MS Word PDF
MS Word PDF
Here are the answers to the 100 frequently asked questions about Microsoft Word:
General Questions
➢ Microsoft Word is a word processing software that allows users to create, edit, format, and share text
documents.
➢ Main features include text formatting, templates, document sharing, spell-checking, grammar-
checking, Track Changes, collaboration tools, and the ability to insert multimedia like tables, images,
and hyperlinks.
➢ You can open MS Word by searching for "Word" in the Start Menu (Windows) or Applications
folder (Mac) or clicking the Word icon on your desktop/taskbar.
➢ MS Word requires a modern Windows or Mac operating system, at least 4 GB of RAM, and a few
GB of storage. It is also available on mobile platforms like Android and iOS.
➢ Microsoft Word is not free, but you can use it with a Microsoft 365 subscription or through a free
online version at Office.com.
➢ You can purchase Word as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription or buy a one-time license of Office.
It can be purchased through the Microsoft Store or authorized retailers.
➢ Yes, Microsoft Word is available for Mac as part of Microsoft 365 or as a standalone application.
8. Does Microsoft Word have a web version?
➢ Yes, you can use Microsoft Word online for free by visiting Office.com and signing in with a
Microsoft account.
➢ Yes, MS Word is available as a mobile app for both Android and iOS devices, offering basic word
processing features.
➢ MS Word supports formats like .docx, .doc, .pdf, .txt, .rtf, and .odt, among others.
Basic Usage
➢ Open MS Word and click on "New Document" or use the shortcut Ctrl + N (Windows) or Cmd + N
(Mac).
➢ Click "File" > "Save As" to name and save the document. The shortcut is Ctrl + S (Windows) or
Cmd + S (Mac).
➢ Click "File" > "Open" and browse for the file you want to open, or use the shortcut Ctrl + O
(Windows) or Cmd + O (Mac).
➢ Click "File" > "Print," or press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to access printing options.
➢ Click "File" > "Close," or use the shortcut Ctrl + W (Windows) or Cmd + W (Mac).
16. What is the default file format for saving documents in Word?
➢ Select the text, right-click, and choose "Copy," then right-click and select "Paste" where you want
the text. You can also use Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + V to paste (Cmd for Mac).
➢ To undo, use Ctrl + Z (Windows) or Cmd + Z (Mac). To redo, use Ctrl + Y (Windows) or Cmd +
Y (Mac).
➢ Click and drag the mouse over the text or use Shift and arrow keys on the keyboard.
➢ Click on "Review" > "Word Count" or check the word count displayed in the status bar at the bottom
of the document.
➢ Select the text, then use the Font dropdown in the Home tab to change the font style and size.
➢ Select the text, then click on the Line and Paragraph Spacing button in the Home tab and choose the
desired spacing option.
➢ Click on the Bullets or Numbering icon in the Home tab, or use the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + L for
a bulleted list.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Header" or "Footer," then select a built-in design or create your own.
26. How do I create a table in Word?
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Table," then select the number of rows and columns you need.
➢ Go to "Layout" > "Margins," and select one of the predefined margin settings or customize your
own.
➢ Select the paragraph, then click on the alignment buttons (left, center, right, justify) in the Home tab.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Page Break," or use the shortcut Ctrl + Enter (Windows) or Cmd + Enter
(Mac).
➢ Select the text and click on the Bold (B), Italic (I), or Underline (U) buttons in the Home tab, or use
the shortcuts Ctrl + B, Ctrl + I, or Ctrl + U (Cmd for Mac).
Advanced Features
➢ Track Changes allows you to see edits and suggestions made to a document. Turn it on by going to
"Review" > "Track Changes."
➢ Select the text and go to "Review" > "New Comment" to add a comment in the margin.
➢ Select the text, then go to "Insert" > "Link" and enter the URL or link to another part of the
document.
35. What is a table of contents, and how do I create one?
➢ A table of contents lists the sections of a document and their page numbers. Go to "References" >
"Table of Contents" to insert one automatically.
➢ Go to "File" > "New" to browse and select a pre-designed template for documents like resumes,
reports, and letters.
➢ Styles are predefined text formats (e.g., headings, titles). Apply them by selecting text and choosing
a style from the Styles group in the Home tab.
