Getting to know Word 2010

Video: Exploring Your Word 2010 Environment

Word 2010 is a bit different from earlier versions, so even if you've used Word before you should take some time to familiarize yourself with the interface. The toolbars are similar to those in Word 2007, and they include the Ribbon and the Quick Access toolbar. Unlike Word 2007, commands such as Open and Print are housed in Backstage view, which replaces the Microsoft Office button.

The Ribbon

The new tabbed Ribbon system was introduced in Word 2007 to replace traditional menus. The Ribbon contains all of the commands you'll need in order to perform common tasks. It contains multiple tabs, each with several groups of commands, and you can add your own tabs that contain your favorite commands. Some groups have an arrow in the bottom-right corner that you can click to see even more commands.

Certain programs, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, may install additional tabs to the Ribbon. These tabs are called add-ins.

To minimize and maximize the Ribbon:

The Ribbon is designed to be easy to use and responsive to your current task; however, you can choose to minimize it if it's taking up too much screen space.

1. Click the arrow in the upper-right corner of the Ribbon to minimize it.

2. To maximize the Ribbon, click the arrow again.

When the Ribbon is minimized, you can make it reappear by clicking on a tab. However, the Ribbon will disappear again when you're not using it.

To customize the Ribbon:

You can customize the Ribbon by creating your own tabs with the commands you want. Commands are always housed within a group, and you can create as many groups as you want in order to keep your tab organized. If you want, you can even add commands to any of the default tabs, as long as you create a custom group in the tab.

1. Right-click the Ribbon and select Customize the Ribbon. A dialog box will appear.

2. Click New Tab. A new tab will be created with a new group inside it.
3. Make sure the new group is selected.
4. Select a command from the list on the left, then click Add. You can also drag commands directly into a group.
5. When you are done adding commands, click OK.

If you don't see the command you want, click the Choose commands from: drop-down box, then select All Commands.

Backstage view

Backstage view gives you various options for saving, opening, printing, and sharing your files. It's similar to the Microsoft Office button menu from Word 2007 and the File menu from earlier versions of Word. However, instead of just a menu it's a full-page view, which makes it easier to work with.

To get to Backstage view:

1. Click the File tab.

2. You can choose an option on the left side of the page.
3. To get back to your document, click any tab on the Ribbon.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn about the different things you can do in Backstage view.

The Quick Access toolbar

The Quick Access toolbar, located above the Ribbon, lets you access common commands no matter which tab you're on. By default, it shows the Save, Undo, and Repeat commands. You can add other commands to make it more convenient for you.

To add commands to the Quick Access toolbar:

1. Click the drop-down arrow to the right of the Quick Access toolbar.
2. Select the command you want to add from the drop-down menu. It will appear in the Quick Access toolbar.

The Ruler

The Ruler is located at the top and to the left of your document. It makes it easier to adjust your document with precision. If you want, you can hide the Ruler to free up more screen space.

To hide or view the Ruler:

1. Click the View Ruler icon over the scrollbar to hide the ruler.
2. To show the ruler, click the View Ruler icon again.

Creating and opening documents

Video: Creating Documents in Word 2010

Word files are called documents. When you start a new project in Word, you'll need to create a new document, which can either be blank or from a template. You'll also need to know how to open an existing document.

To create a new blank document:

1. Click the File tab. This takes you to Backstage view.
2. Select New.
3. Select Blank document under Available Templates. It will be highlighted by default.

4. Click Create. A new blank document appears in the Word window.

To save time, you can create your document from a template, which you can select from the New Document pane. We'll talk about templates in a later lesson.

To open an existing document:

1. Click the File tab. This takes you to Backstage view.
2. Select Open. The Open dialog box appears.

3. Select your document, then click Open.

If you've opened a file recently, you can also access it from the Recent Documents list. Just click on the File tab and select Recent.

Compatibility mode

Sometimes you may need to work with documents that were created in earlier versions of Microsoft Word, such as Word 2007 or Word 2003. When you open these types of documents, they will appear in Compatibility mode.

