What Is the Purpose of a Word Processor?

Microsoft Word, one of the leading word processors, is available as part of Microsoft Office.

The word processor was one of the first applications to appear on early PCs, displaying words as they
were tapped out on the keyboard. Today's word processors are far more advanced and stylish, but the
underlying principle remains the same: These applications are used to input and output large amounts
of text, with some processing and editing along the way, if required.

Key Purposes

The central purpose of a word processor, as the name suggests, is to process words. Text is typically
entered via a keyboard or dictation program, and the word processor handles formatting and
pagination. Most word processors offer tools for changing the font size and style, for creating headings
and sub-headings, for adjusting the text alignment and for controlling how the document appears on
screen and on the printed page. You will usually find a word count tool included to tally the number of
words, characters and other variables entered into the program.

Other Features

More advanced word processors include additional features, such as the ability to insert images into a
document. Tables and columns can be used in some programs to take more control over the layout of
the text on the page. Support for headers, footers, document bookmarks, a table of contents and
footnotes may also be available. Many word processors include a stylesheet feature, enabling you to
standardize text formatting across a lengthy document.

Examples of Use

Word processors can be used to produce any document containing text and (in most programs) a
selection of images. They are suitable for writing novels, reports, user manuals, letters and to-do lists.
They are less suitable for documents requiring more advanced layouts or interactive elements, and
while some word processors include an HTML export option they are not ideal for producing Web pages
to any advanced standard.

Word Processor Programs

WordPad is a basic word processor included with Microsoft Windows, while the industry standard
Microsoft Word is available as part of the Microsoft Office Suite. Alternative freeware office suites
include LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice. A number of online browser-based word processors are
available as well, including Google Document, the word processor offered as part of Google Drive.
Desktop publishing (DTP) applications offer more flexibility in terms of layouts, and are more suitable for
working with newsletters, magazines, flyers, posters and other similar documents beyond the reach of
the standard word processor.

Differences Between Spreadsheets & Word Processing

Many office software suites include spreadsheet and word processor components.

Spreadsheets and word processors were two of the earliest computer programs, but they vary
significantly in terms of their design and purpose. A spreadsheet application is geared towards number
crunching and data analysis; a word processor is primarily concerned with text and how this text
appears on the page.

The Purpose of Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets are designed to automate the management of large amounts of numerical data and to
apply calculations as required. They are used for everything from account and sales reports to sports
leagues. The strength of a spreadsheet application lies in the ease with which it can hold and manage
rows and columns of figures, and the speed with which it can calculate formulas, produce charts, and
filter out particular values.

Spreadsheet Program Features

Spreadsheet programs are built around a grid of cells that typically hold numerical data but which can
also contain text, dates, and other content. Most spreadsheet applications integrate tools for filtering
and sorting data, applying calculations to groups of cells, and producing charts of the results. Formatting
options are usually limited but enable header rows and columns to be picked out and otherwise make
the spreadsheet easier to navigate. Other options include the ability to format numerical data as
currency, fractions, and percentages.

The Purpose of Word Processors

As the name suggests, word processors are designed to process large amounts of text and can be used
for writing letters, novels, reports, or articles. They are not designed to work with figures or advanced
layouts to any great degree, though a word processor will include options for controlling text alignment
and page margins. A word processor is to text what a spreadsheet program is to numbers: a dedicated
tool designed to make entering, editing, and exporting text content as straightforward as possible.

Word Processor Program Features

Most word processors come with a selection of text formatting tools, enabling users to pick out
headings and sub-headings and take full control over font size, style, and typeface. Advanced word
processors support importing images and tables, though they don't reach the level of desktop publishing
(DTP) packages in terms of layout flexibility. Tools of benefit to writers, including word count and header
and footer capabilities, are usually included.

A word processor is an application that allows you to type in, edit, format, save, and print text. The text
shows on screen the same or very similar to how it will appear in hard copy format. Word processors are
commonly used by students, writers, authors, desktop publishing professionals and layout artists. Before
you purchase a word processor, try several out. Some can be downloaded for free, and other can be
downloaded for a trial period.

Microsoft Word

One of the most well-known and widely used word processing applications on the market is Microsoft
Word. Word has more than 90 percent of the word processing market and more than 450 million users.
Microsoft Corp. first released this program to the market in 1989, and since then there have been a
number of upgrades to the software. Word can be purchased as part of the Microsoft Office suite of
programs, which include Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Publisher. Word can be used to format text and
build layout documents.

