How to Use Microsoft Word: A Beginner’s Guide

To start using Microsoft Word, open it, choose Blank document, and type. Format your words with the buttons on the Home tab, add pictures or tables from the Insert tab, and press Ctrl+S (Command+S on a Mac) to save. This guide covers the first-day basics in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows and Mac. Word for the web, the free browser version, looks and works much the same, with fewer features.

Open Word and start a document

On a computer, open Word from the Start menu on Windows or the Applications folder on a Mac. In a browser, sign in at microsoft365.com with a free Microsoft account and choose Word. If you get stuck at this point, see how to open Microsoft Word.

1. On the start screen, select Blank document. A white page opens with a blinking cursor.
2. Prefer a head start? Pick a template instead, such as a resume or letter, or use the search box to find one.
3. Already in a document? Go to File > New to start another.

If Word asks you to sign in first, follow these steps to sign in to Microsoft Word with the right account.

Find your way around the screen

The strip of buttons across the top is the ribbon. It’s split into tabs, and each tab groups related tools. You’ll use these most:

Can’t find a command? Type what you want, such as “page numbers,” into the Search box at the top of the window. Word shows the matching tool. The bar along the bottom shows the page number and word count.

Type and edit text

• Just type. Word wraps lines for you, so press Enter (Return on a Mac) only to start a new paragraph.
• To change text, select it first. Double-click to select a word, or drag across a passage. Our guide to selecting text in Word has faster tricks.
• Copy with Ctrl+C, cut with Ctrl+X, and paste with Ctrl+V.
• Made a mistake? Press Ctrl+Z to undo it. You can press it several times to step back through recent changes, as explained in how to undo in Word.

On a Mac, use Command in place of Ctrl for these shortcuts.

For more on revising text, adding content, and reviewing changes, see how to edit a Word document.

Format your text

1. Select the text you want to change.
2. On the Home tab, pick a font and size from the two boxes at the top left.
3. Select B, I, or U for bold, italic, or underline.
4. Use the alignment buttons to center text or line it up on the left or right.
5. Select Bullets or Numbering to turn lines into a list.

To change the look of a whole document, see how to change the font in Word. For tighter or looser lines, adjust the spacing from the same tab.

Use headings instead of big bold text

For titles and section names, click in the line and choose Heading 1 or Heading 2 from the Styles gallery on the Home tab. Headings keep your formatting consistent. They also let you jump between sections with View > Navigation Pane and build a table of contents later. Learn more in how to make headings in Word.

Add pictures and tables

• Picture: click where it should go, then select Insert > Pictures > This Device and choose a file. See how to insert a photo in Word for other sources.
• Table: select Insert > Table and drag across the grid to pick the number of rows and columns. The table editing guide shows how to add rows and change styles.

You can also insert an online video in Word that plays right inside the document.

Set up the page

The Layout tab controls the page itself. Use Margins for the white space around the edges, Orientation to switch between portrait and landscape, and Size to change the paper, such as Letter or A4. To number your pages, go to Insert > Page Number, or follow our guide to adding page numbers.

Check spelling and grammar

Word underlines likely spelling mistakes in red and grammar or style issues in blue. Right-click an underlined word to see suggestions. To check the whole document at once, go to Review and select Editor (some versions call it Spelling & Grammar). If the underlines never show up, turn spell check back on.

Save your document

1. Press Ctrl+S, or select File > Save As.
2. Choose where to save it, such as OneDrive or a folder on your computer.
3. Type a file name and select Save. Word saves as a .docx file by default.

After that, press Ctrl+S every so often to save your changes. If you save to OneDrive with a Microsoft 365 subscription, the AutoSave switch at the top left saves as you work. Word for the web always saves automatically. For more detail, see how to save in Word and Microsoft’s basic tasks in Word.

Print or share it

• Print: select File > Print (Ctrl+P), check the preview, choose your printer, and select Print. More options are in how to print a Word document.
• Send a copy that can’t be edited: save it as a PDF from File > Save As or Export. Our guide to converting Word to PDF walks through it.
• Work on it together: save to OneDrive, then select Share at the top right and invite people by email.

Shortcuts worth learning first

Once these feel natural, you have what you need for everyday letters, reports, and school papers. When a specific task comes up, search Word’s help box or our Word guides for step-by-step help.

Matt Wilmont

Matt has been writing about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products since the days of Windows XP. He spends much of his time writing for sites like WindowBrain.com