Compatibility mode disables certain features, so you'll only be able to access commands found in the program that was used to create the document. For example, if you open a document created in Word 2007, you can only use tabs and commands found in Word 2007.

In the image below, you can see how Compatibility mode can affect which commands are available. Because the document on the left is in Compatibility mode, it only shows commands that were available in Word 2007.

To exit Compatibility mode, you'll need to convert the document to the current version type. However, if you're collaborating with others who only have access to an earlier version of Word, it's best to leave the document in Compatibility mode so the format will not change.

You can review this support page from Microsoft to learn more about which features are disabled in Compatibility mode.

To convert a document:

If you want access to all Word 2010 features, you can convert the document to the 2010 file format.

Note that converting a file may cause some changes to the original layout of the document.

1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view.
2. Locate and select the Convert command.

3. A dialog box will appear. Click OK to confirm the file upgrade.

4. The document will be converted to the newest file type.

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It's important to know how to perform basic tasks with text when working in a word processing application. In this lesson, you'll learn the basics of working with text, including how to insert, delete, select, copy, cut, paste, and drag and drop text.

Working with text

Video: Text Basics in Word 2010

If you're new to Microsoft Word, you'll need to learn the basics of working with text so you can type, reorganize, and edit text. You'll need to know how to insert, delete, and move text, as well as how to find and replace specific words or phrases.

Optional: You can download this example for extra practice.

To insert text:

1. Move your mouse to the location where you want text to appear in the document.
2. Click the mouse. The insertion point appears.

3. Type the text you want to appear.

To delete text:

1. Place the insertion point next to the text you want to delete.
2. Press the Backspace key on your keyboard to delete text to the left of the insertion point.
3. Press the Delete key on your keyboard to delete text to the right of the insertion point.

To select text:

1. Place the insertion point next to the text you want to select.
2. Click the mouse. While holding it down, drag your mouse over the text to select it.
3. Release the mouse button. You have selected the text. A highlighted box will appear over the selected text.

When you select text or images in Word, a hover toolbar with formatting options appears. This makes formatting commands easily accessible, which can save you time. If the toolbar does not appear at first, try moving the mouse over the selection.

To copy and paste text:

1. Select the text you want to copy.
2. Click the Copy command on the Home tab. You can also right-click your document and select Copy.

3. Place your insertion point where you want the text to appear.
4. Click the Paste command on the Home tab. The text will appear.

To cut and paste text:

1. Select the text you want to copy.
2. Click the Cut command on the Home tab. You can also right-click the document and select Cut.

3. Place your insertion point where you want the text to appear.
4. Click the Paste command on the Home tab. The text will appear.

You can also cut, copy, and paste by right-clicking the document and choosing the desired action from the drop-down menu. When you use this method to paste, you can choose from three options that determine how text will be formatted: Keep Source Formatting, Merge Formatting, and Keep Text Only. You can hover the mouse over each icon to see what it will look like before clicking it.

To drag and drop text:

1. Select the text you want to copy.
2. Click and drag the text to the location where you want it to appear. The cursor will have a rectangle under it to indicate that you are moving text.

3. Release the mouse button, and the text will appear.

Finding and replacing text

When you're working with longer documents, it can be difficult and time consuming to locate a specific word or phrase. Word can automatically search your document using the Find feature, and it even allows you to change words or phrases using Replace.

To find text:

1. From the Home tab, click the Find command. The navigation pane will appear on the left side of the screen.

2. Type the text you want to find in the field at the top of the navigation pane.
3. If the text is found in the document, it will be highlighted in yellow, and a preview will appear in the navigation pane.
4. If the text appears more than once, you can click the arrows on the navigation pane to step through the results. You can also click the result previews on the navigation pane to jump to the location of a result in your document.

5. When you close the navigation pane, the highlighting will disappear.

To replace text:

1. From the Home tab, click the Replace command. The Find and Replace dialog box will appear.

2. Type the text you want to find in the Find what field.
3. Type the text you want to replace it with in the Replace with field.
4. Click Find Next and then Replace to replace text. You can also click Replace All to replace all instances within the document.