There are several ways to create a table of contents in Microsoft Word. In this tutorial, we are going to look at the two most convenient ways. Plus, we are going to update a table of contents after making changes to the document. We will also delete a table of contents. How to Create a Built-In Table of Contents How to Create a Custom Table of Contents How to … [Read more...] about How to Create and Update a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word
How to Insert Citations in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)
Managing citations for research papers, theses, dissertations, and other nonfiction works can be overwhelming. However, you can ease the process by learning how to insert citations in Microsoft Word using the software’s citation and bibliography tools. This tutorial covers six topics: How to select a citation style How to insert citations for new sources How to … [Read more...] about How to Insert Citations in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)
How to Create Hanging Indents in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)
When a paragraph has a hanging indent, the first line extends farther to the left than the rest of the lines. Hanging indents are common in bibliographies, reference lists, and works cited pages. This tutorial shows two ways to create hanging indents in Microsoft Word: Create hanging indents with the ruler Create hanging indents with the paragraph dialog box The … [Read more...] about How to Create Hanging Indents in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)
How to Adjust Page Margins in Microsoft Word (Three Methods)
There are three different ways to adjust page margins in Microsoft Word: Adjust page margins with the ruler Use preset margins Create custom margins This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time. https://youtu.be/tTJEZ4egnZI Watch more than fifty other videos about Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat on my YouTube … [Read more...] about How to Adjust Page Margins in Microsoft Word (Three Methods)
How to Insert Playing Card Symbols in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert playing card symbols in Microsoft Word. The four traditional playing card symbols—the heart, club, diamond, and spade—were popularized in the fifteenth century.* In fact, we might consider them antique emoji because they have a storied history of expressing emotion well beyond the gaming table. This longevity makes them an excellent option … [Read more...] about How to Insert Playing Card Symbols in Microsoft Word
How to Cross-Reference Tables and Figures in Microsoft Word
In a recent tutorial, we looked at how to insert table titles and figure captions in Microsoft Word. Today, we’re going to use those titles and captions to cross-reference tables and figures in Microsoft Word. One benefit of using cross-references in Word is that they can be hyperlinked to the connected table or figure. In addition, Word’s cross-references can be easily … [Read more...] about How to Cross-Reference Tables and Figures in Microsoft Word
How to Update Word in Microsoft 365
This tutorial shows how to update Word in Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) on a PC. Even if your Microsoft 365 account updates automatically, you may want to do a manual update occasionally because it doesn’t always update immediately upon the release of new features. In addition to Word, this process will also update your other Microsoft 365 apps, including Excel, … [Read more...] about How to Update Word in Microsoft 365
How to Change the Color of Track Changes in Microsoft Word
Do you prefer editing with a specific color? If so, you can change the color of Track Changes markup in Microsoft Word. Specifically, you can choose from eighteen different colors for insertions, deletions, text movements, and comment balloon borders, as shown in this tutorial. Before starting the tutorial, please review these important notes: Track Changes colors apply … [Read more...] about How to Change the Color of Track Changes in Microsoft Word
How to Create and Update a List of Tables or Figures in Microsoft Word
As shown in this tutorial, you can quickly create a list of tables or figures in Microsoft Word if you used Word’s caption tool to number your tables and figures. (See “How to Insert Figure Captions in Microsoft Word” for step-by-step instructions on using the caption tool.) We will also look at how to update the list as you add, move, or delete tables or … [Read more...] about How to Create and Update a List of Tables or Figures in Microsoft Word
How to Create and Customize Charts in Microsoft Word
Charts offer a concise and visually appealing way to present numeric information. This tutorial explains the basics of creating and customizing charts in Microsoft Word. We’ll cover five topics: How to insert a chart How to update existing data in a chart How to resize a chart How to reposition a chart How to change chart colors These steps apply to all … [Read more...] about How to Create and Customize Charts in Microsoft Word
How to Adjust Line Spacing in Microsoft Word