WordPerfect

WordPerfect is a word processing application from Corel Corp.. WordPerfect was popular in the early
1990s. It is best for writing simple essays and articles. Though it isn't used as much today, WordPerfect is
compatible with Microsoft Word, meaning that you can open and edit WordPerfect files in the Word
program, then save them as WordPerfect files again. WordPerfect also can be used for formatting and
laying out documents.
Lotus Word Pro

If you use Lotus Notes or Lotus 1-2-3--common in corporate environments--Lotus Word Pro is an ideal
program for your word processing needs. This program works in concert with Lotus applications to allow
you to create and distribute formatted text documents. It is produced and distributed by IBM Corp.
Lotus Word Pro is also compatible with Microsoft Word and ideal for writing reports, memos and
proposals.

iWork Pages

Pages is a word processing program offered by Apple Incorporated, so if you own a Mac computer this
might be the ideal option for your needs. It is a part of Apple's iWork suite of programs. Pages allows
you to perform basic word processing functions--writing and formatting--as well as more complex
graphical layout actions. You can open and save Pages files in Microsoft Word.

And the Rest

There are dozens of word processors on the market. Other lesser-known word processors include
OpenOffice Writer, Adobe InCopy, AbiWord, Microsoft Works and Scrivener. A growing number of
online word processors are available and include Google Docs and Microsoft Office Web Apps.

ABBYY FineReader Sprint allows users to easily convert paper documents to electronic formats.

Users might recognize ABBYY FineReader Sprint as the application that comes bundled with their
scanners and which appears by default when the user first installs the software CD. This optical
character recognition, or OCR, software is a perennial favorite among scanner manufacturers. This
"light" version provides basic OCR functionality, and users can choose to upgrade to the professional
edition of FineReader for additional capabilities.

Utility Programs

HTML pages can also be converted to Word by using a free online conversion utility, such as CoolUtil’s
Free Online HTML Converter program, or you can download and install free software converters, such as
Software995’s OmniFormat. You enter in the URL and have the utility tool convert the page to a Word
document.
Shareware Programs

You can also convert HTML pages to Word by downloading and installing shareware software, such as
YPGSoft’s Windows HTML to Word 2010 or Allimagetool Software’s HTML to Word Doc RTF Converter.
Once installed, you can convert web pages to either Word document files or Rich Text Format (RTF)
documents for use in Microsoft Word.

Some scanners output documents as image files like JPEG, while others create document files like PDF.

Adding a watermark to your personal or corporate scanned documents can be accomplished in several
ways. In all cases, these methods require additional software -- most of which come with a purchase fee.
Depending on the file format to which your scanner outputs documents, you'll need a specific
watermarking program, desktop publishing program or an image editor.

Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft Publisher is a desktop publishing program sold as part of the Microsoft Office productivity
suite. As a full-featured desktop publisher, Microsoft Publisher enables you to add watermarks to your
documents. Watermarks can be added in two ways -- a text only watermark, or by adding an image to
the document and changing the transparency in the image format menu. Both methods can be used to
add watermarks to most document formats, including DOC and PDF.

Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat is another desktop publishing program, specifically designed for use with the PDF format
originally developed by Adobe. Acrobat enables you to add both text and image watermarks and adjust
the size, transparency and other formatting options. Unlike Microsoft Publisher, Acrobat is available as a
stand-alone product from Adobe, and is intended only for the creation and manipulation of PDF formats.

Watermarking Software

While Microsoft Publisher and Adobe Acrobat are some of the top-tier desktop publishing programs for
personal and professional use, other programs can be used to add watermarks to documents. A-PDF
Watermark is a tool designed for watermarking PDF documents. The sole purpose of this program is to
add watermarks to PDF documents, both text and image. PDF Watermark Creator is also a program
designed exclusively for adding watermarks to PDF documents -- however, it supports only text
watermarks. While A-PDF Watermark requires a purchase, PDF Watermark Creator offers a freeware
version, making it one of the few free watermarking programs.

Image Editing Software

If your scanner saves scanned images in an image document format instead of a PDF or other document
format, you can also create watermarks using layer-based image editing software. Programs like Adobe
Photoshop, Corel Paint Shop Pro and free software like GIMP or Paint.NET all support layer management
during editing. By adding the desired watermark as a separate layer and then reducing opacity, you can
effectively create a watermark on the document. If you need to then convert the image into a format
like PDF, there are conversion tools available online to handle the task.

