How to Use Microsoft Word: A Simple Guide
Microsoft Word is a program for writing things on a computer. A letter, a shopping list, the minutes for the bowls club, a note for the family. Think of it as a sheet of paper that never runs out, and a typewriter you can change your mind on. Once you know a handful of basics, it is genuinely easy, and this guide sticks to those basics rather than the hundreds of features you will never touch.
We will start with the cheering news that you may not need to pay for Word at all, then walk through writing, saving and printing your first document. If you are still choosing a laptop to run it on, see our best laptops for seniors in Australia guide.
Quick answer
Open Word, click Blank document, and start typing. To make a word stand out, drag over it to highlight it, then click the B for bold or change the size. When you are done, click File then Save, give it a name, and it is kept safely. To get it on paper, click File then Print. There is a free version of Word you can use in any web browser with a Microsoft account, so you do not have to buy it to get started.
Do you need to pay for Word?
Not necessarily. There is a free version of Word that runs in your web browser. You go to office.com, sign in with a free Microsoft account, and use Word right there on the screen. It does everything most people need for letters and lists. There are also free Word apps for iPads and Android tablets.
The paid version is part of a subscription called Microsoft 365, which you pay for monthly or yearly. It puts the full Word program on your computer and includes Excel, PowerPoint and extra storage. It is worth it if you write a great deal or want everything on your machine, but for the occasional letter the free web version is plenty. If you are not sure, start free, and only pay later if you find you need more.
Writing your first document
1. Open Word and start a blank page
Open Word from your computer, or from office.com in a web browser. It offers you some ready-made templates, but for now click Blank document. You will see a clean white page with a flashing line near the top. That line, called the cursor, is where your words will appear.
2. Just start typing
Type as you would on any keyboard. When you reach the edge of the page, Word moves to the next line for you, so there is no need to press anything. Press the Enter key only when you want to start a new paragraph. If you make a mistake, the Backspace key rubs out the letter to the left of the cursor. Nothing you type is set in stone, so feel free to experiment.
3. Make text bigger, bolder, or a different look
This is where Word earns its keep. To change a word or sentence, you first highlight it. Click just before it, hold the mouse button down, drag across to the end, and let go. The text turns a shaded colour to show it is selected. Now look along the row of buttons at the top. The B makes it bold, the slanted I makes it italic, and the box with a number changes the text size. Larger numbers mean bigger text, which is handy for a heading or for anything you find hard to read.
4. Fix a mistake with Undo
Everyone changes something and wishes they had not. The Undo button, a curved arrow pointing left near the top corner, steps back through your last actions one at a time. You can also hold the Ctrl key and press Z. It is the most reassuring button in the whole program, because it means you can try things knowing you can always step back.
Saving your work
Saving means keeping your document so you can find it again another day. Click File in the top corner, then Save, or hold Ctrl and press the letter S. The first time, Word asks for a name, so type something you will recognise like Letter to council, and choose where to keep it, usually a folder called Documents. After that, a quick Ctrl and S now and then saves your latest changes. The web version of Word saves on its own as you go, which is one of its nicer touches.
Get into the habit of saving every few minutes when writing something important. It takes a second and it means a power cut or an accidental close never costs you your work.
Printing your document
When your letter is ready, click File then Print, or hold Ctrl and press P. Check your printer is chosen, then click Print. If you would like a fuller walk-through, including what to do when the printer is being stubborn, see our guide on how to print and scan at home.
If the text feels small and fiddly on screen while you work, it is worth making Windows itself easier to read first. Our guide on making a Windows laptop easier for seniors covers larger text and a clearer pointer, which helps with Word and everything else.
Five handy things to remember
- Highlight first, then change. Word needs to know what to change before you click B or alter the size.
- Ctrl and S saves. Do it often.
- Ctrl and Z undoes your last step, again and again.
- Enter starts a new paragraph. You do not need it at the end of every line.
- The free web version at office.com is a fine place to start.
Before you finish
Download the free Family Tech Safety Checklist to help check phone safety, passwords, scam messages, emergency contacts and medical alarm details.
FAQ: Using Microsoft Word
Is Word really free?
The web version is free to use with a Microsoft account, and there are free Word apps for tablets. The full program installed on a computer is part of a paid Microsoft 365 subscription. Most people can get by nicely with the free web version.
What is the difference between Word and email?
Word is for writing and keeping documents like letters and lists. Email is for sending messages. You can write something in Word, save it, and then attach it to an email if you want to send it to someone.
I closed Word without saving. Is my work gone?
Often not. When you open Word again it may offer to recover a recent document. The web version saves as you go, so there is usually nothing to lose. To be safe in future, press Ctrl and S every few minutes.
How do I make the whole document larger to read?
Highlight all your text by holding Ctrl and pressing A, then choose a bigger number in the size box at the top. To zoom the view without changing the document, use the slider in the bottom corner of the window.
Can I use Word on an iPad or Android tablet?
Yes. There are free Word apps in the App Store and the Play Store. They work much the same as on a computer, though the bigger screen of a laptop is more comfortable for longer letters.