There are several ways to adjust line spacing in Microsoft Word. Today’s tutorial explains the basic method using the ribbon and a more advanced method using the Paragraph dialog box. See the Quick Tip at the bottom of this tutorial to learn how to single-space an entire document from the Paragraph dialog box. This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing … [Read more...] about How to Adjust Line Spacing in Microsoft Word
Three Ways to Insert Tables in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows three ways to insert tables in Microsoft Word so you can choose the method that is most appropriate for your content: Create a table from the Table menu (best for general use) Create a table from the Table dialog box (offers the most sizing options) Insert a Quick Table (fastest setup) Note that you can also draw a custom table and create a … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Tables in Microsoft Word
How to Update Table and Figure Numbers in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to update table and figure numbers in Microsoft Word. In a recent tutorial, we used Word’s caption tool to insert table titles and figure captions. One of the main benefits of using this tool is that Word will automatically number new tables and figures as you add titles and captions (e.g., Table 1, Table 2, Table 3). However, Word won’t automatically … [Read more...] about How to Update Table and Figure Numbers in Microsoft Word
How to Change the Style of Table Titles and Figure Captions in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to change the style of table titles and figure captions in Microsoft Word. Recently, we inserted table titles and figure captions in Word. Today, we’ll change the style (e.g., font, font size, color, alignment, etc.) of those titles and captions. We’ll look at three different processes: 1. How to change the style of existing and future table … [Read more...] about How to Change the Style of Table Titles and Figure Captions in Microsoft Word
How to Create, Change, and Delete Tabs in Microsoft Word
When you press the Tab key while working in Microsoft Word, your cursor moves to a specific location called a tab stop. Tabs can be used to indent paragraphs, but they can also be used for other purposes including creating single- and multi-column lists. This tutorial shows (1) how to change Word’s default tab and (2) how to create, change, and delete tabs in Word on the … [Read more...] about How to Create, Change, and Delete Tabs in Microsoft Word
How to Stop Microsoft Word from Calling You “Author” in Track Changes
Does Track Changes identify you as “Author” instead of your user name when you are making edits or writing comments? If so, someone has used the Document Inspector to remove hidden properties and user information from your file. This tutorial shows the basic method to stop Microsoft Word from calling you “Author” in Track Changes and comments and start using your user name, … [Read more...] about How to Stop Microsoft Word from Calling You “Author” in Track Changes
How to Create a Nonbreaking Dash in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows you how to create a nonbreaking dash in Microsoft Word. A nonbreaking dash will stop words or numbers connected by an en dash or em dash from separating at the end of a line. These steps can also be used for hyphens. However, Word provides a built-in nonbreaking hyphen that is simpler to use than the process for dashes. See the bonus section at the end of … [Read more...] about How to Create a Nonbreaking Dash in Microsoft Word
How to Insert Figure Captions and Table Titles in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert figure captions and table titles in Microsoft Word. One of the benefits of using Word’s caption tool, as opposed to just typing captions and titles manually, is that the caption and title numbers will automatically update as you add figures or tables. You can also use the captions and titles generated by Word's caption tool to create … [Read more...] about How to Insert Figure Captions and Table Titles in Microsoft Word
How to Create a Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Word
All Microsoft Word users have a default custom dictionary that acts as a catchall for their spelling preferences. In fact, every time you right-click on a flagged word (which may or may not be misspelled) and select “Add to Dictionary,” that word goes to your default custom dictionary. However, you can create additional custom dictionaries in Microsoft Word for specific … [Read more...] about How to Create a Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Word
How to Create and Customize Headings in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to create headings in Microsoft Word. More specifically, we’ll look at how to create headings using Word’s styles. Then, we’ll look at how to customize Word’s default heading styles to your preferred font, font size, alignment, and color. But first, let’s discuss the importance of using Word’s heading styles. Why Are Heading Styles Important? You … [Read more...] about How to Create and Customize Headings in Microsoft Word
Three Ways to Insert Superscripts and Subscripts in Microsoft Word