Use proper German for an über-professional presentation.

The German language contains four letters that do not appear in the 26-letter English alphabet. These
are the consonant "ß" and three vowels with umlauts — ä, ö and ü. Though you can find none of these
letters on a standard keyboard, Microsoft PowerPoint supports them as an extension of its library of
basic Latin symbols. If you need to deliver a business presentation in German, or include German words
in an otherwise English presentation, add German letters through PowerPoint's Symbol dialog box.

Open PowerPoint. Click a text box and place the cursor where you want to insert the German letter.

Click "Insert" on the PowerPoint ribbon.

Click "Symbol" in the Symbols group to open the Symbol dialog box.

Click the "Subset" drop-down box and select "Latin-1 Supplement."

Double-click a German letter to insert it onto the slide.

Tips

If you need to type an extended block of text with many German letters, consider typing it in Word and
later transferring it to PowerPoint. Word supports keyboard shortcuts for German letters. Press "Ctrl-
Shift-:" and then press "A," "O" or "U" to type "Ä," "Ö" and "Ü," and type "Ctrl-Shift-&" and then press
"S" to type "ß."

The differences between MS Works and MS Word boil down to the available functions, price and
amount of disk space needed for each package. Although each application meetss a specific need for
users, some people wanting to customize a document are more likely to use MS Word. Someone who
needs to create simple documents can use MS Works.

Price

Price is a big difference between the two applications. The Microsoft Office package that includes MS
Word can run up to about $300. The Microsoft Works package costs only about $100. Many computers
come with MS Works and/or MS Office 60-day trials installed. After the trial, you can delete the software
from the computer or buy the package.

Disk Space

MS Word uses 24 MB (megabytes) of disk space, and MS Works requires only 8 MB of disk space. The
MS Works software package includes MS Calendar, Task Manager, Word Processor, Portfolio, Address
Book and a spreadsheet application. Most MS Word packages include MS PowerPoint, Access, Outlook
Express, Excel and Publisher.

Tools

With MS Word, you will have a spell check application and a research option. With MS Works Word
Processor, you have dictionary, thesaurus and spell check tools. However, Word has more tools than
Works Word Processor, such as the ability to track changes and protect a document.

Format
MS Word offers more formatting options such as adding columns, backgrounds, themes and frames. MS
Works Word Processor offers columns, borders and bullets, but formatting options are limited
compared to MS Word, which offers text direction options and auto formatting as well.

Tables

Under the "Tables" option on the menu bar, Word has auto fit, formulas, sort, insert and many more
selections. MS Works Word Processor offers limited options such as inserting a table, row or column and
table format and cell text alignment. Thus, Word options allow you to do more formatting and design of
the document.

Inserting

MS Works Word Processor provides insert options such as a watermark, picture, text box, page
numbers, date and times, and addresses, plus a few more. MS Word provides auto text, page
numbering, hyperlinking, bookmarking and adding pictures plus many more options. Overall, Word gives
a user more insert options, and Works is the best for constructing web documents.

There are three types of form fields in Word: text, check box and drop-down form fields.

Microsoft Word offers users three types of form fields to gather information: text form fields, check box
form fields and drop-down form fields. Which form field you employ depends on what kind of
information you want to solicit. For example, the text form field is designed to collect information when
delineated choices exist. Conversely, the drop-down form offers respondents a list of choices. The check
box form allows the respondent to choose from one or more responses from a series. If you don't need
form fields in your document, it is easy to turn them off.

Step 1

Open Microsoft Word by double-clicking on the desktop icon. Click "File," then "Open" to pull up the
document you want to turn off the form fields in.

Step 2

Turn on the forms toolbar by going to "View" and opening the "Toolbars" submenu. Click on "Forms" to
bring up the toolbar.
Step 3

Click on the "Office" button, then go to "Word Options." Click on "Advanced" and uncheck the option to
display field codes. The process is essentially the same in earlier versions of Word. Click OK to apply the
changes, and check your Word document to make sure they've taken.

Along with the growth of the Internet have come complex tools for Web development to make websites
faster, smoother and more sophisticated than ever. These tools have become as sophisticated, varied
and important as the websites themselves.

Apple iLife

Apple iLife is an entire suite of software applications that provide a variety of capabilities including web
development for Mac OS X. The iWeb tool allows you to create and design websites and blogs, without
the use of coding, with built-in support for publishing. The program is ideal for non-coders and
dedicated Mac users; however, there are limitations. You will not have the use of more sophisticated
techniques available to experienced coders.

