essay microsoft word

Tips for Formatting an Essay in Microsoft Word: Fonts and More

• Brian D. Taylor
• Categories : Help with writing assignments paragraphs, essays, outlines & more
• Tags : Homework help & study guides

Why is Formatting Important?

Formatting refers to the arrangement of text on a document. There are many ways to format different types of documents. The focus of this guide will be formatting for essays.

In general, you will want your documents to look neat and professional. Special attention to formatting will ensure that your essays make a great first impression. In fact, some teachers will mark your paper down if you do not format correctly, or follow specific guidelines the teacher has requested (such as double spacing.)

Typography is a term that was first used when referring to how letters were chosen and set for printing on a press. In today’s age of word processors, it now refers to font selection and formatting. Pay careful attention to how you use typography in your essay. Font selection is of key importance. When you are writing an essay for a school assignment, you should make sure your font looks neat and professional. Remember, your essay will have to be read at some point, so you should make sure it can be read easily.

Fonts to Choose

Serif fonts assist with readability. A serif font has little lines on the end of the character. The lines help the eye move from letter to letter more easily. Some examples of standard serif fonts in Microsoft Word are Times New Roman, Courier New, and Book Antiqua. You should use a serif font for the majority of your essay. Be careful, though. Some serif fonts, still would not be acceptable. For instance, serif font styles such as Goudy Stout or Engravers MT would not look professional as the text of your essay because they are big and bulky. Choose carefully.

Sans serif fonts do not have the little lines at the end of the letters. Some examples of sans serif fonts are Arial, Calibri, and Comic Sans. Usually, sans serif fonts work well in short sections of text such as headings or titles. It is best not to use a sans serif font as the bulk of your essay. Furthermore, while I suggested Comic Sans as an example for a sans serif font, its use is typically frowned upon as it does not present a professional quality.

Another aspect of typography is the size of your font. Fonts are measured in points. A one point font is 1/72 of an inch. A 72 point font would measure one inch. Normally, you should choose 10 to 12 point font for all parts of your essay. Font sizes smaller than ten points become difficult to see and read. Font sizes larger than twelve point are difficult to read as well, and they make your teacher think that you’re just trying to use more space.

Bolding & Italicizing

At times, you may need to use bold, italics, or underlining. Bold is best used only in the title of your essay, if at all. Italics and underlining are typically used when you need to emphasize text or if you are referring to a title of another work.

To format your fonts in Microsoft Word, first select the text you wish to format. From there, you have a few options. You can format directly with the formatting toolbar which, by default, appears at the top of the window. You can also use the Format Font Window, which will give you more options. To get there, right click with the mouse and choose “Font” from the menu that appears. The Format Font Window looks like the image to the left (click on the image for a larger view). The selected text will appear in the preview pane. As you format the text, you can see how your text will look in the preview pane. When you have completed formatting your text, click OK to return to your document.

Spacing refers to the amount of space between lines of text. Typically, teachers ask for double spaced text for most assignments. The extra space between each line gives them room for comments and corrections. The extra space also makes the text easier to read. Always double check your teacher’s spacing policy, though. Sometimes a teacher will require a certain page total for your writing, while expecting single spaced lines. Double spacing will cut the length of your essay in half which will cause you to lose points. Always be sure to double check what the teacher wants.

Typically, headings are single spaced. There’s not much reason to have extra space between lines of your heading, so do not use it unless you’ve been directed otherwise. If you are using a quote of four lines or larger, it requires special formatting. Typically, this should be single spaced, as well.

You can also space at the paragraph level. This type of spacing appears before or after a paragraph.

To control spacing in Microsoft Word, select the text, then right click. Choose “Paragraph.” This will open the Format Paragraph Window. It should look like the image to the left (click on the image for a larger view). In the Spacing section, you’ll see two fields: one for Before and one for After. These allow you to space paragraphs apart, either before the paragraph or after. The spacing is measured in points, similar to fonts.

To the right, you can space at the line level. To double space your essay, choose Double from the drop down menu. Similarly, choose Single to single space. There are some other choices for more precise line spacing, but typically double and single will do for most school essays.

Indentation

Indentation refers to spacing from the left or right of the page. For most of the paragraphs in your essay, you will need to indent the first line. A good standard is a .5" first line indent. The tab key is usually set to tab over .5", but it is good practice to use the Format Paragraph Window to ensure that your indentations are correct.

To set a .5" first line indent for all paragraphs, select your text, then right click. Choose “Paragraph.” This will bring up the Format Paragraph Window. In the Indentation section, choose First Line from the drop down menu labeled Special. This will activate a first line indent for your text. Now choose the measurement for the indent. Again, .5" is a good standard to follow.

There are other times when you may need to pay attention to indentation. Let’s say you have a research paper that requires a bibliography or works cited page. The hanging indent option can come in handy and many works cited entries require one. A hanging indent is like the opposite of a first line indent; it indents everything but the first line. You set up a hanging indent in the same way you do a first line indent, only choose Hanging from the drop down menu in the Format Paragraph Window.

Finally, if you are quoting material of four or more lines, you will need to separate the text from the rest of the paragraph and indent both sides. To do this, go to the Format Paragraph Window. Choose the text to be indented and choose the measurement of indent for both left and right sides. Usually, you will want 1" on each side of quoted material. A sample image is attached to show how this should appear on the page.

Working with Images

Sometimes, a teacher will allow the use of images in an essay. Be sure to check with the teacher before adding images as some teachers frown upon their use. Even if the images are allowed, be sure to use them wisely and sparingly. Typically, less is more when it comes to using pictures in essay writing. Teachers want you to create pictures with your words instead!

To insert an image you can copy and paste it into the document, or you can use the insert image function. Once the image is placed into the document, it can be formatted. Begin with the layout of the photo. Right click the image and choose Format Picture. Click on the Layout tab at the top of the window. Here you have several options. In line with Text will cause your image to act as text. This option may cause your text to behave in unexpected ways. This option will almost always create large gaps of space in your essay and is best avoided. The Square or Tight options will cause the text to wrap around your image, thus eliminating the problem of the gaps. One of these two options is best.

Next, you will need to choose the alignment of the image. This appears near the bottom of the Layout tab. Choose which side of the page you wish the image to appear and click OK to see your results. If you change your mind about the alignment of the image, you can now click and drag the image to where you would like it. Since you’ve chosen the Square or Tight text alignment option, the text will simply wrap around the image wherever you place it. Be sure that when placing the image, the text remains in a neat and professional arrangement.

Good luck on your essay! If you have any additional Microsoft Word tips to share post them in the comments.

