Microsoft Word is one of the most widely used software applications in the world for business, home, and school purposes. The app is popular, easy to use, accessible, interactive, and adaptable to various operating systems. There are over 1.2 billion users, with over 60 million businesses trusting it with a monthly subscription.
With a cloud-based app, you can use it anywhere on almost any device. Don’t know how to do things? Many tutorials in the Microsoft Office community can help you. Add new features and updates consistently, and you can save a lot of time if you know how to navigate the system.
Here, we will share 25 Microsoft Word tricks that can make your job much easier. We’ve divided them into general tricks and specific tricks for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams apps.
Common Microsoft Office Tricks
1. Share important documents easily
Now you don’t have to open an email client and stress looking for files. Share documents with others with the share button. Located in the upper right corner of the app, documents can be shared via OneDrive, AirDrop, and other services. It also allows documents to be edited and commented on in real time.
2. Customize your ribbon
What happens if you feel like your ribbon isn’t working to your advantage? Add the features you need! Just click Preference, then Ribbon & Toolbar, or go to File, Options, and Customize Ribbon. You can also hide the ribbon by clicking the small arrow to the right of the ribbon.
3. Enable the Autosave feature with One Drive
Enable this feature to automatically save documents while you’re working on them. Multiple versions are recorded to help you go back to an earlier time if you need to. Once your document is open, slide the Autosave button at the top to make sure your document is saved.
4. Use templates
You don’t need to be confused about how to design a document or presentation. There are many templates already created in the database to help you get what you need quickly. From resumes to brochures, Word offers plenty of templates that can eliminate all formatting-related issues (and help you produce professional-looking, neat documents or presentations).
So, how to find it? When you open Word, instead of creating a blank document, you can see several template options there—and even use the search bar to search for something specific. Don’t see that screen when you open Word? It doesn’t matter. Open the “File”menu in Word, then select“New from Template”(or just“New”on PC) to see the options you have.
NOTE: Want to create your own template? When you have the document organized to your liking, click“File“, “Save as Template“, and then name it accordingly. You will have everything for the document you create over and over again. On the PC, click “File“, –> “Save as“ –> “Browse“ to the folder where you want to save the file, and under “Save as type”select“Word template (*.dotx) “from the dropdown.
5. Know your keyboard shortcuts
If you are a person who constantly annoys your coworkers by clicking the mouse like crazy, it’s high time you got to know some keyboard shortcuts. There’s so much that can be useful in Word (seriously, check out our list of 99 Microsoft Word shortcuts for PC and Mac). There’s no way we can divide them all here. But, here are some of our favorite shortcuts to eliminate the difficulty of some common scenarios:
- Ctrl + F to search for a specific word or phrase in your document.
- Ctrl + Z to undo your last changes.
- Ctrl + Y to redo your last changes.
- Ctrl + C to copy the selected text.
- Ctrl + V to paste the copied text.
- Ctrl + X to cut the selected text.
- Ctrl + B to make the selected text bold.
- Ctrl + I to italicize the selected text.
- Ctrl + U to underline the selected text.
- Ctrl + K to insert hyperlink to selected text.
- Ctrl + A to select your entire document.
- Ctrl + P to print your document.
- Ctrl + S to save your document.
- Ctrl + N to create a new document.
- Ctrl + O to open an existing document.
- Ctrl + W to close the active document.
- Ctrl + H to open the Find and Replace dialog box.
- Ctrl + G to open the Go To dialog box.
- Ctrl + E to center the active paragraph.
- Ctrl + L to make the active paragraph left-aligned.
- Ctrl + R to make the active paragraph right-aligned.
- Ctrl + J to make the active paragraph align right and left.
- Ctrl + M to increase the indentation of active paragraphs.
- Ctrl + T to make the indent hang on the active paragraph.
- Ctrl + 1 to set the line spacing to single in the active paragraph.
- Ctrl + 2 to double the line spacing of the active paragraph.
- Ctrl + 5 to set the line spacing to 1.5 in the active paragraph.
- Ctrl + [ to shrink the font size of selected text.
- Ctrl + ] to increase the font size of selected text.
- Ctrl + D to open the Font dialog box.
- Ctrl + = to make the selected text a subscript.
- Ctrl + Shift + = to make the selected text superscript.
- Ctrl Shift + A to make the selected text all capital letters.
- Ctrl Shift + W to underline the selected text, but exclude spaces.
- Ctrl + Shift + C to copy the selected text format.
- Ctrl Shift + V to paste the copied text format.
- Ctrl + Shift + N to restore the selected text format to default.
- Ctrl + Shift + L to insert bulleted list.
- Ctrl + Shift + F to change the font of the selected text.
- Ctrl + Shift +> to increase the font size of selected text by one point.
- Ctrl + Shift + < to decrease the font size of the selected text by one point.