Adobe Dreamweaver

Dreamweaver is a Web development program for both Mac and Windows operating systems. It can
support a great deal of Web technology such as CSS, JavaScript and server-side scripting languages. It
gives you the option to work with both HTML coding and with an interface that allows non-coders to
create websites. It's available in many languages and localizations and is excellent even for advanced
users.

Microsoft Expression Web

Expression Web is a Web design program and HTML editor made specifically for Windows as part of the
Expression Studio suite. It edits Web pages using XML, CSS and JavaScript and requires the .NET
Framework. It's viewed as a much more cost-effective alternative to Dreamweaver, but has been
criticized as lacking secure FTP transfer functions
Use a free online service to translate Spanish PDFs to English.

Adobe Systems created the term "portable document format," or PDF. A PDF uses a universal file format
system. When it comes to documents in Spanish, it can be time consuming and/or expensive to find a
book or document in Spanish. A relatively large number of books and documents in Spanish can be
accessed through a PDF search. The best approaches for translating a Spanish PDF text to English is to do
it yourself with an online translation service or hire a professional.

Spanish-English Online Translation

Step 1

Open the PDF document. Adobe Acrobat Reader is the required program for opening PDF documents.
Download it for free.

Step 2

Copy and paste the web page address of the PDF into an online translation service, such as Google
Translate. The service is free and does not require any type of program download. If the program
doesn't identify the original language of the PDF, choose Spanish. Select English as the target language,
or the desired language for the PDF. The translation is virtually instantaneous.

Step 3

Save the translation as a document. While the translation can give the reader a strong sense of the
contents of the PDF, the translation may not be 100 percent accurate. This is because of the immediate
and automatic nature of the translation.

Professional Translation

Step 1

Hire a professional translator. The translator should be certified through an organization such as the
American Translators Association. Professional translators charge a certain fee per word into the target
language.
Step 2

Send the PDF link or a hard copy to the translator. She will analyze the document and create a price
quote, as well as an estimated completion date.

Step 3

Pay the translator upon completion of the project. Most professional translators accept cash, credit
cards or PayPal for payment.

Make a letter stand out by underlining the character.

Underlining a letter or word in a business document or email draws the reader's attention by making it
stand out on the page. The text underlining format option is a basic function that is universally available
in word processing software, email programs, spreadsheet applications and presentation software.
Some word processing programs also allow you to underline text with different types of decorative lines.
Underline a letter in a document on your computer with the program's font format tools or with the
associated keyboard shortcut.

Underline a Letter in a Microsoft Word Document

Launch Microsoft Word.

Open the document that contains the text you want to underline.

Highlight to select the letter in the Word document.

Click the "Home" tab in the main menu ribbon.

Click the "Underline" button in the Font tools group or press "Ctrl-U" on your computer keyboard to
underline the letter. To use decorative underlining, such as dashes, dots or a wavy line, click the down-
arrow button next to "Underline" in the Font tools group and select your preferred line style from the
Underline Styles pull-down menu.

Save the document to store your changes.

Underline a Letter in a Gmail Email Message

Sign in to your Gmail account.

Click the "Compose" button to create a new email. Fill in the email recipient's address, add a subject line
to the email and enter the message text in the usual way.

Highlight to select the letter in the email body text that you want to underline.

Click the "Underline" button in the toolbar above the email message field or press "Ctrl-U" on your
keyboard to underline the letter.

Send the email with the underlined letter in the text.

Underline a Letter in Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation

Launch Microsoft PowerPoint.

Open the presentation that contains the text you wish to underline.

Highlight and select the letter in the PowerPoint slide.

Click the "Home" tab in the menu ribbon.

Click the "Underline" button in the Font tools group or press "Ctrl-U" on your keyboard to underline the
letter.

Save the presentation to store your changes.

Tips

Many basic word processing programs and advanced text editors, such as WordPad, come with the
underline text formatting option so you don't necessarily need premium software to underline a letter.

Pressing "Ctrl-U" in most programs will place an underline beneath selected text.

PDF files and Microsoft Word files are used to display documents in a readable format. The file
extensions are proprietary to Adobe and Microsoft, respectively.

PDF Format

A PDF is an Adobe Acrobat Reader file. PDF stands for "portable document format."

Word Format

Microsoft Word documents are stored with the DOC extension. DOC stands for "document file."