How to Use Microsoft Word Effectively for Essay Writing

Microsoft Word for Essay Writing

Using the traditional pen and paper to draft your essay has not completely gone out of style. However, if you want to effectively write, proofread and format your essay all at the same time, you need a sophisticated approach that would allow you to do all these in due time to succeed in professional essay writing from scratch.

It doesn’t matter how you feel about the Microsoft Word program but it is a word processing tool that you can’t do without in your profession. You get to use it daily as you go about your work.

Learning the basic aspect of using the program is quite not difficult. Most of us get to use the word processing program after learning the basics without taking out time to learn the more important features the program has.

To most people, that aspect is not necessary once they can type, search and replace words and make use of the format margins. I am guilty of that myself. I didn’t take out time to learn more than the basics before joining the tool.

I found out in my continuous use of Microsoft Word over the years that the program has some tricks that help to save time. If you are an impatient writer like me that wants to get each job done in the soonest possible time, you should learn about these alternative tools in the program. You will save a lot of time doing so.

Features How to Use Microsoft Word Effectively for Writing

• Track Changes . This feature comes in handy when I want to edit my work or give constructive criticism of another person’s work. The changes you make on the document appear on a highlight and that includes changes in format and deletions. The TRACK CHANGES option can be seen in the REVIEW tab and with it, the texts you edit are highlighted in red color.
• Document Map . The use of headings gives you an overview of the entire structure of the document when you use the special feature called DOCUMENT MAP. This feature makes it easy for you to skip through long documents and also to get the full picture of the storyline.
• Headings and Styles . When you make the necessary changes of marking section and chapter titles with the heading, it will make it easy for you to format the heading for the document in a single place. I use NORMAL for the body of the document and HEADING1 for the chapter titles.
• Headers and Footers . On the old typewriter, the typist has to manually include the page number and author name. This has been upgraded to a word progressing tool. You can add that information just once using the HEADER and it automatically appears on all pages.
• Comments . This can also be seen in the REVIEW column. With this feature, you can include margin notes into your document. This feature can be used for plenty of functions by a writer. For instance, you can use it to include reminders for some editing work you need to do in the future. You can also use it to create reminders on ideas you wish to develop later on in your document.
• Table of Contents . Most documents don’t need a table of content but when a document requires it, it can be stressful to manually create one. Not just the creation aspect, you have to go through the stress of updating it anytime you add more information to your document. The headings feature and TABLE OF CONTENTS work together. That is the Table of contents creates a table of headings and includes the page number where the heading can be found.
• Views . Microsoft Word provides you with different view options. With this option, you can get an overview of your overall manuscript in different ways.
• Compare Documents . Making edits manually in an older version of a manuscript can be a pain in the ass. This feature provides a highlight to pronounce the difference between the two documents. With this feature, you can go through the document at a later date and pick the better version.
• Full Screen . If you wish to focus on your writing without worrying about different tabs and editing buttons, the full-screen option comes in handy to minimize distraction.
• View Side by Side . With this feature, you can open up and review two documents at the same time without having to close one first.
• Integration with Endnote . If you are working on a nonfiction project, you will need to include a lot of references in your work. The endnote feature enables you to keep track of your references in a neat way.
• Full Page . This feature enables you to view your work as a full document. This is not the best mode for reading, but it allows you to check your documents for formatting errors and blank pages.

You can effectively use Microsoft Word for your professional essay writing if you consistently practice with the software and look for new tips every day. Microsoft Word is easy-to-use software but you don’t want to stop at the mediocre level. There are other things you could do with your software as outlined in this educational piece.

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How to Set Up and Use MLA Format in Microsoft Word

The Modern Language Association (MLA) is an organization that provides guidelines for professional and academic writers. Many universities, employers, and professional agencies now require writers to conform to the MLA style since it’s easy to use and consistent.

In this article, we’ll cover how you can use the MLA format in Microsoft Word.

The MLA Format Requirements

Here are the basic MLA guidelines:

• Use 1-inch margins on all sides
• Use a legible font like Times New Roman
• Use 12 size font
• Use double-spacing throughout the entire document
• Use indentation for the beginning of each paragraph
• Include a header that displays your surname and page numbers on the top right-hand side
• The first page should include your name, paper information and date
• The title of your paper should be centered on the first page
• The end of the paper should include a Works Cited page with MLA citations

How to Set Up the MLA Format in Word

Here’s how you can organize your Word document so that it conforms to the MLA guidelines. We’ll cover each requirement in turn, so start at the top and work your way down.

1. Set the Margins

To set 1-inch margins:

• Click on the Layout tab (in older versions of Word this will be Page Layout ).

• Select Margins then click Custom Margins .

• For the Top , Bottom , Right and Left margins, type 1 and press Enter .

• Select OK .

2. Set the Font and Font Size

To change the font:

• Select the Home tab.

• Click the font drop-down menu and select the Times New Roman font (or a similar font like Calibri).
• Click the font size drop-down menu and select 12 .

3. Set Double Line Spacing

To set double-spacing:

• Select the spacing drop-down menu . This icon looks like blue up and down arrows beside four horizontal lines. Click 2 .

4. Set the Indentation

To set paragraph indentation:

• Right-click the document and select Paragraph .

• Make sure the Indents and Spacing tab is selected.
• Click the drop-down menu beneath Special and select First line . Then, click the field beneath By and type 1 cm .

Alternatively, you can press the tab key before starting each new paragraph.

5. Set the Header

To set your header:

• Click the Insert tab.

• In the Header & Footer section, select Header and click Blank (the top option).

• In the header, type your name and press the spacebar once.
• Click the Home tab.
• Select Align Text Right in the Paragraph section.

6. Set the Page Number

To set page numbers:

• Using your cursor, click in the header after your name.
• Select the Header and Footer tab.

• Select Page Number , click Current Position and select Plain Number .

7. Include Key Information on the First Page

Now that your formatting is set up, it’s time to include the required information on the first page of your document.

This should be one to four lines with your full name and other key information such as your course name, course number, instructor’s name, and date (written in a day, month, year format).

After the date, click the Enter key, type your document or research paper’s title and center the text by pressing Align Text Center in the Home tab.

8. Format the Works Cited Page

If you include citations in your document, these also need to conform to the MLA handbook. The list should be:

• Titled with “Works Cited” at the top of page
• In alphabetical order
• Left-justified
• Double-spaced
• Indented with a hanging indent

To include a hanging indent, select your citation list, right-click your document and select Paragraph . In the Indentation section, select the drop-down box underneath Special , select Hanging , and click OK .