Superscripts are numbers, letters, or symbols that appear slightly above the surrounding text. Subscripts are letters, numbers, words, or phrases that appear slightly below the surrounding text. This tutorial shows how to insert superscripts and subscripts in Microsoft Word using three different tools: 1. The Superscript and Subscript Buttons 2. The Symbol Dialog Box 3. … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Superscripts and Subscripts in Microsoft Word
How to Use the Editor in Word for Microsoft 365 (Spelling & Grammar Check)
This tutorial shows how to use the Editor in Word for Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365). Editor is the new name for Word’s spelling and grammar check. If you are using an older version of Word or your spelling and grammar check looks different than the one shown here, please see my previous tutorial “How to Use the Spelling and Grammar Check in Microsoft Word.” This … [Read more...] about How to Use the Editor in Word for Microsoft 365 (Spelling & Grammar Check)
How to Copy and Paste Text with Comments and Track Changes in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to copy and paste text with comments and Track Changes in Word from one file to another. If you want to copy comments separately from the text or other Track Changes, visit “How to Copy and Paste Comments into a New File in Microsoft Word.” The images below are from Microsoft Word for Office 365, which is currently the same as Word 2019. The steps … [Read more...] about How to Copy and Paste Text with Comments and Track Changes in Microsoft Word
How to Use Tags in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to use tags in Microsoft Word. Specifically, we’ll look at three ways to add tags to Word documents: 1. Add Tags through the Backstage View 2. Add Tags through Advanced Properties 3. Add Tags through Save As Then, we’ll look at how to delete tags in Word documents. The final section shows how to search for known and unknown tags through the File … [Read more...] about How to Use Tags in Microsoft Word
How to Find Extra Spaces in Word
You can use Microsoft Word’s Find and Replace tool to delete extra spaces all at once. Or, you can find extra spaces in Word by customizing your proofing options and then deleting them individually as you type or during a Spelling & Grammar check. These three tasks are explained in this tutorial: Customize Word’s Proofing Options to Find Extra Spaces Delete Extra Spaces … [Read more...] about How to Find Extra Spaces in Word
How to Change the Font and Font Size of Comments in Microsoft Word
By default, Track Changes inherit preset styles from the body content. However, you can change these styles to make your edits more noticeable or easier to read. For example, you can change the font and font size of comments in Microsoft Word, as shown in this tutorial. This tutorial can also be used to change other styles in Word comments such as color, spacing, and … [Read more...] about How to Change the Font and Font Size of Comments in Microsoft Word
How to Convert Individual Footnotes to Endnotes in Microsoft Word (and Individual Endnotes to Footnotes)
Here’s the scenario: You’ve just completed a twenty-page report with seventy-five footnotes when you realize that several of those footnotes should be endnotes. Rather than deleting those footnotes and manually creating new endnotes, follow the steps below to convert individual footnotes to endnotes in Microsoft Word. These steps can also be used to convert individual endnotes … [Read more...] about How to Convert Individual Footnotes to Endnotes in Microsoft Word (and Individual Endnotes to Footnotes)
How to Search within Comments in Microsoft Word
In my last software tutorial, we viewed comments from specific reviewers in Microsoft Word. Today, we’ll look at how to quickly search within comments in Microsoft Word without having to search the whole document. For added efficiency, this tutorial includes an option to search all comments or limit the search to comments from specific reviewers. (See step 3 below.) We’ll … [Read more...] about How to Search within Comments in Microsoft Word
How to View Specific Reviewers’ Comments and Edits in Microsoft Word
Long documents can have hundreds or even thousands of markups, which can make finding individual feedback quite time-consuming. Today’s tutorial shows how to quickly view specific reviewers’ comments and edits in Microsoft Word. First, we’ll use Track Changes to view comments and edits from specific reviewers. Then, we’ll use the Navigation pane to view comments (but not … [Read more...] about How to View Specific Reviewers’ Comments and Edits in Microsoft Word
How to Insert Copyright, Trademark, and Registered Symbols in Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word includes twenty-seven special characters. Of those, the three most popular (or at least the ones I receive the most questions about) are the copyright, trademark, and registered symbols. So, today’s tutorial shows three ways to insert copyright, trademark, and registered symbols in Microsoft Word. First, we'll use the Symbol dialog box. Then, we'll use … [Read more...] about How to Insert Copyright, Trademark, and Registered Symbols in Microsoft Word
