Module 01: Word Basics

The Word Interface:

When you open Word for the first time, the Start Screen will appear. From here, you'll be able to create a new
document, choose a template, and access your recently edited documents. From the Start Screen, locate and
select Blank document to access the Word interface.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about the Word interface.

Working with the Word environment

All recent versions of Word include the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar, where you'll find commands to
perform common tasks in Word, as well as Backstage view.

The Ribbon
Word uses a tabbed Ribbon system instead of traditional menus. The Ribbon contains multiple tabs, which you
can find near the top of the Word window.
Each tab contains several groups of related commands. For example, the Font group on the Home tab contains
commands for formatting text in your document.

Some groups also have a small arrow in the bottom-right corner that you can click for even more options.

Showing and hiding the Ribbon

If you find that the Ribbon takes up too much screen space, you can hide it. To do this, click the Ribbon Display
Options arrow in the upper-right corner of the Ribbon, then select the desired option from the drop-down menu:
 • Auto-hide Ribbon: Auto-hide displays your document in full-screen mode and completely
hides the Ribbon from view. To show the Ribbon, click the Expand Ribbon command at
the top of screen.
• Show Tabs: This option hides all command groups when they're not in use, but tabs will
remain visible. To show the Ribbon, simply click a tab.
• Show Tabs and Commands: This option maximizes the Ribbon. All of the tabs and
commands will be visible. This option is selected by default when you open Word for the
first time.
To learn how to add custom tabs and commands to the Ribbon, review our Extra on Customizing the Ribbon.
Using the Tell me feature
If you're having trouble finding a command you want, the Tell Me feature can help. It works just like a regular search
bar. Type what you're looking for, and a list of options will appear. You can then use the command directly from the
menu without having to find it on the Ribbon.

The Quick Access Toolbar

Located just above the Ribbon, the Quick Access Toolbar lets you access common commands no matter which tab
is selected. By default, it shows the Save, Undo, and Redo commands, but you can add other commands depending
on your needs.

To add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar:

1. Click the drop-down arrow to the right of the Quick Access Toolbar.
 2. Select the command you want to add from the menu.

3. The command will be added to the Quick Access Toolbar.

The Ruler
The Ruler is located at the top and to the left of your document. It makes it easier to adjust your document with
precision. If you want, you can hide the Ruler to create more screen space.

To show or hide the Ruler:

1. Click the View tab.

 2. Click the checkbox next to Ruler to show or hide the Ruler.

Backstage view
Backstage view gives you various options for saving, opening a file, printing, and sharing your document. To access
Backstage view, click the File tab on the Ribbon.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about using Backstage view.

Document views and zooming

Word has a variety of viewing options that change how your document is displayed. You can choose to view your
document in Read Mode, Print Layout, or Web Layout. These views can be useful for various tasks, especially if
you're planning to print the document. You can also zoom in and out to make your document easier to read.
Switching document views
 Switching between different document views is easy. Just locate and select the desired document view command in
the bottom-right corner of the Word window.

• Read Mode: This view opens the document to a full screen. This view is great for reading
large amounts of text or simply reviewing your work.

• Print Layout: This is the default document view in Word. It shows what the document will look like on the
printed page.

• Web Layout: This view displays the document as a webpage, which can be helpful if you're using Word
to publish content online.
Zooming in and out

To zoom in or out, click and drag the zoom control slider in the bottom-right corner of the Word window. You can
also select the + or - commands to zoom in or out by smaller increments. The number next to the slider displays the
current zoom percentage, also called the zoom level.

Creating and Opening Documents

Introduction
Word files are called documents. Whenever you start a new project in Word, you'll need to create a new document,
which can either be blank or from a template. You'll also need to know how to open an existing document.
Watch the video below to learn more about creating and opening documents in Word.

To create a new blank document:

When beginning a new project in Word, you'll often want to start with a new blank document.
1. Select the File tab to access Backstage view.
 2. Select New, then click Blank document.

3. A new blank document will appear.

4.
To create a new document from a template:
A template is a predesigned document you can use to create a new document quickly. Templates often
include custom formatting and designs, so they can save you a lot of time and effort when starting a new project.

1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view, then select New.
2. Several templates will appear below the Blank document option. You can also use the
search bar to find something more specific. In our example, we'll search for a flyer template.
 3. When you find something, you like, select a template to preview it.

4. A preview of the template will appear. Click Create to use the selected template.
5. A new document will appear with the selected template.

You can also browse templates by category after performing a search.

To open an existing document:

In addition to creating new documents, you'll often need to open a document that was previously saved. To learn
more about saving documents, visit our lesson on Saving and Sharing Documents.

1. Navigate to Backstage view, then click Open.

2. Select This PC, then click Browse. You can also choose OneDrive to open files stored on your
OneDrive.

3. The Open dialog box will appear. Locate and select your document, then click Open.
 4. The selected document will appear.
To pin a document:
If you frequently work with the same document, you can pin it to Backstage view for quick access.
1. Navigate to Backstage view, click Open, then select Recent.
2. A list of recently edited documents will appear. Hover the mouse over the document you
want to pin, then click the pushpin icon.

3. The document will stay in the Recent documents list until it is unpinned. To unpin a
document, click the pushpin icon again.