Time to Get Writing

Now that you’ve formatted your MLA paper correctly, it’s finally time to get writing. With this formatting guide, you’ll have no trouble passing the MLA requirements. Just make sure to double-check your document before you submit it!

Jake Harfield is an Australian freelance writer whose passion is finding out how different technologies work. He has written for several online publications, focusing on explaining what he has learned to help others with their tech problems. He’s an avid hiker and birder, and in his spare time you’ll find him in the Aussie bush listening to the birdsong. Read Jake's Full Bio

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How-To Geek

How to use researcher in microsoft word for essays and papers.

With Researcher in Microsoft Word, you can reduce the time you spend researching your school essay or research paper. Close your web browser and use Word’s built-in tool.

Quick Links

What can you do with researcher, open researcher in microsoft word, review relevant topics and top sources, add topic items to your document.

Microsoft wants to make your research easier. With the Word Researcher tool, you can close your web browser and get sources for school essays, research papers, and similar documents in a few clicks.

The Researcher feature, powered by Bing, gives you a handy search box to find people, events, places, and concepts. The results of your search provide you with relevant topics and top sources including books, journals, websites, and images.

When you select the source you want, you can see an overview, history, location, images, and other important details. And the best part is, you never leave your Microsoft Word document.

In addition to viewing the details for your topic, you can start an outline for your paper as well as adding and citing text. Click the main subject or one of the information sections and add it directly to your document.

Here, we'll show you how to reduce the time you spend researching and speed up the creation of your paper with the Researcher tool in Microsoft Word.

At the time of writing,  Researcher is available with Word for Microsoft 365, Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac, and Word 2016. It is available to Microsoft 365 subscribers for Windows desktop clients.

To use the Researcher tool, open the "References" tab of your Word document. Click "Researcher" from the "Research" section of the ribbon.

When the pane opens on the right, type a term into the Search box and you're on your way!

You'll receive results for your search with Relevant Topics at the top and Top Sources beneath.

Relevant Topics

Some topics may only give you a couple of Relevant Topics. Click "More Topics" below that section to see additional sources.

If you click one of the Relevant Topics, you'll see a nice overview of the subject. At the end of the "Overview" section, click "Read More" for full details.

Depending on your topic, you'll then see several block sections packed with details. This structure comes in handy for starting your outline with them, which we'll describe below.

If the subject and Relevant Topic have images, you can click "See All Images" for a neat grid of photos and illustrations. Click one to open your browser and view the image online. Plus, you can add these to your document, which we'll also show you below.

Top Sources

For even more options, the "Top Sources" area offers books, journals, and websites. Select any one of those for its details.

If you choose a Relevant Topic at the top first, you can then filter your Top Sources by subtopic. Click the drop-down box for "All Topics" and pick one.

While most of the material is contained within Word, you may come across a source here and there that you must open in your browser. Click the link to open the source site in your default web browser.

Along with viewing information on your topic, you can add headings, text, and images directly to your document using Researcher.

Add Headings

On the top right of each source's section, you'll see a plus sign. Click the "+" icon to add that section as a collapsible heading for your document outline. Remember, this only adds the heading, not the text, within the section.

If you want to add a snippet of text to your document, you can do this as well. Select the text from the source by dragging your cursor through it. When you release, you'll see a small box appear with options for "Add and Cite" and "Add."

When you choose "Add and Cite," the text will pop into your document with the source cited at the end of the snippet. The citation is formatted automatically, so you can add it to a bibliography easily.

When you choose "Add," the text will still appear in your document, but without the citation.

If your topic offers images, and you click "See All Images," you have the option to add one or more of those, too. This is super convenient because you don't have to hunt them down yourself.

Click the "+" icon in the corner of the image to add it to your paper.

It will appear in your document with the source cited beneath it.

Be sure to respect copyrights when using the available images for your purpose. If you're unsure whether you can use an image, click "Learn More" above the image grid. This takes you to the Microsoft legal webpage explaining copyright and offering FAQs. You can also check our article on images with a Creative Commons License for those sources from Creative Commons.

College essays and research papers are enough work in themselves. By using Researcher in Microsoft Word, you can ease the burden of the research for your document and get a jumpstart on its contents.

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Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Use the Editor in Word for Microsoft 365 (Updated)

By Erin Wright

This tutorial shows how to use the Editor in Word for Microsoft 365. The Editor is an update to the spelling and grammar check available in older versions of Word.

If you are using an older version of Word that doesn’t have an Editor button, please see my other tutorial “ How to Use the Spelling and Grammar Check in Microsoft Word .”

This tutorial covers five topics:

How to Select Grammar Issues and Refinements

How to run the editor, how to review the suggested edits, how to finish the edit, how to run a fresh edit.

Attention Mac Users: The Editor is available in Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac. The basic steps are similar to those shown here. However, the process of selecting grammar issues and refinements is different, so we will cover the Editor in Word for Mac in a separate tutorial.

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 200 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel .

Are you looking for information about editing in Word with Track Changes instead of using the Editor? If so, visit “ How to Use Track Changes in Microsoft Word ” for a step-by-step tutorial covering ten editing tasks.

The Editor can check for over 150 grammar issues and refinements beyond spelling, including the following:

• hyphenation
• passive voice
• Oxford comma

All the grammar and refinement options are available in the Word Options dialog box. You should select from these options before running the Editor.

• Select the File tab in the ribbon.

• Select the Options tab in the Backstage view.

• Select the Proofing tab in the Word Options dialog box.

• Review the spelling and grammar options that affect how the Editor interacts with your document:

A. Ensure that Check spelling as you type and Mark grammar errors as you type are selected if you want issues to be marked in the text as you type.

B. Ensure that Check grammar and refinements in the Editor Pane is selected to include grammar and refinements.

C. (Optional) Ensure that Show readability statistics is selected to show your readability statistics after running the Editor.

D. Ensure that Hide spelling errors in this document only and Hide grammar errors in this document only are not selected.

• Select Grammar & Refinements or Grammar in the Writing Style menu. (Most users will want to choose Grammar & Refinements because it offers more options.)

• Select the Settings button.

• Select or deselect options from the Grammar Settings dialog box.

Defining each grammar option is beyond the scope of this tutorial. However, the Microsoft Office Support website provides a detailed explanation for many of the options sorted by language.

• Select the OK button to close the Grammar Settings dialog box.

• Select the OK button to close the Word Options dialog box.

Now that you have decided how you want Word to proof your document, you can run the Editor.

• Select the Home tab in the ribbon.