How to Restrict Style Changes in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to restrict style changes in Microsoft Word. My last software tutorial explained how to restrict Track Changes and comments in Word. Today, we will restrict style changes in Word. Style includes things such as font, font size, font color, emphasis (i.e., italics, bold font, underlining), line spacing, and indentation. We’ll also look at how to … [Read more...] about How to Restrict Style Changes in Microsoft Word
How to Restrict Editing in Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word lets us block all comments and Track Changes by saving files as Read Only. However, have you ever wanted to block just some comments or Track Changes instead of all of them? Today’s tutorial explains how to restrict editing in Microsoft Word. Specifically, we will turn on editing restrictions and then (1) limit edits to comments only, (2) prevent users from … [Read more...] about How to Restrict Editing in Microsoft Word
Three Ways to Indent Paragraphs in Microsoft Word
Block paragraphs are the default in Microsoft Word. Block paragraphs are aligned with the left margin with no indentation and are visually separated by line spaces. Although block paragraphs are popular online, traditionally indented paragraphs are more common in print publishing, business writing, and academic research. Today’s tutorial shows three ways to indent paragraphs in … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Indent Paragraphs in Microsoft Word
How to Use the Spelling and Grammar Check in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to use the spelling and grammar check in Microsoft Word 2016. The steps are similar for Word 2013 and Word 2010. If you use Word 2019 or Word for Office 365, the spelling and grammar check is now called the Editor. Visit "How to Use the Editor in Microsoft Word" for a complete tour of the new interface. This tutorial is also available as a … [Read more...] about How to Use the Spelling and Grammar Check in Microsoft Word
How to Use the Passive Voice Tool in Microsoft Word 2016
When Microsoft released Word 2016, the company surprised (and frustrated) many users by removing passive voice from Word’s readability statistics. However, Microsoft has redeemed itself by returning the passive voice tool in a recent software update. In celebration, today’s tutorial shows how to add the passive voice tool to Microsoft Word 2016’s Spelling & Grammar check … [Read more...] about How to Use the Passive Voice Tool in Microsoft Word 2016
How to Copy and Paste Comments into a New File in Microsoft Word
Have you ever wanted to copy and paste Microsoft Word comments into a new Word file in order to review them separately from the original document? Word doesn’t have an official method for copying and pasting comments. However, today’s tutorial shows the work-around I use to accomplish that task---without having to copy and paste each comment individually. Important note: … [Read more...] about How to Copy and Paste Comments into a New File in Microsoft Word
How to Remove User Names from Existing Track Changes in Microsoft Word
My previous tutorial “How to Change Your User Name for Track Changes in Microsoft Word” shows how to change user names for comments and edits created with Track Changes. However, Word doesn’t have a straightforward way to change user names connected to existing comments and edits, so that tutorial only works for new comments and edits. As an alternative, today’s tutorial … [Read more...] about How to Remove User Names from Existing Track Changes in Microsoft Word
How to Find and Replace Special Characters in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows you three ways to find and replace special characters in Microsoft Word: 1. Enter special characters directly into the Find and Replace dialog box 2. Select special characters from within the Find and Replace dialog box 3. Use keyboard shortcuts or caret codes We’ll focus on the preset special characters available through Word’s Symbol dialog … [Read more...] about How to Find and Replace Special Characters in Microsoft Word
Three Ways to Insert Special Characters in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows three ways to insert special characters in Microsoft Word: 1. The Symbol dialog box 2. Keyboard shortcuts 3. AutoCorrect Word’s special characters include twelve text characters, such as the en dash, that don’t appear on traditional keyboards and fifteen formatting characters, such as the nonbreaking hyphen, that affect text layout. The table below lists … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Special Characters in Microsoft Word
What Are Special Characters in Microsoft Word?
Microsoft Word includes two types of special characters: (1) text characters that don’t appear on standard keyboards and (2) formatting characters for text layout. Today’s post explains all of the special characters in Microsoft Word for Office 365, Word 2019, and Word 2016. Word 2013 and Word 2010 offer similar special character options. See "How to Insert Special … [Read more...] about What Are Special Characters in Microsoft Word?
