Customizing Word's Features and Components
If you want to get the most out of Microsoft Word, customizing the features and options to suit your work style is essential. These articles will show you what you can change and how to do it.
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Displaying the Styles Area
When you're formatting your document, styles will help you apply characteristics uniformly -- but only if you apply styles consistently. The Styles area will help you with this by displaying the styles applied to each paragraph. Find out how to turn on the Styles Area.
When you're formatting your document, styles will help you apply characteristics uniformly -- but only if you apply styles consistently. The Styles area will help you with this by displaying the styles applied to each paragraph. Find out how to turn on the Styles Area.
Word -- Disabling Automatic Bulleted and Numbered Lists in Word
Few features invoke as much ire as Word's automatic bulleted and numbered lists. Although it is designed to make your work in Word easier, many people struggle with it. The formatting can be removed manually or by using the "undo" command. But the easiest thing to do is to turn off automatic bulleted and numbered lists altogether. Find out how!
Few features invoke as much ire as Word's automatic bulleted and numbered lists. Although it is designed to make your work in Word easier, many people struggle with it. The formatting can be removed manually or by using the "undo" command. But the easiest thing to do is to turn off automatic bulleted and numbered lists altogether. Find out how!
Using the Insert Key to Paste Text
In Word, the Insert or INS key turns on or off the Overwrite feature by default. This can be confusing to new users. Fortunately, you can change it if you wish.
In Word, the Insert or INS key turns on or off the Overwrite feature by default. This can be confusing to new users. Fortunately, you can change it if you wish.
Eliminating Document Buttons
In recent versions of Word, you can easily switch between open documents by clicking on the document buttons in the Windows’ taskbar. However, if a cluttered taskbar is slowing you down, you can opt to eliminate all the extra buttons and have Word display only one button in the taskbar.
In recent versions of Word, you can easily switch between open documents by clicking on the document buttons in the Windows’ taskbar. However, if a cluttered taskbar is slowing you down, you can opt to eliminate all the extra buttons and have Word display only one button in the taskbar.
Enabling or Disabling AutoComplete
If you find the AutoComplete feature obtrusive, you're not alone. Find out how to enable or disable this feature.
If you find the AutoComplete feature obtrusive, you're not alone. Find out how to enable or disable this feature.
Microsoft Word -- Change the Office Assistant
If you like the animated office assistant, but you’re getting a little tired of Clippit, Microsoft has included a whole gallery of assistants for you to choose from. My personal favorite is Rocky the dog.
If you like the animated office assistant, but you’re getting a little tired of Clippit, Microsoft has included a whole gallery of assistants for you to choose from. My personal favorite is Rocky the dog.
Adding and Removing Folders From the My Places Bar
The My Places bar provides a way for you to navigate quickly to the folders where you frequently store your files. The default settings are somewhat limiting, but you can customize it, adding your own folders to the list, so when it comes time to open or save a file, you don't have to do a lot of navigation to find the folder you want.
The My Places bar provides a way for you to navigate quickly to the folders where you frequently store your files. The default settings are somewhat limiting, but you can customize it, adding your own folders to the list, so when it comes time to open or save a file, you don't have to do a lot of navigation to find the folder you want.
Microsoft Word -- Change the Location Where Files Are Saved
By default Word saves your files in the My Documents folder on your hard drive. While it is easy enough to change this in the Save dialog box, if you always want to save your documents in a particular folder, it makes a lot of sense to customize Word to accomodate this. Find out how it is done!
By default Word saves your files in the My Documents folder on your hard drive. While it is easy enough to change this in the Save dialog box, if you always want to save your documents in a particular folder, it makes a lot of sense to customize Word to accomodate this. Find out how it is done!
Microsoft Word -- Disabling Keys or Keystrokes
If you keep hitting a command key accidentally or if you want to remove a specific shortcut key from Word, you can do so quite easily. I would recommend that you use this feature sparingly if you share a computer with someone else, or they might think there's a problem with the keyboard!
If you keep hitting a command key accidentally or if you want to remove a specific shortcut key from Word, you can do so quite easily. I would recommend that you use this feature sparingly if you share a computer with someone else, or they might think there's a problem with the keyboard!
Microsoft Word -- Displaying More Files in the File List
Word makes it easy for you to access your recently used files from the File menu without having to search through the folders on your hard drive. This tip will show you how to change the number of Files Word will display.
Word makes it easy for you to access your recently used files from the File menu without having to search through the folders on your hard drive. This tip will show you how to change the number of Files Word will display.
Saving Your Microsoft Word Settings
If you have made a lot of changes to the settings in Word, it is a good idea to back up your settings so you can restore them in the even of computer failure. This tutorial will show you how it is done.
If you have made a lot of changes to the settings in Word, it is a good idea to back up your settings so you can restore them in the even of computer failure. This tutorial will show you how it is done.
Microsoft Word -- Enabling/Disabling Picture Placeholders
If you’ve inserted a picture or an object such as an Excel spreadsheet in your Word file, but instead of the table you only see an outline where it should be, you might have picture placeholders enabled. Find out how to disable this feature and see what you’ve inserted in the document. Or, conversely, if you want to save some of your computing resources, find out how to enable this feature.
If you’ve inserted a picture or an object such as an Excel spreadsheet in your Word file, but instead of the table you only see an outline where it should be, you might have picture placeholders enabled. Find out how to disable this feature and see what you’ve inserted in the document. Or, conversely, if you want to save some of your computing resources, find out how to enable this feature.
Microsoft Word -- Quick Selection
Frustrated by the mouse and want a quick way to select text and other objects in your document? Then this tip is for you.
Frustrated by the mouse and want a quick way to select text and other objects in your document? Then this tip is for you.
Microsoft Word -- Setting Word Selection Preferences
If you ever get frustrated by the way Word handles text selection, this tip is for you. You can specify whether Word automatically selects the entire word when only part of it is highlighted, or you can change the settings to allow you to select parts of a word, for greater precision.
If you ever get frustrated by the way Word handles text selection, this tip is for you. You can specify whether Word automatically selects the entire word when only part of it is highlighted, or you can change the settings to allow you to select parts of a word, for greater precision.
Microsoft Word -- Turn off the Office Assistant
Microsoft had good intentions in mind when it created Clippit and the other animated Office Assistants. However, some users find the animations less amusing than downright annoying. If you’re one of those people, you can send him packing!
Microsoft had good intentions in mind when it created Clippit and the other animated Office Assistants. However, some users find the animations less amusing than downright annoying. If you’re one of those people, you can send him packing!
Microsoft Word -- Turning on/off Word's Task Pane
Although the Task Pane introduced to Word in 2002 provides quick access to certain commands, many users may find that they would prefer to free up the screen space so they have more room to work on their document. Find out how to turn it on or off and choose whether you want it to open with Word.
Although the Task Pane introduced to Word in 2002 provides quick access to certain commands, many users may find that they would prefer to free up the screen space so they have more room to work on their document. Find out how to turn it on or off and choose whether you want it to open with Word.
Microsoft Word -- Show or Hide Text Boundaries
If you've ever wanted to the editable area in your Microsoft Word documents and don't like using the rulers to estimate it, there is a very simple solution. The option to show or hide text boundaries will eliminate the guess work.
If you've ever wanted to the editable area in your Microsoft Word documents and don't like using the rulers to estimate it, there is a very simple solution. The option to show or hide text boundaries will eliminate the guess work.