We recently looked at how to create and modify numbered lists in Microsoft Word. However, Word also offers automatic list numbering which begins a list when you type the number 1 followed by a period at the start of a blank line. This feature is not ideal in all situations, so today’s tutorial shows how to turn on and turn off automatic list numbering in Microsoft … [Read more...] about How to Turn On and Turn Off Automatic List Numbering in Microsoft Word
Word 2021
How to Insert Headers and Footers on Specific Pages in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)
This tutorial shows how to insert headers and footers on specific pages in Microsoft Word. For example, you may want to have a different header and footer for each chapter in your document. The bonus section at the end shows how to remove the header and footer from the first page of the document or the first page of the section. If you need a refresher on inserting, … [Read more...] about How to Insert Headers and Footers on Specific Pages in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)
How to Change the Color of the Interface in Microsoft Word (including Dark Mode)
Today, we’ll look at how to change the color of the interface in Microsoft Word. We will also look at how to use the Dark Mode specific to Word for Microsoft 365. Important Note: These steps will also change the color of the interface for your other Office apps, such as Excel and PowerPoint. Quick Links: How to Change the Color of the Interface in Microsoft Word … [Read more...] about How to Change the Color of the Interface in Microsoft Word (including Dark Mode)
How to Create and Modify Numbered Lists in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows two ways to create numbered lists in Microsoft Word. We will also look at how to change list levels, start with a different list number, and change the font, size, and color of list numbers. Do you want to create bulleted lists? Please see my previous tutorial “How to Create Bulleted Lists in Microsoft Word.” What about Lists Ordered by Letters? For … [Read more...] about How to Create and Modify Numbered Lists in Microsoft Word
How to Insert a Linked PowerPoint Slide in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert a linked PowerPoint slide in Microsoft Word. Once linked, the slide can be updated as the original slide changes in PowerPoint. In addition to linking and updating the slide, we will also look at how to prevent linked slides from updating automatically, and how to unlink the slide without removing it from your document. Plus, don’t miss … [Read more...] about How to Insert a Linked PowerPoint Slide in Microsoft Word
How to Save Tables and Figures as Images in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)
This tutorial shows how to save tables and figures as images in Microsoft Word for the PC and in Word for Mac. These steps will also work for shapes and SmartArt. Are you looking for information about inserting tables and figures? Please visit "Three Ways to Insert Tables in Microsoft Word" and "How to Create and Customize Charts in Microsoft Word." Why Would You Want to Save … [Read more...] about How to Save Tables and Figures as Images in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)
How to Start Page Numbers on a Specific Page in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)
This tutorial shows how to start page numbers on a specific page in Microsoft Word. Do you need a refresher on page numbers? Please see “How to Add Page Numbers in Microsoft Word,” which explains how to add and format page numbers, remove the page number from the first page, and start the second page with page number 1. This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video … [Read more...] about How to Start Page Numbers on a Specific Page in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)
How to Insert Section Breaks in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)
Last week, we inserted page breaks in Microsoft Word. This week, we’re going to insert section breaks. We’ll also look at how to update and delete section breaks. Quick Links: How to Insert Section Breaks How to Update Section Breaks How to Delete Section Breaks Before we start, let’s answer an important question… What Is the Difference between a Page Break … [Read more...] about How to Insert Section Breaks in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)
How to Create Newspaper-Style Columns in Microsoft Word
Newspaper-style columns, which are also called newsletter columns, allow text and images to flow from one column to the next. This tutorial shows how to create newspaper-style columns in Microsoft Word. We’ll also look at how to create column breaks and how to return to a single column. Quick Links: How to Create Newspaper-Style Columns How to Create Column Breaks … [Read more...] about How to Create Newspaper-Style Columns in Microsoft Word
How to Insert Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert headers and footers in Microsoft Word. We’ll also look at how to edit and delete existing headers and footers. Quick Links: How to Insert Headers and Footers How to Edit Headers and Footers How to Delete Headers and Footers If you want to insert page numbers in headers or footers, please see “How to Add Page Numbers in … [Read more...] about How to Insert Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word
How to Create an Exclusion Dictionary in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to create an exclusion dictionary in Microsoft Word. An exclusion dictionary is a list of words that will always be marked as incorrect by Word's Editor even if they are spelled correctly. You may want to add frequently confused or “inappropriate” words to your exclusion dictionary. This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the … [Read more...] about How to Create an Exclusion Dictionary in Microsoft Word
How to Insert and Modify Images in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert images in Microsoft Word. We will also look at how to resize images, align images with the text, and add a border. Quick Links: How to Insert an Image How to Resize an Image How to Align an Image with the Text How to Add a Border to an Image Important Note: This tutorial covers the basics of working with images. Word offers … [Read more...] about How to Insert and Modify Images in Microsoft Word
How to Create a Citation with Multiple Sources in Microsoft Word
There are several third-party plug-ins that can help you create a citation with multiple sources in Microsoft Word. But today, we are going to create multi-source citations in Word without using a plug-in. We will also look at how to remove or edit individual sources within a multi-source citation. Quick Links: How to Create a Citation with Multiple Sources How to … [Read more...] about How to Create a Citation with Multiple Sources in Microsoft Word
How to Create Bulleted Lists in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows two ways to create bulleted lists in Microsoft Word. We will also look at how to change list levels and how to change the size and color of bullets. Quick Links: How to Create Bulleted Lists — Basic Method 1 How to Create Bulleted Lists — Basic Method 2 How to Change Bulleted List Levels How to Change the Size and Color of Bullets Do you … [Read more...] about How to Create Bulleted Lists in Microsoft Word
How to Convert Microsoft Word Files to PDFs (Step-by-Step)
This tutorial shows how to convert Microsoft Word files to PDFs. There are several ways to accomplish this task in Microsoft Word, so today we will focus on the method I believe is the most user-friendly. In the final section, we will also briefly discuss the Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker add-in and look at how to use it. (The Acrobat PDFMaker add-in is not required to follow the … [Read more...] about How to Convert Microsoft Word Files to PDFs (Step-by-Step)
How to Modify the Style of Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word
Today, we’re going to modify the style of footnotes and endnotes in Microsoft Word. We’re also going to modify the style of the superscripted reference numbers, letters, and symbols in the text. Style includes font, font size, color, emphasis (italics, bold, underline), alignment, spacing, and indentation. Plus, the bonus section at the end shows how to delete or modify the … [Read more...] about How to Modify the Style of Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word
How to Create and Update a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word
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
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 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
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 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 built-in styles. Then, we’ll look at how to customize Word’s built-in heading styles to your preferred font, font size, alignment, and color. Do you want to create your own custom heading styles separate from Word's built-in styles? Check out "How … [Read more...] about How to Create and Customize Headings in Microsoft Word
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 Word for Microsoft 365. The steps are the same for Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word … [Read more...] about How to Copy and Paste Text with Comments and Track Changes 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 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
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 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
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
How to Use Track Changes in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to use Track Changes in Microsoft Word. Track Changes helps us edit documents by tracking insertions, deletions, replacements, and format changes. 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. We will cover eleven topics: How to Turn … [Read more...] about How to Use Track Changes 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 on a PC. Are you on a Mac? Please visit "How to Change Your Name for Track Changes in Word for Mac." This tutorial is … [Read more...] about How to Change Your User Name for Track Changes 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
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