MS WORD TIPS

1. Add a self-updating date stamp to your doc

Steps
1. Open the Word document you want to add the date stamp to.
2. Click on the Insert tab located in the ribbon at the top of the screen.
3. Look for the Date and Time icon (which looks like a calendar) and click
on it.
4. Select a date format that you want to use from the available options.
5. Be sure to check the Update automatically box located at the bottom
left of the dialog box.
6. Click on the OK button to insert the date stamp into the document.
7. Save the document with the date stamp added.

From now on, every time you open the document, the date stamp will automatically change
to the current date and time. Now you won’t have to worry about forgetting to edit this
information!

2. Reduce eye strain with Read Mode

Steps

1. Open the Word document you need to read.

2. Click on the View tab located in the ribbon at the top of the screen.
3. Look for the Read Mode button (which looks like an open book) and click
on it.
4. The document will now be displayed in a larger full-screen view, and you
can scroll through the pages horizontally. This is especially helpful if
you’re reading on a device like a tablet.
5. To change the page color, click on the View tab, then select Page
Color from the drop-down menu.
6. Choose the Sepia option to reduce contrast and minimize eye strain.
7. To exit Read Mode, click on the View tab again, and select Edit
Document from the drop-down menu.

You can now read your document without hurting your eyes! All in all, these tips definitely
make for a more comfortable reading experience.

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3. Inserting a screenshot with ease

Steps

1. Open the Word document you want to insert the screenshot into.
2. Click on the Insert tab located in the ribbon at the top of the screen.
3. Look for the Screenshot button and click on it.
4. Select the window you want to capture from the available options. The
entire window will be inserted into your document.
5. If you want to take a more precise screenshot, click on Screen
Clipping instead of Screenshot.
6. Click and drag to select the exact portion of the window you want to
capture.
7. Release the mouse button to insert the selected portion into your
document.
8. Save your document with the screenshot added.

You can repeat these steps to add as many screenshots as you need. You might find this
feature useful for creating tutorials or instructional documents that require visual aids.

4. Shortcuts for inserting lists

Steps
1. Open your Word document, and position your cursor exactly where you
want to start the list.
2. To start a bulleted list, type an asterisk (*). Then hit the spacebar and
start typing your text.
3. To start a numbered list, type the number 1 followed by a period
(.). Hit the spacebar and start typing.
4. As you add more items to the list, Word will automatically add the
appropriate bullet or number.
5. To switch between different list formats, highlight the list items you want
to change and right-click.
6. Select the Bullets or Numbering option from the drop-down menu to
change the list format.
7. Save your document with your new list.

You can now add lists to your Word doc without having to navigate through different
options on the ribbon. When you don’t want the flow of your writing to be interrupted, this
shortcut can be especially useful.

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5. Pick up where you left off
Steps
1. Open the Word document you want to resume working on.
2. Press the Shift key and the F5 key simultaneously on your keyboard.
3. Word will automatically take you to the last thing you edited before you
saved and closed the document.
4. You can continue working on the document from this point onwards.
5. Save the document before closing it again.

Now you can simply resume your work without scrolling through pages and pages of
content!

6. Translate text instantly

With Word’s built-in translation tool, you can translate words, phrases, or even entire
documents in a flash. Just keep in mind that you must be connected to the Internet in order
to use it.

Steps
1. Open the Word document you want to translate.
2. Click on the Review tab located in the ribbon at the top of the screen.
3. Look for the Translate button and click on it.
4. Choose the Translate Document option from the drop-down menu.
5. In the Choose Translation Language dialog box, select the language
you want to translate the document from (in this case, Spanish).
6. Select the language you want to translate the document to (in this
case, English).
7. Click on the OK button to start the translation process.
8. A dialog box will appear asking if you want to send the text over the
Internet for translation. Click Yes to continue.
9. Wait for the translation process to complete. A new window will open with
the translated text.
10. Finally, save the translated document.

Remember that translations may not be perfect. However, they can definitely help you
understand the gist of a document that’s in another language.

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7. Basic shortcuts for text formatting

Steps

1. Open the Word document, and select the text you want to format.
2. To bold the selected text, press the Ctrl key and the B key
simultaneously on your keyboard.
3. To put the selected text in italics, press the Ctrl + I keys.
4. To underline the selected text, press Ctrl + U keys.
5. To undo text formatting, use the same keyboard shortcuts. For example,
to remove the underline from selected text, press Ctrl + U again.
6. Save your document with the formatting changes you want.

These shortcuts are easy to remember, since you’re just using the Ctrl key and the first
letter of the formatting command. This feature allows you to change the style of your text
without having to navigate through different options on the ribbon.

7. Using the Format Painter

Word’s Format Painter can definitely be a timesaver. It lets you copy formatting like color,
font style, and size, and then apply it to other sections of text. It’s an easy way to give your
document a clean, consistent look.