Programs

PDF files can be opened with Adobe Acrobat Reader and FoxIt PDF Reader. DOC files can be viewed
using the open-source OpenOffice.org suite, Microsoft Word, and the Microsoft Office Suite.

Uses
Microsoft Word is used to create and edit written documents. Both PDF and Word files can encapsulate
various types of data including text, images, audio, and graphics. PDF files display the document exactly
as it will look on the printer.

Cost

OpenOffice, Foxit Reader, and Adobe Reader are free downloads from the appropriate websites. See
"Resources" below for a list.

Producing a document on a typewriter can be time consuming.

In the twentieth century typewriters made work simpler for anyone who had to write text or produce
documents. Typewriters of the twenty-first century are more powerful and useful than their
predecessors, yet are now filled with disadvantages compared to new technologies. The paperless world
of email and the Internet has made the typewriter less useful.

Error Correction

Standard typewriters only type what is entered on the keys, and misspelled words remain misspelled
words. People have grown accustomed to spell checkers, auto word replacement programs and the
automatic insertion of capital letters at the beginnings of sentences. If a writer makes a mistake on a
typewriter, she will have to use white-out to erase the mistake then retype the text correctly. Some
electronic typewriters do have erase capabilities, but none will alert the user of the mistakes.

Communicating

Typing a letter to send to multiple places on a typewriter is not possible. With a sheet of carbon paper,
two copies can be printed at once, but that is its limit. When more copies, such as for newsletters or
form letters, the user will have to use a copy machine. In addition, different names and addresses
cannot be placed on a business letter sent to multiple recipients as easily with a typewriter.

Formatting

Typewriters have limited formatting options. A typist can change page margins and bold type, and using
a dual color ink ribbon can print in red instead of black. Using different types or sizes of fonts is not
possible because the letters are raised stamps that use standard business letter size. There are fewer
characters and symbols available with a typewriter, as well.

Supplies

Typewriters are becoming less common, which means fewer suppliers stock ribbon and other typewriter
necessities. Parts for typewriter repair are also becoming more expensive. Typewriters are manual
devices that receive wear and tear, and fewer typewriter repair shops are in business.

Word's Equation Editor creates complex formulas.

Microsoft Word 2013 already includes the Equation Editor; in fact, this useful feature has been
integrated into Word since version 2007. However, it's only available in the full desktop version of
Windows, so Windows RT users are out of luck. If you're editing a document created with a version of
Word prior to 2007, you need to convert the file to access enhanced features of the modern Equation
Editor. Note that if you're still using a version of Word prior to 2007, you need to manually install it from
your Microsoft Office CD.

Using Equation Editor

The Equation option resides in the Symbols group of Word 2013's Insert tab. Clicking the "Equation"
drop-down menu presents several preset arrangements, such as Binomial Theorem and Fourier Series.
Clicking "Equation" inserts a blank equation box, but the Design tab offers hundreds of selectable
symbols, structures and equations to help you create your formula.

Converting Older Documents

When you open an older Word document, a Convert option appears on the File tab's Info section.
Clicking this option converts the file to the modern format. To save this conversion, you'll need to save
the document by clicking "File" and then "Save."

Microsoft Office 2007 includes tools to help users work collaboratively.

Microsoft Office 2007 is an application suite designed to help users to easily share information between
an integrated set of programs. There are seven different versions of Office 2007, and while each includes
different programs and features, every version includes Microsoft’s word processing, spreadsheet, and
presentation programs.
Word 2007: Word Processing

Microsoft Word is a full-featured word processing program for writing and editing text documents.
Word includes tools that let multiple users share information and collaboratively edit documents. Word
is included in every edition of Microsoft Office 2007.

Excel 2007: Spreadsheet Analysis

Microsoft Excel 2007 is a spreadsheet program used for tasks such as creating budgets, tracking data,
and creating charts and graphs. With Excel, you create what Microsoft calls a Workbook, which can
contain any number of individual worksheets. Users can copy or export the graphs and charts created in
Excel to Word, PowerPoint, or Publisher or OneNote. Excel is included in every edition of Microsoft
Office 2007.

PowerPoint 2007: Presentation Software

PowerPoint 2007 is Microsoft’s presentation software, used for creating slide show presentations. Users
can import graphs and charts from Excel or text from Word, or use PowerPoint’s own tools for creating
slide text and graphics. The program also has the capacity to add special effects like fade-ins or fade-
outs between slides, as well as audio and video. PowerPoint is included in every edition of Microsoft
Office 2007.