• Select the Editor button. (The Editor button is also available in the Proofing group on the left end of the Review tab.)

The Editor Pane will appear on the right side of your screen.

• Review your Editor Score. This score will change based on choices you make within the Editor Pane. Therefore, you may choose to disregard this number while working with the Editor.

• (Optional) Select a level of formality from the drop-down menu.
• Formal —The Editor will apply all the grammar and refinement rules, resulting in the most recommendations.
• Professional —The Editor will apply most of the grammar and refinement rules, resulting in fewer recommendations than the Formal option.
• Casual —The Editor will apply the fewest number of grammar and refinement rules, resulting in the fewest recommendations.

Your Editor Score will change based on your choice of formality.

• Select the Editor Score (see figure 12) to review each of the recommendations starting from the current placement of your cursor. Or, skip to step 4 to review by category.
• Select the Corrections or Refinements category you want to review. The available categories will depend on your selections in the Grammar Settings dialog box (see figure 7).

Categories with a checkmark don’t have any suggestions.

• Choose a suggestion to change the individual spelling error.

Or, open the drop-down menu for the suggestion and select Change All to change every instance of the spelling error.

You can also choose (a) Ignore Once to ignore that spelling one time, (b) Ignore All to ignore that spelling every time it appears in the document, or (c) Add to Dictionary to add the word with its current spelling to your custom dictionary .

If the Editor is unable to provide any spelling suggestions, it will still let you add the word to your custom dictionary, ignore the word once, or ignore all instances of the word.

After you select or ignore a suggestion, the Editor will automatically move to the next issue in that category or return you to the main view to chose a new category.

Grammar and Refinement Issues

• Review each grammar or refinement issue. In some cases, the Editor will suggest a way to rewrite the text.

Or, select (a) Ignore Once to ignore that instance of the issue or (b) Don’t check for this issue to stop checking for that type of issue in the rest of the document.

Open the drop-down menu above the text box if you want additional information about the issue.

Pro Tip: The navigation arrows on the right side of the pane let you move forward and backward to issues you have not yet addressed. The arrow on the left side will return you to the Editor’s main view.

The Editor Pane also provides options to search the web for similar text and give feedback to Microsoft about the Editor.

If you included readability statistics in your proofing options in the Word Options dialog box (see figure 4), the Readability Statistics dialog box will appear after you have accepted or ignored all the Editor’s suggestions.

• Select the OK button to close the Readability Statistics dialog box.

• Select the OK button in the dialog box stating that you have finished reviewing the Editor’s suggestions.

If you have updated your text since running the Editor, you may want to run a fresh check.

• Select the File tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
• Select the Options tab in the Backstage view (see figure 2).
• Select the Proofing tab in the Word Options dialog box (see figure 3).
• Select the Recheck Document button.

• Select the Yes button in the dialog box stating that the new spelling and grammar check (Editor) will recheck issues that you ignored during the last check.

• Select the OK button to close the Word Options dialog box (see figure 9).

Follow the steps in the How to Run the Editor section above to recheck your document.

Important Note: Microsoft plans to continually add new features to Word for Microsoft 365. Therefore, your version of Word may have different features than those shown here.

Related Resources

How to Change the Proofing Language in Microsoft Word

How to Use the Clipboard in Microsoft Word

How to Edit Your Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Word

How to Create an Exclusion Dictionary in Microsoft Word

Updated April 29, 2023

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How to format an essay in Microsoft Word

An essay is a creative work that allows you to reflect deeply on an idea and put your thoughts on paper. The readability of the text and the perception of the presented information depends on the layout of any written work. That is why it is so important to always pay enough attention to the content and the proper formatting of the essay.

This article will cover the recommendations for the three most commonly used essay formats: MLA, APA, and Chicago, as well as the paper’s formatting in Microsoft Word. We hope the information will be handy!

Why is it important to have an essay-style format?

The essay format is a set of guidelines that define the organization of the components of your paper. The text, title, quotations, and basic outline are included in the guidelines layout.

Style standards were created to regulate the appearance of writing and citation lists. Why is this necessary? Suppose you are a teacher, researcher, or publisher reading hundreds of papers weekly. Suppose the papers were formatted in various ways; in that case, you can lose a lot of time trying to figure out what sources were used, whether a particular piece was a direct quote or paraphrase, and even who the author was. Having essay formatting guidelines to follow makes it easy for everyone. Essay writers can follow a set of rules without deciding which formatting parameters are ideal, and readers do not have to search for the information they are looking for.

If you need help creating an essay, it is best to seek advice from experts at www.essayshark.com , who can write an essay for cheap. It will still be of high quality according to different style and formatting standards.

Main essay writing styles

The Modern Language Association created the MLA style, which has become the most common college essay format for students preparing papers for study. It was created to give students and academics in literary and language fields a standardized way to structure their papers. However, it is now used in many disciplines, especially in the humanities.

• Here are the key criteria for MLA essays that one should follow:
• Use 12pt New Times Roman as the font;
• Use double spacing throughout and make sure there are no extra spaces between paragraphs;
• Margins should be one inch on each side of the paper;
• Each page has the author’s last name and page number;
• Write your name, instructor’s name, class, and date in the upper left-hand corner;
• It is necessary to center the title of the essay;
• Use the tab key to add an indentation;
• Place a list of sources on the “References” page.

One of the benefits of writing your papers mentioned for MLA is that all citations are formatted the same, whether or not they come from different sources. This is the only type of essay format that makes citing sources so easy!

The American Psychological Association is abbreviated APA. This style is most often used for research articles, especially in the human behavioral and social sciences. Because the APA style is often used for more research-oriented articles, it has a stricter framework to follow than, say, the MLA style.

Here are some simple instructions in APA format on how to write an essay in APA format:

• Times New Roman 12pt should be used for text style and size;
• Double spacing;
• Include a brief title and page number in the header of each page (top left/top right);
• The title page should include the author’s name, organization, date, and instructor’s name;
• It should include a list of citations on the reference page.

Unlike MLA style, each source type is cited separately in APA essay format. As a result, a reference to a book differs from a reference to a journal article, which is different from a reference to an interview. The references should start on a new page with the word “References” in the center at the top. Links should be in alphabetical order.

Chicago Style

The University of Chicago Press has established the Chicago style (also known as the “Turabian style”), which is the least used of the three major formats in student essay style. It is most often used in historical disciplines. However, many people look to the Chicago Manual of Style for help with problem citations or essay style. Many authors of books also use this approach.