Steps

1. Open the Word document you want to format. Then select the text that
has the formatting you want to copy.
2. Click on the Home tab in the ribbon at the top of the screen.
3. Look for the Format Painter button (in the Clipboard section) and click
on it.
4. Your cursor will have a paintbrush next to it. Click on the text where you
want to apply the formatting.
5. The new formatting will be applied to the selected text.
6. If you want to apply the same formatting to multiple lines of text, double-
click the Format Painter button to lock it.
7. Click on the text you want to format. The selected text will now have the
copied formatting.
8. When you are finished, click the Format Painter button again to turn it off.

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You can now quickly copy and apply formatting using this little tool. Rather than trying to
format each piece of text individually, you can use the Format Painter instead.

8. Clear all formatting

Steps

1. Open the Word document you want to edit. Then select the text that you
want to remove the formatting from.
2. Click on the Home tab in the ribbon at the top of the screen.
3. Look for the Clear All Formatting button (in the Font section) and click
on it.
4. The formatting will be removed from the selected text, and it will be
returned to its default style.
5. If you want to apply new formatting, select the text again. Apply the
desired formatting using the formatting tools in the ribbon.

Sometimes you’ll open a Word doc with formatting that’s inconsistent or distracting. You
can now quickly return the text to a more workable state using this quick command.

9. Recover unsaved documents

Steps

1. Open Microsoft Word. Look for the Recovered or Recent

Documents section on the left-hand side of the screen.
2. Click on Show Recovered Files.
3. A new document will open, and you will see the Document
Recovery pane on the left-hand side of the screen. Click on a file to
restore the Word document.
4. Alternatively, click on the File tab in the ribbon at the top of the screen.
5. Click on Open and then select Recover Unsaved Documents.
6. A file explorer window will open with a list of unsaved files. Select the file
you want to open and click Open.
7. Once you have recovered the document, save it right away to prevent
losing it again in the future.

By following this process, you can easily retrieve your work. Remember to always save your
work frequently in order to avoid losing your progress!

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10. Recover a corrupted file

Steps

1. Navigate to the File tab in Word. Then click Open.

2. Select Browse and go to the location or folder where the corrupted file is
stored.
3. Select the corrupted file and click the drop-down arrow next to
the Open button.
4. Click Open and Repair. Wait for Word to attempt to repair the file.
5. If successful, the document will open. Save the file immediately.

To prevent file issues in the future, be sure to make backup copies of your documents as
you work. You might also consider storing documents online with Microsoft OneDrive.

11. Linking within a document

Steps

1. Select the text you want to use as a link. Then click on the Insert tab on
the ribbon.
2. Click on the Hyperlink command.
3. In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, select Place in This
Document from the list on the left.
4. In the Select a place in the document list, choose the heading or
bookmark you want to link to. Then click OK to close the dialog box.
5. To test the hyperlink, hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click
on the link.
6. Word will automatically jump to the section you selected in the previous
step.

Maybe you have a table of contents that links to different bookmarked chapters. Be sure to
try out this practical feature–especially if your document is a long one.

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12. Basic keyboard shortcuts

Steps

1. To select all text in a document, press Ctrl+A on your keyboard.

2. To copy the selected text, press Ctrl+C.
3. To paste the copied text, press Ctrl+V.
4. To undo the last action, press Ctrl+Z.
5. To redo the last action, press Ctrl+Y.
6. To save a document, press Ctrl+S.
7. To print a document, press Ctrl+P.

Note that the shortcuts for copy, save, and print all start with the same letter as the
command itself. The other ones might be trickier to remember (at first), but once you get
the hang of them, they can definitely start saving you time.

13. Modifying page numbers in Word

Modifying page numbers with section breaks

The key to using different types of numbering in the same document is section breaks.
Once you've added a section break to your document (you can add as many as you need),
you'll be able to restart your page numbers there and/or apply a different style.

Here's an overview of the steps you need to follow. These steps should work for Word 2007,
Word 2010, and Word 2013.

1. Place your cursor on the page where you want the first section to end.
2. Go to the Page Layout tab, then click the Breaks command.
3. Choose Next Page from the menu.
4. A section break will be added, creating a new section on the next page.
5. To continue, select your header or footer in the new section.
6. Go to the Design tab, and deselect the Link to Previous command.
7. Now you can modify the page numbers in your new section depending on
what you need. To restart your numbering, click the Page
Number command, then choose Format Page Numbers. From there,
you'll be able to select Start at: 1.
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8. To reformat your numbering, select the page number, then go back to
the Home tab. You can change the font, color, size, and more.

14. How to create a table of contents in Word

Step 1: Apply heading styles

If you've already read our Applying and Modifying Styles lesson, you know they're an
easy way to add professional text formatting to different parts of your document. Styles
also serve another important purpose: adding a hidden layer
of organization and structure to your document.

If you apply a heading style, you're telling Word that you've started a new part of your
document. When you insert the table of contents, it will create a section for each heading.
In the table of contents above, each chapter uses a heading style, so there are four
sections.

To apply a heading style, select the text you want to format, then choose the desired
heading in the Styles group on the Home tab.

Step 2: Insert the table of contents

Now for the easy part! Once you've applied heading styles, you can insert your table of
contents in just a few clicks. Navigate to the References tab on the Ribbon, then click
the Table of Contents command. Select a built-in table from the menu that appears, and
the table of contents will appear in your document.