Outlook 2007: Email and Personal Contacts Manager

Outlook 2007 is Microsoft’s e-mail client, and it also includes a calendaring program, address book and
contact organizer, and task list. With Outlook, you can manage any number of e-mail addresses and
create personal mailing lists. Outlook is included in the Small Business, Professional, Professional Plus,
Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Office 2007.

Publisher 2007: Design

Publisher 2007 is Microsoft’s solution for home and business users who want to create posters, flyers,
letterhead, brochures or other marketing materials. Publisher simplifies the design process by including
a number of predefined color schemes, page borders, as well as clip art and templates for popular types
of publications like bake sale flyers, calendars, and personal stationery. Publisher is included with the
Small Business, Professional, Professional Plus, Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Office 2007.
Access 2007: Database and Form Design

Access 2007 lets users work with data by creating databases, data entry forms and queries. Access can
be used as a standalone database program or to interface with Microsoft SQL server databases. Access is
included with Microsoft Office Professional, Professional Plus, Ultimate and Enterprise.

Specialized Office Components

Some of the targeted versions of Microsoft Office include extra programs designed to help customers
with specific needs, like small business owners. These programs include: Accounting Express, which is a
financial accounting package aimed at small business owners; Groove 2007, a collaboration tool for
users who work collaboratively from different physical locations or offline; InfoPath 2007, a forms-
creation tool for business users and developers; Communicator 2007, which is a communications client
used for Internet-based audio and video conferencing; and, finally, OneNote, which serves as a virtual
notebook to store text, graphics, Web links or other information organized by topic, subject or project.

If you want to change the standard paper size in a computer program such as Microsoft Word, Pages or
Adobe Acrobat, you can do that very easily by going to the application’s settings. Standard A4 paper size
is 8.27 x 11.69 inches, while 8 x 11 inches is the standard paper size in the U.S. Almost all document
processing applications support this page size, so converting is not a problem.

Open the page that you want to convert.

Go to “File” from the menu.

Select “Page Setup” or a similar option.

Choose U.S. letter (8 x 11) paper size from the drop-down list. Click “OK” button.

Close the page set-up window.

Graphic Interchange Format (GIF) is a common format for Web graphics, especially small images that
contain text. The advantage of the GIF format is a small file size. But this format can represent only a
limited (up to 256) color palette. A simple way of converting Microsoft Word documents to GIF images is
to use the program Paint. Paint is an image editor shipped with all Windows versions.

Click the Windows Start button and expand "All Programs."

Open the "Accessories" folder and click on Paint to launch the image editor.

Open Microsoft Word and open the document you desire to convert to GIF format.

Select the first page of the Word document by holding the left mouse button.

Press "Ctrl-C" click "Copy" on the Word toolbar.

Switch to the Paint window and press "Ctrl-V" to insert the content of the Word document page.

Click "File" and "Save As" in Paint.

Choose the file type "GIF" using the drop-down listbox "Save As Type."

Type a file name and click "Save" to convert the Word page to the GIF image.

Press "Ctrl-N" in Paint if you plan to convert other Word pages to images.

The .dotx file type is the Microsoft Office Word 2007 or newer template file type, and the .docx file type
is the Word 2007 document file type. Converting the .dotx file type to the .docx file type is as simple as
saving the template file as a document in Microsoft Office Word 2007 or newer. Word template files are
files that provide a predefined format for the document. Open the template file, make any changes
necessary to the file and save the file as a Word document.

Right-click on the .dotx file and select "Open with..." and then "Microsoft Office Word" from the context
menus. The file opens in Word.

Type any additional text and make any formatting changes necessary to save the template as a
document.

Click the Microsoft Office button in the upper left corner of the window and select "Save As."

Click the "Save as File Type" drop-down box and select the "Microsoft Word (.docx)" option.

Type a name for the new document file in the "File Name" input file and click the "Save" button.
The .dotx file is now converted to a .docx file.

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Free MS Word alternatives

10+ Free MS Word Alternatives You Can Use Today

While many people believe that they are "locked" into using Microsoft Word for all their document
creation needs, it simply isn't true. Over the past few years, there have been many Microsoft Word and
Office alternatives that were released and that have gained traction. Now, there are alternatives to the
costly application from Microsoft, many of which are free.

Today we're going to explore eleven alternatives to Microsoft Word that you can quickly and easily start
using today. Some will be online and some will be downloadable applications that can be installed on
your local computer, but all will enable you to wean yourself off of Microsoft Word and still be
productive.

