Master Microsoft Word with These Free Tips and Tricks

Want to get more out of Microsoft Word? Whether you’re writing a letter, updating your resume, creating a report, or adding cross-references and cover pages, Microsoft Word has powerful tools to help you work smarter. Discover easy-to-follow tutorials, helpful tips, and time-saving tricks to take your documents from plain to professional. Explore the latest Microsoft Word features and learn how to use Word like a pro.

What is a paragraph mark in Word?

If you have ever opened a Word document and suddenly seen strange symbols like dots, arrows, or a backward “P” (¶), you are not alone. Today I want to introduce you to a range of symbols, and in particular, the ...

How to remove a page break in Word

Anyone who has had to work with a longer Word document will have encountered page breaks. A page break allows you to choose when a new page will begin. So what happens when you open a document and need to ...

How to add a bookmark in Word

When working with longer documents in Microsoft Word, it is helpful to provide users with more efficient ways to navigate than simply scrolling page by page. In this post I'll show you how to add a bookmark in Word to ...

How to create an Index in Word

Being able to create an index in Word is an invaluable skill for organising and navigating long documents. The Index feature in Word allows you to automatically generate a list of page numbers corresponding to a word or phrase within ...

Use Cut, Copy and Paste in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is known as the go-to option for any type of word processing tasks. To ensure you are maximising your productivity when creating new documents or working with existing documents, it's crucial to master fundamental features such as Cut, ...

Add a SmartArt graphic in Word

Being able to represent content in a graphical way can add immense meaning and visual appeal to any document. All the Microsoft 365 apps provide the ability to easily create a SmartArt graphic to provide a visual representation of information ...

How to format tables in Word

In a previous post I outlined how to create a basic table in Microsoft Word. Let's go to the next steps and look at how we can format a table with different styling and also add more rows or columns ...

How to dictate in Word

The Dictate function in Word allows you to use speech-to-text functions to create content using your microphone. Learning how to dictate in Word will provide a quick and easy way to put your thoughts into words and capture ideas efficiently ...

Add a header and footer to a Word document

When working with long documents you will need to add a header and footer section. The header and footer in Word allows you to add information to the top and bottom of each page within a document. These sections allow ...

How to convert a document in Word to PDF

How to convert from Word to PDF (for FREE)

Many users will need to convert a document in Word to PDF format. I have seen many instances where third-party programs are used to convert a document into PDF format however, Microsoft Word is more than capable of doing this ...

How to change line spacing between bullet and number lists

How to change spacing between bullet points in Word

If you’ve ever tried to change spacing between bullet points in Word and wondered why it doesn't work as you expected it to, you’re not alone. Microsoft Word makes it easy to add spacing between paragraphs, but when you apply ...

How to send emails in bulk using mail merge in Word

How to send bulk emails using Mail Merge in Word

For the most part, I find people have heard of a Mail Merge. The process of combining a list of contacts with a letter which you can then merge together and print. Did you know that you can also use ...

Save time! Pin a file to the Open list in Microsoft Office

At the start of every training course, I show participants through a few really useful features of the Microsoft 365 programs. These features help save you time during a busy workday. One such feature is AutoCorrect, another is the ability ...

How to use Quick Parts in Word

Do you find yourself repetitively inserting the same sentence, paragraph or images into documents on a regular basis? Today I'd like to introduce you to the world of Building Blocks and Quick Parts in Microsoft Word. Microsoft Word, and likewise ...

Embed Excel in a Word document

Did you know that you can insert Excel into Word? That's right, you can have the functionality of an Excel worksheet sitting inside your Word document. This is one of the many functions that I find people aren't aware of ...

How to fix “compatibility mode” in Word

Does your document show [Compatibility Mode] in the Word title bar? You'll be happy to know that this is a simple fix. Compatibility mode identifies to the user that a document is not using the most recent file format. Let's ...