Compatibility Mode

Sometimes you may need to work with documents that were created in earlier versions of Microsoft Word, like Word
2010 or Word 2007. When you open these types of documents, they will appear in Compatibility Mode.
Compatibility Mode disables certain features, so you'll only be able to access commands found in the program that
was used to create the document. For example, if you open a document created in Word 2007 you can only use tabs
and commands found in Word 2007.

In the image below, you can see how Compatibility Mode can affect which commands are available. Because the
document on the left is in Compatibility Mode, it only shows commands that were available in Word 2007.
To exit Compatibility Mode, you'll need to convert the document to the current version type. However, if you're
collaborating with others who only have access to an earlier version of Word, it's best to leave the document in
Compatibility Mode so the format will not change.

You can review this support page from Microsoft to learn more about which features are disabled in Compatibility
Mode.

To convert a document:
If you want access to the newer features, you can convert the document to the current file format.
1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view, then locate and select the Convert command.

2. A dialog box will appear. Click OK to confirm the file upgrade.

3. The document will be converted to the newest file type.

Saving and Sharing Documents

Introduction
When you create a new document in Word, you'll need to know how to save it so you can access and edit it later. As
with previous versions of Word, you can save files to your computer. If you prefer, you can also save files to the
cloud using OneDrive. You can even export and share documents directly from Word.
Watch the video below to learn how to save and share Word documents.

Save and Save As

Word offers two ways to save a file: Save and Save As. These options work in similar ways, with a few important
differences.
• Save: When you create or edit a document, you'll use the Save command to save your
changes. You'll use this command most of the time. When you save a file, you'll only need
to choose a file name and location the first time. After that, you can click the Save command
to save it with the same name and location.
• Save As: You'll use this command to create a copy of a document while keeping the
original. When you use Save As, you'll need to choose a different name and/or location for
the copied version.

To save a document:

It's important to save your document whenever you start a new project or make changes to an existing one. Saving
early and often can prevent your work from being lost. You'll also need to pay close attention to where you save the
document so it will be easy to find later.

1. Locate and select the Save command on the Quick Access Toolbar.

2. If you're saving the file for the first time, the Save As pane will appear in Backstage view.
3. You'll then need to choose where to save the file and give it a file name. Click Browse to select a location
on your computer. You can also click OneDrive to save the file to your OneDrive.
4. The Save As dialog box will appear. Select the location where you want to save the document.
5. Enter a file name for the document, then click Save.

6. The document will be saved. You can click the Save command again to save your changes as you modify
the document.
7.
You can also access the Save command by pressing Ctrl+S on your keyboard.
Using Save As to make a copy
If you want to save a different version of a document while keeping the original, you can create a copy. For example,
if you have a file named Sales Report, you could save it as Sales Report 2 so you'll be able to edit the new file and
still refer back to the original version.
To do this, you'll click the Save As command in Backstage view. Just like when saving a file for the first time, you'll
need to choose where to save the file and give it a new file name.
To change the default save location:
If you don't want to use OneDrive, you may be frustrated that OneDrive is selected as the default location when
saving. If you find this inconvenient, you can change the default save location so This PC is selected by default.
1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view.

2. Click Options.

3. The Word Options dialog box will appear. Select Save on the left, check the box next
to Save to Computer by default, then click OK. The default save location will be changed.
AutoRecover
Word automatically saves your documents to a temporary folder while you are working on them. If you forget to save
your changes or if Word crashes, you can restore the file using AutoRecover.

To use AutoRecover:
1. Open Word. If autosaved versions of a file are found, the Document Recovery pane will
appear on the left.
2. Click to open an available file. The document will be recovered.

By default, Word autosaves every 10 minutes. If you are editing a document for less than 10 minutes, Word may not
create an autosaved version.
If you don't see the file you need, you can browse all autosaved files from Backstage view. Select the File tab,
click Manage Versions, then choose Recover Unsaved Documents.

Exporting documents

By default, Word documents are saved in the .docx file type. However, there may be times when you need to
use another file type, such as a PDF or Word 97-2003 document. It's easy to export your document from Word to
a variety of file types.

To export a document as a PDF file:

Exporting your document as an Adobe Acrobat document, commonly known as a PDF file, can be especially useful
if you're sharing a document with someone who does not have Word. A PDF file will make it possible for recipients
to view—but not edit—the content of your document.
1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view, choose Export, then select Create PDF/XPS.
2. The Save As dialog box will appear. Select the location where you want to export the document, enter
a file name, then click Publish.

3. If you need to edit a PDF file, Word allows you to convert a PDF file into an editable document. Read
our guide on Editing PDF Files for more information.

To export a document to other file types:

You may also find it helpful to export your document to other file types, like a Word 97-2003 Document if you need
to share with people using an older version of Word or a .txt file if you need a plain-text version of your document.
1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view, choose Export, then select Change File Type.

2. Select a file type, then click Save As.

 3. The Save As dialog box will appear. Select the location where you want to export the
document, enter a file name, then click Save.
You can also use the Save as type drop-down menu in the Save As dialog box to save documents to a variety of file
types.

Sharing documents
Word makes it easy to share and collaborate on documents using OneDrive. In the past, if you wanted to share a
file with someone you could send it as an email attachment. While convenient, this system also creates multiple
versions of the same file, which can be difficult to organize.
When you share a document from Word, you're actually giving others access to the exact same file. This lets you
and the people you share with edit the same document without having to keep track of multiple versions.
In order to share a document, it must first be saved to your OneDrive.

To share a document:
1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view, then click Share.

2. A Send Link window will appear.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about different ways to share a document.