➢ Go to "Developer" tab (enable from options if not visible), and use tools like checkboxes, text boxes,
and drop-down lists to create forms.
➢ Go to "Design" > "Watermark" to add a custom or built-in watermark to the background of your
document.
➢ Go to "References" > "Insert Footnote" or "Insert Endnote" to add them to your document.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Cover Page" and choose from the available designs.
➢ Go to "Layout" > "Size" and select the page size (e.g., Letter, A4) from the dropdown.
➢ Go to "Layout" > "Columns," and select the number of columns you'd like to use.
44. How do I insert shapes and SmartArt in Word?
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Shapes" for shapes, and "SmartArt" for diagrams and flowcharts.
➢ Select the image, go to "Format" > "Wrap Text," and choose how text should wrap around it (e.g.,
square, tight, behind text).
➢ WordArt is a feature that allows you to create stylized text. Go to "Insert" > "WordArt" and select a
style.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Text Box" to insert a text box. You can move and resize it as needed.
➢ Go to "References" > "Insert Table of Figures" to automatically create a list of figures based on their
captions.
➢ Go to "Design" > "Themes" to apply a theme to your document, which includes a set of fonts, colors,
and effects.
➢ Click "File" > "Share" and choose how to share (e.g., via email, OneDrive, or as a link).
➢ Upload the document to OneDrive or SharePoint, then share it with others. Multiple people can edit
it simultaneously.
53. What is OneDrive, and how does it integrate with Word?
➢ OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage service. You can save and share Word documents directly to
OneDrive for easy access and collaboration.
➢ Go to "File" > "Info" > "Protect Document" and select "Encrypt with Password."
➢ Go to "File" > "Info" > "Protect Document" > "Restrict Editing" to limit who can edit the document.
➢ Go to "Review" > "Compare" to compare and highlight differences between two versions of a
document.
➢ Go to "File" > "Save As" and choose PDF from the "Save as type" dropdown.
➢ Yes, go to "File" > "Info" > "Manage Document" > "Recover Unsaved Documents" to restore
unsaved files.
59. How do I export a Word document to other formats (e.g., HTML, ODT)?
➢ Go to "File" > "Save As" and choose the desired file format from the "Save as type" dropdown.
➢ Go to "File" > "Share" > "Email," and choose to send the document as an attachment.
➢ Go to "View" > "Navigation Pane" to open the panel that helps you navigate headings, pages, and
search results in the document.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Bookmark," name the bookmark, and add it to the document for easy navigation.
➢ Highlight the text, go to "Insert" > "Link," and choose to link to a bookmark or heading within the
document.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Symbol" and select from the available symbols or special characters.
➢ You can use a variety of shortcuts like Ctrl + C to copy, Ctrl + V to paste, Ctrl + Z to undo, and
many others. A full list can be found under Word's Help menu.
➢ Right-click a word and select "Synonyms" or go to "Review" > "Thesaurus" for suggestions. You
can also use "Define" for dictionary definitions.
➢ Go to "References" > "Insert Citation" to add a citation and "Bibliography" to insert a list of sources.
➢ Copy content from one document and paste it into another, or use the "Insert" > "Object" > "Text
from File" option.
➢ Use "Layout" > "Breaks" > "Section Break" to divide a document into separate sections with
different layouts or formatting.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Chart" to add various types of charts. Data for the chart can be edited in an Excel
window that appears.
➢ Select the image, then use the "Picture Tools" toolbar to adjust brightness, contrast, crop, or apply
styles.
➢ Select the object, right-click, and choose "Insert Caption" to add a descriptive label.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Shapes" to add drawings. You can also enable "Draw" tab for freehand drawing
using touch or stylus devices.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "3D Models" to insert models from online sources or your device. You can rotate
and scale them as needed.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Table" or "Insert" > "Chart" and select "From Excel Spreadsheet" to insert data or
charts from Excel.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Object" and choose whether to embed or link another file (such as a PDF or Excel
sheet) within your Word document.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Object" > "Audio File" to add an audio file (this is not always supported in all
versions).
Troubleshooting
➢ This could be due to a lack of storage space, file corruption, or insufficient permissions. Try saving
to a different location or format.