This is because they can all work in conjunction with the applications you already use with MS Word.
Take your everyday PDF converter tool, for instance. Working with PDF documents is difficult and you
may think it even harder if you swap out an application in your usual software lineup. This simply isn't
true, though. Able2Extract Professional, for instance, lets you work easily with any MS Word alternative
there is. Simply convert your PDF to Word and then import or upload your converted results into any
one of the Word processors in this list. You won't miss a single beat!

So if you need a good list of free alternatives to MS Word, look no further. Let's get started on our tour
of eleven free alternatives to Microsoft Word.

Online Microsoft Word Alternatives

Sometimes it's easier to create and collaborate online in real-time than by editing and managing
multiple versions on your local hard drive and sending the files via email. The web-based word
processing applications below will not only let you create the documents online but also quickly and
easily share them with others.

Xodo

Xodo is an online document management platform that offers a powerful Word editing tool. Users can
edit and revise Docx files directly in their web browser without any software installation. With an
intuitive interface and a comprehensive set of editing tools, Xodo's Docx Word Editor is fast and easy to
use. Xodo gives you the ability to make changes to text with popular formatting, font, spacing, and text
colour options, making it an efficient tool for both individuals and business users. Any changes you make
can instantly be downloaded and saved back into Docx format seamlessly. Because Xodo offers a full
suite of document tools, you can keep your Word document in Xodo to view or convert to PDF without
having to leave the platform. Xodo takes top spot because of its ease of use, quality editing tools, and
smooth performance while editing.

Dropbox Paper

Dropbox Paper is a free online word processor offered by the online cloud storage provider. To start
using it, you will need a Dropbox account. Once logged in, you get full access to the online suite. The
minimalist interface is very intuitive and its simplicity allows you to focus on your content. You can also
do a number of things that go beyond creating a textual document. You can add rich media, such as
audio, video and images. Dropbox Paper also allows you to access apps that let you embed Trello cards,
Youtube videos or SlideShare decks. Other collaborative features include document link-sharing,
creating and assigning checklist items to members or embedding one of your Dropbox documents.
Dropbox Paper, overall, does an excellent job at creating dynamic documents you can share and access
online.
Office Online

For Microsoft Word and Office aficionados, the best possible free online alternative for their document
editing needs is definitely Word online, which comes as part of the Office Online suite. Although free MS
Word web app is not a full-fledged version of its paid counterpart, it allows you to open, create and edit
Word documents online. Also, it offers some additional benefits of online software tools. For example,
the ability to access and see updates from co-authors to your docs literally from anywhere in real time
with only an Internet connection and the latest 2016 version. You can share and collaborate on
documents. An equally alluring feature of Office Online is its cross-platform compatibility. So, if you're a
Chromebook or Linux OS user, MS Word web app is the most elegant way to get access to Microsoft's
document editing features - for free!

Google Docs

Google Docs allows you to create, collaborate and share documents, spreadsheets, presentations,
drawings and even forms. Google Docs is packed with features, which can be further extended with
various add-ons. While it will automatically save the file online and store it there, you can also have the
documents published as a web page, downloaded or emailed as an attachment in Word, ODT, PDF, plain
text or RTF formats. You can invite collaborators to work on the document with you or only allow others
to view it without the ability to edit. And if you are apprehensive of having to depend on the Internet
connection for document processing, don't worry. You can enable Google Docs offline access and keep
editing your documents even when you are disconnected from Internet. All it takes is a free Google
account.

Etherpad

Etherpad is an online document editor primarily intended for collaborative editing in, as the site claims,
"really real time". It's an open source, highly customizable tool for online document collaboration with
friends, fellow students and classmates, or colleagues at work. One of its advantages, especially
appealing to users who are reluctant to use services which require email registration, is that there is no
sign up with Etherpad. All you need to do is start a new pad and share the link to it with your
collaborators. You can also invite them by email if you prefer. After that, you can start working on the
planned writing project together, in real-time, even if you are miles apart.