The rules for a Chicago-style paper are as follows:

• Spacing should be doubled everywhere;
• Times New Roman 12pt should use text;
• Include the top of each page, page number, and last name;
• This format also requires footnotes for paraphrased passages;
• A Chicago-style bibliography is very similar to an MLA-style bibliography;
• Arrange the material in alphabetical order on the Bibliography page.

Unlike MLA or APA, the Chicago style usually uses footnotes or endnotes rather than citations in the text or parentheses. A superscript number will appear at the end of a sentence (for a footnote) or the bottom of the page (for an endnote), followed by an abbreviated reference to the source.

Formatting specifics of essays in Microsoft Word

Often educational institutions also have their own requirements for the design of written work in Microsoft Word.

Formatting of structural elements

Before starting any written work, the student creates an outline. The structure of an essay is simple:

• title page;
• list of references;
• appendices (optional).

If there are no such requirements, it is desirable to be guided by the essay’s writing style and adhere to the standard rules of registration, like using the font Times New Roman, size 12pt.

Numbering the pages

Rule: Your essay must have automatically assigned page numbers that appear in the upper right-hand corner on all pages except the first page. Use Word’s Header/Footer tool.

For papers in MLA format, put your name and page number in the upper right-hand corner. For documents in APA format, place a short version of your title (instead of your last name) and the page number in the upper right corner.

Subheadings

Subheadings may be used in the essay’s body and are acceptable in bold. Subheadings should be typed with a paragraph interval, with a capital letter, without a period at the end of the subheading, and without using an underline.

References and footnotes

Bibliographic information about the author and the source’s title, the output of the cited monograph is called a bibliographical reference. These are listed in the bibliography. Sometimes this reference is placed at the bottom of the page. In this case, it is a footnote – additional text placed under the main one and separated by a line. Besides, bibliographical references in a footnote may be translations of terms, some notes, etc.

Bibliographical references can be of three types:

An in-text reference contains information about a document that is not included in the text, it is closed in round brackets, but it is rarely used in universities. Off-text references indicate the sources of quotations with reference to the list of bibliographic references at the end of the essay and are enclosed in brackets — for example, (7, p. 33), where 7 is the serial number of the article in the list, and 33 is the page to which you refer. The footnote bibliographical reference is taken out at the bottom of the page. For this kind of reference, use the “Insert” box on the toolbar of Word, then “Footnote” and the numbering of the footnote “On each page.”

The work may contain tables, diagrams, drawings, and diagrams. They are inserted in the essay with captions. Figures and tables should be numbered. The title is in the center, the figure is named at the bottom, and the table is at the top.

List of references

The references are printed on a separate page following the established standards of style in which you write the essay.

Writing a great essay involves the correct presentation of the content. Styles and formatting guidelines are created for this reason. Students often create poorly structured text when rushing to complete their projects. This leads to sloppy writing and causes students to lose their grades. This is why you need to know the three popular essay format styles – MLA, APA, and Chicago – and develop essay formatting skills in Microsoft Word – then, it will be much easier to write papers!

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Essay Templates

19+ best microsoft word essay templates.

On the search for college templates ? We can help you with that. We have here an array of essay templates for you to choose from. For some, essay writing can be a stressful endeavor, but that should not be the case. Writing is a positive and professional way of channeling your deepest thoughts and sentiments.

Simple Narrative Essay Template

• Google Docs
• Apple Pages

Three-Paragraph Essay Template

Biography Essay Outline Format Template

Sample Essay Plan Template

Microsoft Word High School Persuasive Essay Template

Microsoft Word Basic Paragraph Reflective Essay Template

Free Microsoft Word MLA Format Argumentative Essay

Microsoft Word Introduction Expository Essay Template

Free Microsoft Word Narrative Research Essay Template

Microsoft Word Short Informative Essay Template

Relevance of Essay Templates

• As a marketing strategy in the business world . Behind every successful and famous product is a great writer. Advertisers also used essays as a tool for making quality content in their ads, particularly on websites.
• As an academic requirement . Inevitably, a student will not encounter essay writing in school regardless of the level. From your elementary to your college years, essays are mostly required by your professors as a partial requirement for the fulfillment of your course or program .
• As a means of career elevation . For those institutions that are sponsoring great minds and letting them proceed with their post-graduate courses, essays are usually one of the requirements before a scholarship grant is given. Part of the evaluation process is the quality of your writing, which will give them an idea of your degree of expertise.

Free Microsoft Word Personal Elementary Essay Template

Microsoft Word University Academic Scholarship Essay

Microsoft Word Professional College Essay Template

Microsoft Word Middle School Descriptive Essay Template

Free Microsoft Word Essay Layout Template

Microsoft Word Outline Paragraph Essay Template

Free Microsoft Word APA Essay Template

Free Microsoft Word 5th Grade Essay Template

Free 6th Grade Persuasive Essay Template

Free 4th Grade Essay Template

Important Factors to Note about Different Types of Essays

• Argumentative essay . This type of essay requires you to present and explain your stand on a certain issue. This is tricky because you’re not just arguing for the argument’s sake but is also a requirement to provide substantial evidence.
• Descriptive essay . Here, you are required to layout and write about the salient characteristics and dynamics of a certain issue, person, or event, depending on the topic. This will channel your capability to express your observations in an organized manner.
• Narrative essay . This refers to the ones that tell a story whether fictional or based on real-life events.

More in Essay Templates

Simple essay plan template, professional student interview essay template, biography essay template, descriptive writing essay template, short descriptive essay template, descriptive essay template, academic writing essay template, academic text example essay template, student reflective essay template, family interview essay template.

• How to Make/Create a College Essay [Templates + Examples] 2023
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• 5+ Free Descriptive Essay Templates – PDF
• 15+ Essay Format Templates – PDF
• 11+ Free Descriptive Essay Templates – PDF, DOC
• 19+ Essay Templates in PDF
• How to Make/Create a Narrative Essay [Templates + Examples] 2023
• 14+ 5 Paragraph Essay Templates – PDF
• How To Make/Create a 5-Paragraph Essay Outline [Templates + Examples] 2023
• 10+ Argumentative Essay Outline Templates – PDF
• 20+ Interview Essay Templates
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• 7+ Extended Essay Templates
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File Formats

Word templates, google docs templates, excel templates, powerpoint templates, google sheets templates, google slides templates, pdf templates, publisher templates, psd templates, indesign templates, illustrator templates, pages templates, keynote templates, numbers templates, outlook templates.