➢ Try opening the document in "Open and Repair" mode via "File" > "Open." You can also attempt to
recover text by selecting "Recover Text from Any File."
➢ This may be due to large file sizes, too many add-ins, or insufficient computer resources. Try
disabling add-ins, closing other programs, or repairing Office.
➢ Restart Word, check for software updates, disable add-ins, and try running Word in safe mode. If
problems persist, reinstall the application.
➢ Use the "Clear Formatting" option under the Home tab to reset the text to its default style. Also,
check for hidden formatting symbols using Ctrl + Shift + 8.
➢ The document may be in Read-Only mode, protected, or you might not have editing permissions.
Check the document properties under "File" > "Info."
➢ Ensure the template is not corrupted. Try re-saving the template or downloading a new copy. You
can also try reapplying the template to the document.
➢ Go to "File" > "Options" > "General" and reset preferences. You can also reinstall Word or reset the
Normal.dotm template to its default state.
90. How do I fix issues with Track Changes not working properly?
➢ Make sure Track Changes is turned on and check the display settings. Also, ensure that no
conflicting settings are applied under "Review" > "Track Changes Options."
➢ Word integrates with other Office apps like Excel and PowerPoint. You can copy data between apps
or use features like mail merge and OLE (Object Linking and Embedding).
➢ Go to "File" > "Options" > "Quick Access Toolbar" to add or remove commands.
➢ Go to "File" > "Options" > "Language" to set the display language, editing language, and proofing
tools language.
➢ Go to "File" > "Options" > "Trust Center" > "Trust Center Settings" > "Macros" to enable or disable
macro functionality.
➢ Customize a document, then go to "File" > "Save As" and choose "Word Template" (.dotx) as the
file type.
➢ Go to "Insert" > "Get Add-ins" to browse and install add-ins that extend Word’s functionality.
➢ Yes, you can use macros to automate repetitive tasks. Macros are created by recording actions or
writing Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code.
➢ Go to "Home" > "Styles" > "Modify Style" to set a new default font or style for new documents.
➢ Go to "File" > "Account" > "Update Options" to check for and install updates for Microsoft Word
and other Office apps.
These answers cover a wide range of MS Word functionalities, troubleshooting, and advanced features to
help users improve their experience with the software.
Here are some of the most important questions and answers related to Microsoft Word:
Answer: Microsoft Word is a widely-used word processing software that allows users to create, edit, and format text
documents such as letters, reports, resumes, and more.
Answer: To save a document, click on "File" > "Save" or use the shortcut Ctrl + S (Windows) or Cmd + S (Mac).
To save with a different name or location, choose "Save As."
Answer: The default file format is .docx, which is an XML-based format for Word documents.
Answer: Go to "Insert" > "Page Number," and select where you want the page numbers to appear (top, bottom,
etc.).
Answer: Go to "Insert" > "Table," then select the number of rows and columns needed for your table, or draw a
custom table.
Answer: "Track Changes" allows users to track edits made to a document by highlighting additions, deletions, and
format changes. It is often used for collaboration and reviewing documents.
Answer: Highlight the text you want to turn into a list, then go to the Home tab and click on either the Bullets or
Numbering icons.
Answer: Select the text or object you want to hyperlink, then go to "Insert" > "Link" and enter the URL or link to
another document section.
Answer: Go to "File" > "Save As," and select PDF from the list of available file formats, then click "Save."
Answer: "Save" updates the existing document with any changes, while "Save As" allows you to save a new copy of
the document, possibly in a different location or with a different name.
Answer: Go to the "Review" tab and click "Spelling & Grammar" to automatically check and correct spelling and
grammar issues.
Answer: Go to "Insert" > "Header" or "Footer," then choose a predefined layout or customize your own.
Answer: Go to "File" > "Info" > "Protect Document," and select "Encrypt with Password." Enter and confirm the
password to protect the document.
These questions and answers provide a foundation for working effectively in Microsoft Word.
Answer: To create a custom style, go to the "Home" tab, click on the arrow in the "Styles" group, and select "Create
a Style." Name your style, define the formatting options, and click "OK." You can then apply this style to text by
selecting it from the Styles gallery.
Answer: A page break moves text to the next page, whereas a section break divides the document into sections,
allowing different formatting (e.g., margins, headers/footers, or page orientation) for each section. You can insert
these by going to "Layout" > "Breaks."