How to disable the Start Screen at startup in Office programs

How to enable/disable the Start Screen in Excel, PPT or Word

In the recent versions of Microsoft 365, you’ll notice a Start screen appear whenever you open apps like Word, Excel or PowerPoint. It’s designed to give you quick access to things like your Recent files, Favourites, creating a new file ...

How to create a table in Word

Knowing how to create a table in Word allows you to present information on the page in a column and/or row format. Tables in Word allow you to customise the formatting to suit your document including being able to include ...

How to control hyphenation in Word

A common question I hear is “why are my words breaking across separate lines with a dash connecting them?” It’s a common question on discussion boards online and thankfully it’s a very simple fix. Unfortunately, this issue occurs and is ...

Compress file size of images in Word

When working with long documents in Microsoft Word, it's important to consider the file size. Adding multiple images or photos can make your document much larger. I often work with long documents and include images where needed. If you've seen ...

How to open any Microsoft 365 program

For those starting out using the Microsoft 365 apps and even for those familiar with the programs, our computers can sometimes be a treasure trove full of so many programs that it's impossible to find the one we want. Being ...

How to copy formatting using Format Painter

Each of the Microsoft programs includes some basic clipboard options which incorporate the Cut, Copy and Paste functions. Generally users are pretty familiar with these tools. What many users have not utilised is the fourth function in the group called ...

How to create a cross reference in Word

Let me introduce you to a cross reference in Word. Cross references allow us with a way to refer to another topic within your document and have Word link to it. Cross references allow users to easily navigate within a ...

How to customise numbered list alignment in Word

I recently saw an issue arise on a discussion forum where a user asked a question related to the alignment of a numbered list. The solution was a simple one but as the author commented, how would anyone not familiar ...

How to create a screenshot using Office

For years I have been creating screenshots for various reasons; for use in training courseware; to illustrate to a remote user a button I want them to press; to relay information about a technical problem or error, and the list ...

Create a Table of Contents in Word

In many aspects of our daily life, we encounter and use a table of contents. From opening a magazine, or using a cook book, you see this feature in many types of publications. Microsoft Word provides a Table of Contents ...

How to create a cover page in Microsoft Word

How to create a cover page in Word

How much time have you spent creating a cover page in Word? Before you know it you've taken 30 minutes and all you have is a heading and a page border. When I started working I used to spend a ...

The Office Clipboard – a hidden treasure

One feature that MOST users are familiar with is the Cut, Copy and Paste function. The ability to cut, copy and paste within any of the Microsoft applications or third-party apps provides a user with a high level of productivity ...

The best keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word

Today I am going to show you the best keyboard shortcuts for use in Microsoft Word. You may have noticed that I’m a fan of efficiency. If there is an option to do something faster in any of the Microsoft ...

How to use Styles in Word

A common issue when working with long documents is how to maintain consistent formatting across all pages? Learning how to use Styles in Word is a fundamental skill that all users should have yet many users don't understand. Working with ...

Customise the Quick Access Toolbar

At the start of almost every Microsoft course I teach, I discuss the options you have to customise any of the Microsoft 365 products. The Quick Access toolbar (QAT) is right up there on my list of favourite ways to ...

How to create a PDF using Excel, PowerPoint or Word

Learn how to create a PDF using Excel, PowerPoint or Word using these simple steps that use the built-in PDF export tools included in these Microsoft 365 apps. Many people are still unaware that you can create a PDF directly ...

How to add shapes in Microsoft Word

Learning how to add shapes in Microsoft Word is a simple way to make your documents more professional and visually engaging. Shapes can help you create flowcharts, highlight important information, or add visual elements that support your message. Word includes ...

How to resize an image correctly using Word

How to resize an image correctly in Word

Resizing images in Microsoft Word is something most of us do at some point—whether you’re creating a document for work, school, or a personal project. While it’s easy to do, it’s just as easy to do it wrong, which can ...

How to use AutoCorrect in Microsoft 365

Did you know Microsoft 365 programs include a powerful feature called AutoCorrect? It’s designed to help reduce typing errors as you work, and it’s enabled by default in apps like Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint. AutoCorrect automatically fixes common spelling ...