Welcome to Copilot in Word

Copilot in Word ushers in a new era of writing, leveraging the power of AI. It can help you go from a blank page to a finished document in a fraction of the time it would take to compose text on your own. And while it may write exactly what you need, sometimes it may be "usefully wrong" thus giving you some helpful inspiration. Additionally, Copilot Chat can provide helpful actions based on your document content or obtain additional content from outside resources. 

And if you’re looking for something more generic, beyond what's in your draft, you can ask Copilot Chat questions to research, ideate, or iterate on for possible content to add. 

Draft with Copilot

Note:  This feature is available to customers with a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license or Copilot Pro license.

Whether you’re creating a new document or working on an existing one, Copilot can help you move forward. In a new, blank document or upon creating new line in an existing document, the Draft with Copilot experience appears. 

The description you provide can be a simple sentence or a more complex request with outlines, notes, or referenced files that you want Copilot to use. You could tell Copilot "Write an essay about baseball" or "C reate a paragraph about time management, " for example. 

For users with a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license, the Reference a file  button allows you to search for and include up to three of your existing files as inputs to ground the content Copilot drafts. In the compose box, you can also enter "/" and the name of the file you'd like to reference, which will update the file options shown in the menu for selection. This feature only references the files you select, not any other organizational data.

In the Copilot compose box, enter in details on how you would like Copilot's response to change. For example, write " Make this more concise, " and Copilot will fine tune its response based on your instructions.

In a document with existing content, you can also use the Inspire Me button to have Copilot automatically keep writing for you, based on the content already in your document. 

For more information, see  Start a draft with Copilot in Word.

Transform with Copilot

Sometimes rewriting and editing your documents takes more time and thought than writing your ideas down in the first place. Copilot not only helps you create new content, but it also helps you transform your existing content into a document you can be proud of.

Fine tune the table by entering details into the Copilot compose box about what to adjust in the table, like " Add an empty third column. "

For both Rewrite and Visualize as a table , select < and > to navigate through Copilot's suggestions.

For more information, see  Transform your content with Copilot in Word .

Chat with Copilot

When generating summaries or asking questions about your document, Copilot will provide references with citations to where it retrieved its information from.

For more information, see  Chat with Copilot about your Word document.

Some ideas to try 

Want to practice a bit and see what Copilot can do? Here are some starter ideas. 

Draft with Copilot 

Use the Copilot prompt in the canvas to request content for any of these.  

An article for my team on the importance of taking care of their wellbeing

Create a business plan for a new mobile pet grooming service

Write a marketing plan for a house painting business

Create a cover letter for a Finance Officer role

Ask Copilot about the document

In a document containing existing content, open Copilot Chat and try any of these. 

What are the key points in this doc?

Summarize this document.

Is there a call to action?

Ask Copilot for info that's not in the document

In the Copilot Chat pane try any of these.

I need a chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Show me the chocolate chip cookie recipe ingredients in a table.

Give me an example haiku about Contoso coffee.

Copilot and Microsoft 365 are built on Microsoft's comprehensive approach to security, compliance, and privacy.

For more information about privacy, see the following information:

If you’re using Copilot for Microsoft 365 in your organization (with your work or school account), see Data, Privacy, and Security for Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 .

If you're using Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps at home as part of Copilot Pro (with your personal Microsoft account), see  Copilot Pro: Microsoft 365 apps and your privacy .

Current limitations

The content of the chat pane isn't saved, so Copilot won't be able to refer to previous interactions there.

Copilot may not work well with content containing SmartArt, tables, or charts.

Copilot currently supports fewer languages than what's available for the UI. Find more information at Microsoft Copilot supported languages .

Copilot is currently limited in the number of words it can process per prompt. For more information about processing longer documents, see  Keeping it short and sweet: a guide on the length of documents that you provide to Copilot .

Keep in mind...

The features described here use GPT, an AI system from OpenAI that creates text based on a prompt. As it is a new system, it may create things you didn’t expect. If you find its content to be unexpected or offensive, please send us feedback so we can make it better. Because content generated via AI draws from the internet, it may contain inaccuracies or sensitive material. Be sure to review and verify the information it generates. Also note that similar requests may result in the same content being generated. 

We want to hear from you!

If there's something you like about Copilot—and especially if there's something you don't like—you can submit feedback to Microsoft. Just click the thumb-up or thumb-down button in the response output. This feedback will help us improve your experience in Word. 

Frequently asked questions about Copilot in Word

Copilot in Word help & learning

Microsoft Copilot help & learning

Where can I get Microsoft Copilot?

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• Government Exam Articles

An Introduction to MS Word

One of the most widely used programs of Microsoft Office suite, MS Word is a word processor developed by Microsoft. 

An introduction to MS Word, its features and its uses, have all been discussed in detail, in this article. Also, a few sample questions based on this MS Office program have been given further below for the reference of candidates preparing for competitive exams. 

To know further about the MS Office suite and the various programs included in it, visit the linked article. 

Since MS Word is one of the most used programs of the Office Suite, some basic information regarding its creation and development has been given below:

• Charles Simonyi, a developer and Richard Brodie, a software engineer, were the two creators of MS Word
• This program was initially named “Multi-Tool Word” but later, was renamed as MS Word
• It was introduced in 1983
• Word for Windows is available standalone or as a part of MS Office suite
• MS Word for Mac was introduced by Microsoft as Word 1.0 in 1985
• The extension for any word file is “.doc or .docx.”

Moving forward, details about the features and applications of Word have been discussed. To read more about the other Computer Knowledge topics, check the links given below:

Basics of MS Word

Let us first understand some basic aspects of Microsoft Word.

What is MS Word?

Used to make professional-quality documents, letters, reports, etc., MS Word is a word processor developed by Microsoft. It has advanced features which allow you to format and edit your files and documents in the best possible way. 

Where to find MS Word on your personal computer?

Follow these simple steps to open MS Word on your personal computer:

Start → All Programs → MS Office → MS Word.

What are the uses of MS Word?

MS Word enables users to do write-ups, create documents, resumes, contracts, etc. This is one of the most commonly used programs under the Office suite. 

How to create an MS Word document?

To create an MS Word doc, follow the steps mentioned above to open Microsoft Word. Then once the program is open, click on “File” followed by “New”. This opens a new doc where something new can be created.

Since it is used by people of all age groups, in schools, in colleges and for official purposes, having proper knowledge of Microsoft Word is a must. The preview of the MS Doc file once it is opened is given below:

Also, from a competitive exam perspective, one must be well aware of this topic. To get the list of all major Government exams conducted in the country, aspirants can visit the linked article. 

For a better understanding of how MS Word works and the features that are included in it, you can refer to the video given below and analyse its functioning easily.