- Ctrl + Alt + 1 to apply the Heading 1 style to the active paragraph.
- Ctrl + Alt + 2 to apply the Heading 2 style to the active paragraph.
- Ctrl + Alt + 3 to apply the Heading 3 style to the active paragraph.
- Alt + Ctrl + S to split the document window into two parts.
- Alt + Shift + D to enter the current date.
Microsoft Word Special Tricks
6. Use Smart Lookup to find information
If you need to find information about a specific word or phrase in your document, you can use the Smart Lookup feature. Just right-click on the word or phrase you want to search for, then select Smart Lookup. A panel will appear on the right side of your document, displaying search results from the web, Wikipedia, and dictionaries. You can copy and paste the information you need, or click on a link to open a relevant web page.
7. Use Tell Me to find the features you need
If you are not sure where to find a specific feature in Word, you can use the Tell Me box located to the right of the ribbon. Just type what you’re looking for, and Word will display a list of corresponding options. For example, if you want to add a table of contents, just type“table of contents”and Word will show you how to do it.
8. Use Quick Parts to insert frequently used elements
If you frequently use certain elements in your document, such as signatures, logos, or phrases, you can save them as Quick Part and quickly insert them whenever you need them. To do this, select the element you want to keep, and then click Insert, Quick Parts, Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery. Name your element, and then click OK. Now, you can insert it easily by clicking Insert, Quick Parts, and selecting the element you want.
9. Use Format Painter to copy text formatting
If you want to copy text formatting from one part of document to another, you can use Format Painter. Select the text that has the formatting you want, and then click the brush icon on the ribbon. Then, select the text that you want to reformat, and Word copies the formatting. If you want to copy the formatting to multiple parts of text, double-click on the brush icon, and then select the text you want. To stop Format Painter, press Esc.
10. Use Find and Replace to bulk edit text
If you want to replace a specific word or phrase in your document with another one, you can use the Find and Replace feature. Just press Ctrl + H to open the Find and Replace dialog box, and then type the word or phrase that you want to search for and replace. You can choose to replace one at a time, or replace all at once. You can also use the More option to customize your search, such as matching upper and lower case letters, or searching for a specific format.
11. Use Navigation Pane to view and organize your documents
If you have a long and complex document, you can use Navigation Pane to easily view and organize the structure of your document. To open it, click View, and then check Navigation Pane. You can see a list of all headings in your document, and click on them to jump to the corresponding section. You can also drag and drop headings to change the order of sections. In addition, you can use the Page and Results tabs to see thumbnails of your document pages, or search for specific words or phrases in your document.
12. Use Outline View to create and edit your document outline
If you want to create or edit your document outline, you can use Outline View. To turn it on, click View, then select Outline. You can add, remove, or move headings and subheadings in your document, and change their levels by using buttons on the ribbon. You can also show or hide specific details by using the Show Level button. Outline View can help you organize your ideas and make your document more structured.
13. Use Styles to Apply Consistent Formatting
If you want to apply a consistent format to your document, you can use Styles. Styles is a collection of predefined formats, such as font, size, color, spacing, and so on, which you can apply to text with one click. You can find Styles on the ribbon, under the Home tab. You can choose from a variety of available styles, or create your own by clicking the New Style icon. You can also modify or delete an existing style by right-clicking on the style and selecting the appropriate option.
14. Use Table of Contents to create an automatic table of contents
If you want to create an automatic table of contents for your document, you can use the Table of Contents feature. To do this, make sure you’ve applied Heading styles to headings and subheadings in your document. Then, click where you want to insert the table of contents, and then click References, Table of Contents. You can choose from a variety of available formats, or create your own by clicking Custom Table of Contents. Word creates a table of contents based on the Heading style you use, and inserts page numbers and hyperlinks. You can update the table of contents at any time by right-clicking on the table of contents and selecting Update Field.
15. Use Track Changes to record and review changes
If you want to record and review changes you or others make in your document, you can use the Track Changes feature. To turn it on, click Review, and then click Track Changes. Word highlights all changes made in your document, and displays comments on the right side. You can review changes by using the Next and Previous buttons, and accept or reject changes by using the Accept and Reject buttons. You can also add, edit, or delete comments by using the New Comment, Delete, and Resolve buttons. You can change the view of changes by using the Display for Review menu, and hide or show changes by using the Show Markup button.
16. Use Mail Merge to create personalized documents
If you want to create a personalized document for a group of people, such as a letter, label, or envelope, you can use the Mail Merge feature. To do so, you need to have a main document, which contains the same text and formatting for all documents, and a data source, which contains different information for each document, such as name, address, or date. You can create your own data sources, or use existing data sources, such as Excel, Outlook, or Access files. Then, you can merge the main document and the data source by following these steps:
- Open your main document, then click Mailings, Start Mail Merge, and select the type of document you want, such as Letters, Labels, or Envelopes.