Answer: Use built-in heading styles (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2) for your section titles. Then, go to "References" >
"Table of Contents" and choose a style. Word will automatically generate a table of contents based on your
headings.
Answer: Go to "Mailings" > "Start Mail Merge," select the document type (e.g., letters, emails), then use "Select
Recipients" to choose your data source (like an Excel file). Insert merge fields, then click "Finish & Merge" to
generate the final documents.
Answer: Place your cursor where you want the cross-reference. Go to "Insert" > "Cross-reference." In the dialog box,
choose what type of item you’re referencing (e.g., headings, figures, tables), then select the specific item. This
creates a dynamic link to that item.
Answer: To create a template, design a document as needed and go to "File" > "Save As." Choose "Word Template
(*.dotx)" from the file type options. Templates can be reused by selecting them from "File" > "New" > "Personal" in
Word.
Answer: Go to "Design" > "Watermark." Choose from built-in watermarks or create a custom one by selecting
"Custom Watermark" where you can add text or an image as the watermark.
8. How do I use macros to automate tasks in Word?
Answer: Go to "View" > "Macros" > "Record Macro." Perform the tasks you want to automate, and then stop
recording. You can run the macro later by going back to "View" > "Macros" > "View Macros" and selecting the one
you recorded. You can also write advanced macros using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications).
Answer: Go to "Insert" > "Object" > "Create from File" and select your Excel file. You can choose to link the file
(which will update automatically if the Excel file changes) or embed it (which creates a static copy).
Answer: Word automatically saves different versions of a document. You can access these by going to "File" > "Info"
> "Version History." From there, you can view or restore previous versions of the document.
Answer: A master document helps organize long documents by splitting them into smaller subdocuments. Go to
"View" > "Outline," click "Show Document," and then use the "Create" button to add subdocuments. This allows you
to manage large projects in smaller, more manageable parts.
Answer: Fields are placeholders for dynamic data (e.g., date, author, file name). Go to "Insert" > "Quick Parts" >
"Field," select a field type (e.g., "Date"), and insert it into your document. Fields can be updated by right-clicking and
selecting "Update Field."
Answer: Content controls allow you to create fillable forms. Go to "Developer" tab (enable this via "File" > "Options"
> "Customize Ribbon"), and insert content controls like text boxes, checkboxes, or drop-down lists. You can lock the
form so users can only fill in specific fields.
14. How do I create a citation and bibliography using Word’s referencing tools?
Answer: Go to "References" > "Insert Citation" to add sources. You can manage the bibliography and choose citation
styles (APA, MLA, etc.) from the "References" tab. Use "Bibliography" to automatically generate a list of sources at
the end of the document.
Answer: Upload your document to OneDrive or SharePoint, then share it with others via "File" > "Share." Multiple
people can edit the document simultaneously, and their changes will appear in real-time.
Answer: Place your cursor where you want to create a bookmark, go to "Insert" > "Bookmark," name the bookmark,
and click "Add." To navigate to the bookmark later, go to "Insert" > "Bookmark," select the bookmark, and click "Go
To."
17. How can I review and merge comments from multiple reviewers?
Answer: Go to "Review" > "Show Markup" > "Comments" to see all comments. Use the "Compare" tool under
"Review" > "Compare" to merge comments and track changes from different versions of the document.
Answer: Go to "References" > "Insert Footnote" or "Insert Endnote." Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page,
while endnotes appear at the end of the document.
Answer: Use techniques such as dividing the document into sections, compressing images, or linking to external
data. Consider using master documents and subdocuments for very large projects.
Answer: Use fields like bookmarks, captions, or table references for cross-referencing. Insert a cross-reference via
"Insert" > "Cross-reference," then choose the field type (e.g., bookmark, figure) to link.
These advanced questions and answers delve deeper into Microsoft Word’s powerful features, making it
easier to handle complex tasks and customize your workflow.
Here are some important Microsoft Word interview questions along with their answers. These questions
cover a range of topics, from basic knowledge to more advanced features, which are often asked in
interviews for roles requiring proficiency in MS Word.