Features of MS Word

Now let us read more about the features and components of an MS Word doc file in detail.

The image given below shows the different elements and categories which are available in MS Word doc:

This has options like font colour, font size, font style, alignment, bullets, line spacing, etc. All the basic elements which one may need to edit their document is available under the Home option.

Tables, shapes, images, charts, graphs, header, footer, page number, etc. can all be entered in the document. They are included in the “Insert” category.

The template or the design in which you want your document to be created can be selected under the Design tab. Choosing an appropriate tab will enhance the appearance of your document.

• Page Layout

Under the Page Layout tab comes options like margins, orientation, columns, lines, indentation, spacing, etc. 

This tab is the most useful for those who are creating a thesis or writing books or lengthy documents. Options like citation, footnote, table of contents, caption, bibliography, etc. can be found under this tab.

Spell check, grammar, Thesaurus, word count, language, translation, comments, etc. can all be tracked under the review tab. This acts as an advantage for those who get their documents reviewed on MS Word.

Apart from all the above-mentioned features, the page can be set in different views and layouts, which can be added and optimised using the View tab on the Word document. Margins and scales are also available for the benefit of the users. 

When compared with MS PowerPoint , MS Word is more of reading while PPT is more of visual and graphical representation of data. 

To know more about Microsoft Windows , visit the linked article.

For Govt exam aspirants, given below are links to the other subjects which are a part of the competitive exam syllabus:

Uses of MS Word

Given below are the different fields in which MS Word is used and simplifies the work of an individual:

• In Education: It is considered as one of the simplest tools which can be used by both teachers and students. Creating notes is easier using MS Word as they can be made more interactive by adding shapes and images. It is also convenient to make assignments on MS Word and submitting them online
• In Workplace: Submitting letters, bills, creating reports, letterheads, sample documents, can all easily be done using MS Word
• Creating & Updating Resume: One of the best tools to create your resumes and is easy to edit and make changes in it as per your experience
• For Authors: Since separate options are available for bibliography, table of contents, etc., it is the best tool which can be used by authors for writing books and adjusting it as per the layout and alignment of your choice

Also, creating a Doc file and converting it into PDF is a more suitable option, so it is highly recommended. 

For competitive exam aspirants, given below are links which may help you prepare yourself for the upcoming exams:

Sample MS Word Question and Answers

Some sample questions and answers with the competitive exam perspective have been given below. Refer to these for assistance. 

Q 1. How can you open the column dialogue box?

Answer: (1) Alt+O+C

Q 2. Which is the default alignment in MS Word?

• None of the Above

Answer: (3) Left

Q 3. “Ctrl + =” is used for _________

• Change Alignment
• Superscript
• Change font to Bold
• None of the above

Answer: (2) Subscript

Q 4. A combination of which shortcut keys to use to split a table?

• Ctrl+shift+enter
• Shift+enter

Answer: (1) Ctrl+shift+enter

Furthermore, to get the best tips to ace the upcoming Government exams, candidates can check the Preparation Strategy for Competitive Exams at the linked article. 

Get the best study material and the latest exam information at BYJU’S. 

Frequently Asked Questions on Microsoft Word

Q 1. which formatting features can be added to the ms word document.

Ans. The common formatting features which are available on MS Word include:

• Font Style, Size and Colour</li
• Header and Footer
• Insert Images
• Add tables and bulleted lists
• Set a page layout
• Add Word Art

The basic feature of why people choose MS Word over any other text editor is that it makes the document more visually interactive and appealing.

Q 2. What is Microsoft Word used for??

Q 3. what are the basic functions of ms word.

Ans. Given below are the basic functions of Microsoft Word:

• Creating text documents
• Editing and Formatting the existing documents
• Making a text document interactive with different features and tools
• Graphical documents, comprising images
• Used by Authors and Researchers
• Detect grammatical errors in a text document

Q 4. What is the extension of an MS Word file?

Q 5. what are the five basic fields of application for ms word, leave a comment cancel reply.

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What is a document editor?

A document editor is a software application that enhances productivity and collaboration by allowing users to create, modify, and share documents.

Online document editors

An online document editor offers key features of desktop word processing and editing apps while reducing the risk of loss when working in offline or physical documents. It also allows users to collaborate across locations and devices.

Features and capabilities of online editing

Online document editors are software programs that offer the best features of desktop applications plus real-time collaboration and expanded access across mobile, desktop, and web. They offer a similar ability to design, write, edit, and publish documents, and with AI-assisted features, they also offer writing advice, help create outlines, merge existing documents, and even help you rewrite entire documents for clarity and concision.

Formatting your document

Jump over the first hurdle in setting up your document by formatting it so that it’s easier to read and understand. Online document editors offer design and formatting features to easily create high quality, polished documents. Programs like Word :

• Let you quickly apply a set of formatting choices consistently throughout your document. 
• Feature customizable templates to easily create professional-looking documents such as presentations, resumes, newsletters, and research reports. 
• Offer design and layout help, paragraph formatting, indentation, and various customization options including bold, italics, underline, strikethrough, font choice, as well as heading styles and page numbers. 
• Provide advanced formatting features such as consistency suggestions, smart paste, title enhancements, jumpstarts, and batch formatting.

Reviewing and editing your document

Ensure writing quality and professionalism with a document editor like Editor that:

• Offers built-in tools to check spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation, as well as tools to help catch and correct errors. 
• Provides advanced writing help, with a variety of features that offer style and tone advice, similarity checkers, and rewrite suggestions, as well as word and character count tools. 
• Offers a dictionary, thesaurus, and other resources for writing such as creating bibliographies and citing sources with footnotes. 
• Allows you to generate, record, or even upload transcriptions.
• Is able to translate text into a different language, such as the feature in both the desktop and online versions of Word .

Adding visual elements to your document

Include images, charts, and tables in your written documents to help convey complex information in a clear and concise manner. Programs like Word and Editor provide a range of tools that let you easily add visual elements to your documents without needing advanced design experience. These tools include the ability to:

• Insert images, charts, and other web content into the document. 
• Add headers, footers, and personalized stationery to your documents. 
• Use tables, numbered and bulleted lists to organize and present information in a clear and concise way.

Sharing and working together in documents

One of the key advantages of online document editing is the ability to let multiple users work on the same document simultaneously. This makes it an ideal way to ensure smooth teamwork for group projects or collaborations. Look for features that let you:

• Collaborate and coauthor the same document in real time or share a document with others over the internet via shared link or email.
• Compare and merge existing documents and use bookmarks to mark and quickly find important locations in your document. 
• See revisions made by other users, using a track changes feature, such as the one in Word . This allows all users to easily see changes, as well as accept or reject edits to a document, if applicable. 
• View, restore, and manage previous versions of your documents with version history.