- Click Select Recipients, and select your data source, such as Use an Existing List, Select from Outlook Contacts, or Type a New List.
- Click Edit Recipient List, and select or remove the recipients you want, and click OK.
- Click Insert Merge Field, and insert the fields you want, such as First Name, Last Name, or Address. These fields will be replaced with information from your data source when you complete the merge.
- Click Preview Results, and see how your document will look. You can navigate between different documents by using the Next Record and Previous Record buttons.
- Click Finish & Merge, and choose what you want to do with your document, such as Print Documents, Edit Individual Documents, or Send Email Messages.
17. Use WordArt to Create Engaging Text
If you want to create interesting text, such as text with shadow, 3D, or curved effects, you can use WordArt. To do this, click Insert, WordArt, and select the style that you want. Then, type your text in your document, and adjust its size, color, and position. You can also change the style of your WordArt by clicking Format, and using options on the ribbon, such as Text Effects, Text Fill, Text Outline, and more.
18. Use Shapes to create geometric shapes
If you want to create geometric shapes, such as circles, squares, stars, or arrows, you can use Shapes. To do this, click Insert, Shapes, and select the shape that you want. Then, click and drag in your document to create your shape, and adjust its size and position. You can also change your shape by clicking Format, and using options on the ribbon, such as Shape Styles, Shape Fill, Shape Outline, and more.
19. Use Charts to graph data
If you want to create data graphs, such as bar, pie, line, or area graphs, you can use Charts. To do this, click Insert, Charts, and select the type of chart that you want. Then, Word will open an Excel window, where you can enter your data, or copy and paste data from another source. Word will create your graphic based on your data, and display it in your document. You can also change your chart by clicking Design, Layout, and Format, and using options on the ribbon, such as Chart Styles, Chart Layouts, Chart Elements, and more.
20. Use SmartArt to create visual diagrams
If you want to create visual diagrams, such as flow, hierarchy, cycle, or process charts, you can use SmartArt. To do this, click Insert, SmartArt, and select the category and type of chart you want. Then, Word will create your diagram, and display a text pane, where you can enter your text for each element of the diagram. You can also modify your chart by clicking Design and Format, and using options on the ribbon, such as SmartArt Styles, Change Colors, Add Shape, and more.
21. Use Equation to create mathematical equations
If you want to create mathematical equations, such as algebraic, trigonometric equations, or calculus, you can use Equation.To do so, click Insert, Equation, and select the equation you’ve already created, or click Insert New Equation to create your own. Then, Word will display the Equation Tools tab, where you can use options in the ribbon, such as Symbols, Structures, Fraction, Radical, and more, to insert mathematical symbols and structures as you need. You can also edit your equation by right-clicking on the equation and selecting the appropriate option, such as Professional, Linear, Change to Display, and more.
22. Use Translate to translate text into other languages
If you want to translate text into another language, you can use the Translate feature. To do this, select the text that you want to translate, and then click Review, Translate, Translate Selection. A panel will appear on the right side of your document, displaying a translation of your text into your selected language. You can change the source and target languages by using the dropdown menus, or clicking Insert to add the translation to your document. You can also translate the entire document by clicking Translate Document, or access more options by clicking Translate Options.
23. Use Read Aloud to listen to the text read aloud
If you want to listen to the text read aloud, you can use the Read Aloud feature. To activate it, click Review, Read Aloud, or press Ctrl + Alt +Space. Word will start reading text from the position of your cursor, or from the text you choose. You can control reading by using buttons on the ribbon, such as Play, Pause, Next, Previous, and Settings. You can also change the sound and reading speed by clicking Settings, and selecting the option you want.
24. Use Dictate to write text with your voice
If you want to write text with your voice, you can use the Dictate feature. To enable it, click Home, Dictate, or press Alt+’. Word will start listening to your voice, and write the text you speak. You can stop writing by clicking Dictate again, or saying“stop dictation“. You can also add punctuation, symbols, or formatting by saying their name, such as “comma“, “question mark“, “bold“, or “new line “. You can also change the writing language by clicking Language, and selecting the language you want.
25. Use Resume Assistant to create an attractive resume
If you want to create an attractive resume, you can use the Resume Assistant feature. To activate it, open your resume, then click Review, Resume Assistant. A panel will appear on the right side of your document, displaying several options to help you create your resume.
You can enter your role and industry, and see sample resumes of people working in the same field. You can also see the top skills for your role, and add them to your resume. In addition, you can view job openings that match your role, and apply for them easily.
So, those were the 25 Microsoft Word tricks you must know in 2023. By using these tricks, you can increase your productivity, creativity, and efficiency in using Word. You can also create more professional, engaging, and informative documents with Word. Hope you find this article useful, and good luck!