How to Insert Nonbreaking Spaces in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert nonbreaking spaces in Microsoft Word using the Symbol dialog box method and the keyboard shortcut method. Before we start the tutorial, we’ll briefly define nonbreaking spaces and see what they look like compared to regular spaces. This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real … [Read more...] about How to Insert Nonbreaking Spaces in Microsoft Word
Three Ways to Insert Accent Marks in Microsoft Word
Accent marks, formally called diacritical marks, are extra marks that appear above and below individual letters. Their usual purpose is to influence pronunciation. Merriam-Webster lists ten common diacritical marks, including the acute accent (ˊ), grave accent (ˋ), and cedilla (¸).1 Today’s tutorial explains three ways to insert accent marks in Microsoft Word: 1. Insert … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Accent Marks in Microsoft Word
How to Use Track Changes in Microsoft Word
This tutorial is a basic overview of how to use Track Changes in Microsoft Word. Word’s Track Changes tools help us edit documents by tracking insertions, deletions, replacements, and format changes. Note that Word calls these edits markups. The term Track Changes is commonly used for both edits and comments, so this tutorial also includes Word’s comment tool. This … [Read more...] about How to Use Track Changes in Microsoft Word
How to Find and Replace Formatting in Microsoft Word
Document formatting can include anything from italics and fonts to heading styles. Format issues can be difficult to locate with the naked eye, so today’s tutorial shows two methods to find and replace formatting in Microsoft Word: 1. Find and Replace Formatting Applied Anywhere in a Word Document 2. Find and Replace Formatting Applied to Specific Text in a Word … [Read more...] about How to Find and Replace Formatting in Microsoft Word
How to Change Your User Name for Track Changes in Microsoft Word
Have you ever wanted (or needed) to be an incognito editor, a covert reviewer, or a clandestine collaborator? If so, this post is for you—or for your secret identity—because it demonstrates how to change your user name for Track Changes in Microsoft Word. This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real … [Read more...] about How to Change Your User Name for Track Changes in Microsoft Word
How to View the Word Count in Microsoft Word
I know what you’re thinking: “What’s there to learn about the word count in Microsoft Word? The number is right there at the bottom of the screen!” And that is true. Unless you’ve changed your default settings, the count always appears in the left-hand side of the status bar below your document. But Word’s word count tool can do more than provide the total number of … [Read more...] about How to View the Word Count in Microsoft Word
How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert footnotes and endnotes in Microsoft Word using the tools in the ribbon. Manually inserting individual footnotes and endnotes in Word is relatively straightforward: type a superscript number in the main text and then scroll to the bottom of the page, section, or document to type your note. But manually inserting notes can get tricky if … [Read more...] about How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word
How to Change the Proofing Language for Comments in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to change the proofing language for comments in Microsoft Word. But first, why would you want to change the proofing language for comments? Because ... Comments in Word Inherit Proofing Languages When you use Word’s Track Changes to edit someone else’s document, the comment tool automatically inherits the original author’s proofing language along … [Read more...] about How to Change the Proofing Language for Comments in Microsoft Word
Three Ways to Insert Currency Symbols in Microsoft Word
Last week’s post covered basic guidelines for formatting money in general writing. This week, we’ll look at three ways to insert currency symbols in Microsoft Word: The Symbol Dialog Box Alt Codes Shortcut Codes For simplicity, we’ll concentrate on the euro, pound, and cent signs in these examples. However, these steps can be modified for all currency symbols available … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Currency Symbols in Microsoft Word
Four Tips for Using the Spelling and Grammar Check in Word
When you inherit a Microsoft Word document, the original author's settings can affect the document even when you open it on your own computer. These lingering and potentially unwanted settings may prevent you from receiving a complete spelling and grammar check from Word’s Editor. Here are four quick tips for using the spelling and grammar check in Word effectively—even if your … [Read more...] about Four Tips for Using the Spelling and Grammar Check in Word
How to Edit Your Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word's spell-check is quite good. However, it occasionally puts that squiggly red line under something that is spelled correctly. Maybe it's a product, place, or company name. Maybe it's a person's first or last name. Regardless, most of us just right-click and select "Add to Dictionary" if we know we'll be using that word again. But, have you ever wondered where … [Read more...] about How to Edit Your Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Word
How to Add Passive Voice to Microsoft Word’s Grammar Check and Readability Statistics
Last week's post discussed the difference between active voice and passive voice. The steps below explain how to add passive voice to Microsoft Word's grammar check and readability statistics. This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time. https://youtu.be/h-7tN5B3Gxc Watch more than fifty other videos about Microsoft Word and … [Read more...] about How to Add Passive Voice to Microsoft Word’s Grammar Check and Readability Statistics
How to Delete Extra Spaces in Microsoft Word
Many of us over a certain age endured a high school typing class on a (gasp!) real typewriter. Between nerve-wracking speed tests and paper jams, we were taught to put two spaces after periods in order to make individual sentences easier to identify. Today, the extra space is frowned upon, but those of us who survived an entire semester with one of those metal monsters may find … [Read more...] about How to Delete Extra Spaces in Microsoft Word
