this shortcut: Ctrl+Home
Change font size of selected text Make selected text larger or smaller in small increments with a shortcut that uses the right or left square brackets. Continue to hold Ctrl and hit the bracket key again until the font is the desired size: Ctrl+] - Increases font size Ctrl+[ - Decreases font size
Search for text in a document Looking for a specific word or phrase? Open the Navigation search option and enter your search term: Ctrl+F
Find and replace text To replace a word or phrase with something else, use this shortcut: Ctrl+H
Show or hide the ribbon If you want more space at the top of your screen, you can hide the ribbon that contains your editing options (tabs): Ctrl+F1
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Mouse Shortcuts Quick ways to highlight/select
large amounts of text This procedure involves a mouse and keyboard combination: o First, click the mouse once at the beginning of the desired text to place the cursor there. o Then find the end of the desired text. o Hold down the Shift key and click at the desired end spot. All the text in between will be selected.
a single word Double-click anywhere in a word and it is highlighted.
an entire sentence Hold down the Control key and click once within the sentence.
an entire line Click once on the left side opposite the desired line. (Make sure you are far enough to the left so that the cursor has changed to an arrow.)
several lines o Click and hold down the mouse button on the left side opposite the first desired line. o Drag the mouse down to include all desired lines and release. (Make sure you are far enough to the left so that the cursor has changed to an arrow.)
an entire paragraph Double-click on the left side opposite the desired paragraph. (Make sure you are far enough to the left so that the cursor has changed to an arrow.) Another fast way to highlight an entire paragraph: Triple-click within the paragraph.
an entire document Triple-click on the left side. (Make sure you are far enough to the left so that the cursor has changed to an arrow.) Another quick way to highlight an entire document: Hold down the Control key and singleclick on the left side of any text.
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How to copy a block of text to another part of the document This is another keyboard and mouse combination. o Select the desired block of text. o Then, holding down the Control key, click inside the selected text. o Continue to hold down the Control key and the left mouse button and drag the text to the desired location. o Release the Control key and the mouse button.
A more complete list of shortcuts by Microsoft can be found online.
Another cool option in Word… Make a Checklist in Word
Checklist you can check off in Word Checklist to print
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