Answer: Microsoft Word is a word processing application developed by Microsoft. It is primarily used for creating,
editing, and formatting text-based documents such as letters, reports, memos, and resumes. It includes various tools
for document layout, text formatting, spell checking, and collaboration.
Answer: The default file format for Microsoft Word is .docx, which is an XML-based document format that ensures
better compatibility, smaller file sizes, and improved file recovery.
Answer: To create a Table of Contents, first, apply heading styles (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2) to the sections of your
document. Then, go to the "References" tab and click on "Table of Contents." Choose a built-in style, and Word will
automatically generate the Table of Contents based on the applied heading styles.
Answer: To insert a table, go to the "Insert" tab and click on "Table." You can either select the number of rows and
columns or use the "Insert Table" option to specify the dimensions. After inserting the table, you can format it by
using the "Table Design" and "Layout" tabs to change borders, shading, and alignment.
6. What are section breaks and how are they used in Word?
Answer: Section breaks in Word are used to divide a document into sections, allowing different formatting (such as
headers, footers, margins, and page orientation) for each section. You can insert a section break by going to "Layout"
> "Breaks" and selecting from the options like "Next Page," "Continuous," etc.
Answer: To track changes, go to the "Review" tab and click "Track Changes." This feature highlights all edits made to
the document, making it easier to review modifications, especially in collaborative environments. Users can accept
or reject changes and add comments.
Answer: To perform a Mail Merge, go to the "Mailings" tab, click "Start Mail Merge," and choose the document type
(e.g., letters, emails). Then, click "Select Recipients" to connect to a data source (like an Excel sheet) and insert
merge fields for personalized data (e.g., names and addresses). After that, finish the merge by clicking "Finish &
Merge."
Answer: A macro in Word is a recorded sequence of actions that automates repetitive tasks. You can create a macro
by going to "View" > "Macros" > "Record Macro." Perform the actions you want to automate, then stop recording.
Macros can be run later to repeat the actions automatically.
Answer: To insert a hyperlink, highlight the text or object you want to link, go to the "Insert" tab, and click on "Link."
In the dialog box, you can enter a URL, or link to a file or another place in the same document (e.g., a heading or
bookmark).
11. What are styles in Word, and how can you use them?
Answer: Styles in Word are pre-defined formatting options for text, including font, size, color, alignment, and
spacing. To apply a style, select the text and choose a style from the "Styles" group on the Home tab. You can also
create and modify custom styles by clicking "Create a Style."
Answer: To protect a document with a password, go to "File" > "Info" > "Protect Document" and select "Encrypt with
Password." Enter and confirm your password. This ensures that only users with the correct password can open the
document.
Answer: Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page, while endnotes appear at the end of the document or section.
Both are used to provide additional information or citations. You can insert them from the "References" tab by
selecting either "Insert Footnote" or "Insert Endnote."
Answer: To format page numbers, go to "Insert" > "Page Number," and choose the position (top or bottom of the
page). You can further customize the format by selecting "Format Page Numbers," where you can change the
numbering style (e.g., Roman numerals) or start numbering from a specific point.
Answer: To convert a Word document to PDF, go to "File" > "Save As," choose the location, and select "PDF" from
the dropdown menu in the file type list. Click "Save" to generate the PDF file.
Answer: To insert a header or footer, go to the "Insert" tab and click either "Header" or "Footer." Choose from the
built-in options or create a custom one. You can include text, page numbers, and other elements in headers and
footers.
18. What is the difference between linking and embedding objects in Word?
Answer: When you link an object (like an Excel chart), the object updates automatically when the source file is
changed. When you embed an object, it becomes a static part of the Word document and does not update with
changes in the source file.
Answer: Bookmarks mark specific locations in your document for easy navigation. To create a bookmark, place the
cursor where you want to add it, go to "Insert" > "Bookmark," name the bookmark, and click "Add." You can jump to
a bookmark by using the "Go To" feature in the "Find" dialog box.
20. How can you collaborate on a Word document using OneDrive or SharePoint?
sAnswer: Upload the document to OneDrive or SharePoint, then share it with others by clicking "File" > "Share."
Multiple users can work on the document simultaneously, and Word will show changes in real-time, along with the
name of the user making the edits.
These questions cover both basic and advanced features of Microsoft Word, and can help candidates prepare
for interviews where proficiency with Word is required.