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As you can see in the image below, the table of contents uses the heading styles in your
document to determine where each section begins. Sections that begin with a Heading 2 or
Heading 3 style will be nested within a Heading 1 style, much like a multilevel list.

A table of contents also creates links for each section, allowing you to navigate to different
parts of your document. Just hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click to go to any
section.

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Step 3: Update as needed

If you edit or add to your document, it's easy to update the table of contents. Just select
the table of contents, click Update Table, and choose Update Entire Table in the dialog
box that appears. The table of contents will then update to reflect any changes.

No matter how large your document may be, you can see there's nothing complicated about
creating a table of contents. If you want even more control over how your table of contents
appears, check out this tutorial from Microsoft on Taking a Table of Contents to the
Next Level.

15. How to create a bibliography or works cited page in Word

Step 1: Choose a reference style

When you're creating a bibliography, you'll need to follow the guidelines of the
required style guide. Different academic disciplines use their own styles guides, such
as MLA, APA, and Chicago. Fortunately, Word comes with several built-in style guides;
all you need to do is select the one you want to use, and Word will help you format your
bibliography correctly.

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To do this, click the References tab, then select the desired style in the Citations &
Bibliography group.

You can use this same method to change the reference style at any time.

Step 2: Add citations and sources

Whenever you use information from one of your sources, you'll need to give credit—
or cite them. This is known as making a citation. You'll include citations whenever you use
information from a source or when you quote a source directly.

To add a citation, select the desired location for the citation in your document, click
the Insert Citation command on the References tab, and select Add New Source.

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A dialog box will appear. Enter the requested information for the source—like the author
name, title, and publication details—then click OK.

The citation will appear in the document, and the source will be saved. You can quickly add
another citation for the source by clicking Insert Citation and selecting the source from
the drop-down menu.

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Step 3: Insert the bibliography

Time for the easy part! Once you've added all of your sources, you can create your
bibliography in just a few clicks! Just select the Bibliography command, then choose the
desired style.

The bibliography will appear at the end of your document. Your sources will already be
formatted to match the selected style guide. You should still double-check each of your
sources against your style guide to make sure they're correct.

If you add more sources to your document, you can easily update your bibliography—just
click it and select Update Citations and Bibliography.

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No matter how many sources you include in your document, Word's built-in tools make it
easy to create and organize a bibliography. If you want further guidance with the process,
check out this tutorial from Microsoft on how to Create a Bibliography.

16. Changing your default settings in Word

There may be certain settings in Word that get on your nerves, like default settings that
you find yourself changing over and over—the paragraph spacing, the font size—each time
you start a new document.

Maybe you prefer a different font style instead of the default Calibri. Maybe you like all of
your documents to have narrower margins so you can fit more information on the page.
Maybe you even work for a company that has very specific document standards—regarding
the color scheme or layout—and you're tired of changing these settings every time.

Luckily, you can customize many of the default settings in Word. You just have to know
where to look.

Using Set as Default

You can't change the default settings for everything in Word, but there are certain tools and
features that give you this option. Popular examples include:

• Font
• Paragraph spacing
• Line spacing
• Margins
• Page orientation

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To find out if you can customize the default settings for a certain element, look for
an arrow in the bottom-right corner of the group. This will open a dialog box where you
can access all of the basic settings, plus some more advanced ones that you won't find on
the Ribbon.

Next, look for a button near the bottom of the dialog box that says Set as Default. All you
have to do is click this button, and Word will assign your current settings—like the font or
font size you've chosen—as the new default for this particular element.

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Finally, Word will ask whether you want to set this as the default for this document only,
or for all documents based on the Normal template (in other words, all documents in
the future). Choose the second option, and Word will use these settings from now on.

If you don't have a lot of experience with Word, you may want to stick with the original
default settings—any changes you make will be permanent, unless you change them back
manually. But for more experienced users, this can be a great way to set up Word exactly
the way you want.

17. How to create forms in Word

Step 1: Turn on the Developer tab

Before you create form elements in a document, you'll need to activate the Developer tab
on the Ribbon. To do this, click File > Options to access the Word Options dialog box.
Select Customize Ribbon, then click the check box for the Developer tab.

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The Developer tab will appear on the Ribbon.

Step 2: Add content controls

Now you're ready to add the different parts of the form, which Word calls content control
fields. To add a content control field, place your cursor in the desired location, then choose
a field from the Controls group on the Developer tab. You can hover your mouse over the
fields to see the different options. In this example, we're adding a text field so users can
type their first names.

The content control field will appear in the document.

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You can add several types of fields. For example, you can add check boxes for a yes-
no question:

Or even a date selection field:

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Once you've added all of your fields to the document, you're ready to send out the form for
others to use!

Step 3: Customize as needed

If you want even more control over the way your form looks, you can turn on Design
Mode from the Controls group on the Developer tab.

Then you can modify the properties for each content control field, including the text that
will appear in each field. If you're willing to spend a little more time customizing each field,
you can build a pretty robust form. For example, you could create your own custom drop-
down list, as in the example below:

Those are the basics of creating your own custom form in Microsoft Word. If you want to
learn more, check out this article from Microsoft on how to Create a Fillable Form.

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