Zoho

Zoho offers around 20 free online applications including Writer for word processing. You can link your
Zoho account to your Google and Yahoo accounts, as well. The Writer's interface shouldn't cause
anyone problems as it is comfortably familiar. When working online there's always the risk of losing data
due to a lost network connection, accidentally closing your browser or having your browser crash.
Luckily Zoho automatically saves your documents for you, as you finish typing. Zoho Writer is well-
equipped with features that allow you to work easily online: two-way desktop sync, large file transfer,
encryption, file recovery, two-step authentication, in-app chat, and more. You can import and work with
MS Word documents, allowing you to insert images, and edit content as needed. Zoho Writer offers all
the standard text formatting and document creation features and can export to DOCX, ODF, PDF, Latex,
RTF, TXT and even HTML. It can plug into Echosign for digital signatures, publish the document to a blog
or make it public for all to see. Zoho Docs is completely free to use.

Downloadable Word alternatives

Downloadable Microsoft Word Alternatives

Some people are reluctant to cut the ties to their local computer and put all their work and business
documents online. If you're one of them and don't want to rely on an Internet connection, here are
several free word processing applications to round out our list. These you can download and install on
your local computer. Take advantage of all the desktop features of MS Word without the hefty price tag!

Apache OpenOffice

The Apache OpenOffice package actually includes six programs that all use the same engine making
them inherently the same and extremely easy to learn and use. The 6 applications included in the
Apache OpenOffice suite are: Writer (word processor), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations),
Draw (diagrams and illustrations) and Base (database manipulation) and Math (mathematical
equations). Writer can even natively do some things that Word cannot, like open PDF files without the
addition of a plug-in or commercial add-on. As the software is open source it is maintained by a large
community meaning help and bug fixes are freely available and quickly created. The downside to Writer
is that it can only open DOCX files without the ability to edit and save them. You can install this suite on
Windows XP to Windows 10, macOS and Linux.

LibreOffice

LibreOffice is another open source Microsoft Office alternative and a successor of the OpenOffice.org
project (in 2010, Oracle/Apache OpenOffice and LibreOffice projects went separate ways). LibreOffice is
distributed as a “monolithic software” consisting of seven components: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw,
Base, Math, and Charts. LibreOffice Writer is a free and powerful word processor available for Windows,
Linux, and Mac. This Microsoft Word alternative can edit and save DOCX file format meaning that if you
often collaborate on documents with Microsoft Office users, LibreOffice Writer is your best choice. It
offers multi-language support, a spelling and grammar checker, ability to export in PDF and EPUB ebook
format, AutoCorrect and AutoComplete features, a lot of extensions and document templates, and more
regular updates and major and minor releases than Apache OpenOffice.

Jarte

Jarte is based on Microsoft WordPad Engine, but is still free. There is a paid version of the software that
adds on some extra functionality, but the free version is more than adequate and fully compatible with
Word and WordPad documents. Features include an ergonomic tabbed interface, small resource
requirements, portability, support for touchscreens, and quick loading time. It also has built-in spell
checking and can export to HTML and PDF files. Jarte allows you to insert images, tables, hyperlinks and
everything else that you have come to expect from Word. Jarte contains no ads, trial periods or crippled
features and is funded through user purchases of the Jarte Plus version.

WPS Office

WPS Office is a free document processing suite whose WPS Writer app will serve you well as a Microsoft
Word alternative. WPS Office 2016 Free can open and save to a long list of popular file formats native to
those applications like docx, doc, and more. You can get the application in languages other than English:
French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and Russian. The suite has the same familiar look and feel
of MS Office with one exception--it has a tabbed viewing window, so you can open more than one
document at a time. And also worth mentioning is WPS Cloud, the company's cloud document storage
service that offers up to 1GB of free storage that you can use. This is perfect if you're trying to find a free
Word alternative that's not only scalable for teams, but can also be as collaborative and seamless as its
Microsoft counterpart.

SoftMaker FreeOffice

SoftMaker FreeOffice is another great free suite that offers a full featured Microsoft Word alternative.
The suite's TextMaker application allows you to focus on creating documents just as you would in MS
Word. This suite offers up essential editing features and even a handful of basic templates for creating
and editing documents. Tables, charts, shapes and graphics are available along with standard text
formatting options. This application provides you with everything you need. The entire suite is available
for Windows, Linux, and Android, so you can keep your document processing tasks going even while
away from your desktop.

Whether you are looking for a free locally installed Microsoft Word alternative or an online one for
easier collaboration and online file storage, there are many available. The eleven that are covered in this
article are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg, but should give you a good starting point. The obvious
giants in the arena are Google Docs and Openoffice.org which are probably also the most popular,
though Zoho does offer a wider selection of applications. In the end, the one that best suits you will be
the one that offers the features you need the most.

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