Protecting your documents

Online document editors often provide a range of security features that help users protect their documents from unauthorized access as well as reduce the risk of document loss that comes with working offline or in physical documents. Look for document editing tools that allow you to:

• Set permissions, restrict access, and control who can view or edit the document. 
• Secure your documents with a password and protect them from unintentional editing. 
• Save and export in a variety of supported formats, including PDF, rich text, and HTML. 
• Upload documents to the cloud to allow users access to from anywhere across devices. 
• Automatically save and backup work to protect from document loss.

Checking your documents for accessibility

Create inclusive documents that follow accessibility best practices. Look for online document editors that:

• Help ensure that your content is easy to read and edit for people with disabilities with tools like the accessibility checker in Word. 
• Give recommendations or directions to fix issues quickly. 
• Add alternative text to images and create documents that are compatible with screen readers. 
• Provide more comfortable reading and writing in low-light environments with dark and light mode features. 
• Use dictation to easily write documents using your voice. 
• Offer tools like Immersive Reader in Word to customize reading experiences and make them more comfortable.

How to edit documents online

Create or open your document.

To get started, you may need to create an account with the provider of the document editor program of your choice. Once you have created an account, you can sign in and start editing your documents. Some document editors only support limited file formats, so make sure you chose a doc editor that with the versatility to work with your document’s file type. Check the file extension* to see if your document type is supported.

Edit your document

Explore the range of features for editing your documents. If you’re creating a new doc, you can get started by formatting text, changing font styles, colors, and sizes, and batch formatting to save time. Run spelling and grammar checks, get writing suggestions, track changes and word count, and check for accessibility issues. Many doc editors allow you to add spark and appeal to the document by inserting images, graphs, and charts.

Share your work with others

Online editing apps really show their superpowers in the collaboration arena. Invite friends, or team members to provide input or work together in the same doc. Comments and suggestions features make it easy to capture everyone’s feedback and track changes. The collaborative nature of these platforms promotes efficiency and teamwork, whether you're working on a school project, business report, or creative writing piece.

Save and export

Most document editors have multiple saving and exporting options. Upload your work directly to the cloud or save a copy to your device—or both. Exporting options allow you to download documents in different file formats for sharing or offline use. Cloud storage provides the benefit of accessing your documents from anywhere, ensuring you never lose your work due to hardware failures.

Uploading your documents to the cloud—which is a common feature of online document editors—offers several advantages:

• Expanded access. Work on the same document from any device with an internet connection—whether it’s a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
• Productive collaboration. Multiple users can access and edit the same document simultaneously, regardless of their physical location.
• Version management . Saving your document to the cloud via a personal or shared drive such as OneDrive enhances the ability to track changes, review document history, and revert to previous versions if necessary.
• Document backups. Cloud storage services and content management systems such SharePoint provide automatic backups of your documents, keeping your work safe even in the event of computer crash or data breach.
• Data and intellectual property protection. Cloud storage services help keep your sensitive data confidential with encryption and other measures to protect your documents from unauthorized access.

Edit a Word document online

Here’s an example of how to get started quickly using one of the most popular free editing apps, the online version of Word, sometimes called “ Word for the web.”

• Launch Word in your browser . (Sign in with your Microsoft account credentials, if required.)
• Select the Word document you want to edit or select New to create a new document.
• Once the document is open, select the Review tab in the top ribbon.
•  From the Review tab, you’ll be able to select Editor to access a wide range of online editing tools such as grammar and spell checks, leaving comments, tracking changes—plus tools to give advanced writing help with style, clarity, or concision. 
• While working in Word, your changes are periodically saved automatically. When you’re done editing, select the File tab, then Save as to save your changes. 
• You can also collaborate with others in real time directly in the same doc. Learn more about working together in Word >

Learn more about how to edit a Word doc online >

Apps for free editing online

Many providers offer tools for free editing online with advanced AI-assisted features, easy integration, and support for numerous file formats, devices, and operating systems.

Take advantage of free editing apps from  Microsoft 365 —including  Word ,  Editor ,  Outlook , and  OneDrive . Simply create a free Microsoft account or sign in with an existing one to get started.

Tips for using online editing apps and tools

Here are some tips and best practices to get the most of online document editing:

• Save your work regularly to prevent data loss. Most online editors automatically save your changes, but it's good practice to save manually as well. 
• Back up essential documents. While saving documents in the cloud has reduced the need to create local copies, it’s sometimes wise to create backups of essential documents on a local storage device. 
• Collaborate effectively. When working together on a document, communicate with your teammates and use commenting and suggestion features to provide feedback and discuss changes. Learn more collaboration tips > 
• Use strong passwords. Whatever document editing tools you choose, make sure your account stays secure by using strong, unique passwords. Consider using a password manager to keep track of your credentials. 
• Take advantage of templates. Templates can save you time and help maintain a consistent look and feel in your documents. Most editing apps have a portfolio of available templates or will allow you to create your own customized templates.

More online editing tools

Elevate your writing.

Create, review, and refine your documents and polish your writing using advanced features and AI tools available with Word.

Write like a pro

Write with confidence across documents, email, and the web with features that help strengthen your spelling, grammar, and style.

Protect and share documents

Edit, organize, and share your docs in the cloud and easily access them from any device with OneDrive.

Create, share, and collaborate

Maximize your potential and achieve your goals with editing and productivity apps all in one place.

Frequently asked questions

Can i edit a word document online.

Yes, you can edit Word documents online using Microsoft 365, which offers a free online version called Word for the web that allows you to create, edit, and share Word documents online.

What is Microsoft Editor?

Editor is free online text editor software that provides intelligent writing assistance to help you write more clearly and concisely, anywhere you write. It is available as a browser extension for Chrome and Edge browsers, as well as a feature in Word and Outlook. You can try Editor for free by downloading it for Chrome or Edge, or by using it in Word or Outlook for the web or desktop.

Learn more >

What apps can I use to alter documents?

You can use various Microsoft 365 apps to edit and alter documents, depending on the type of document you’d like to alter.

Here are some apps with advanced capabilities:

• Word: A word processing program that allows you to create, edit, and share documents. 
• PowerPoint: Presentation software that allows you to create, edit, and share presentations using text, images, videos, and animations. 
• OneNote: Note-taking software that allows you to create, edit, and share notes. 
• Outlook: An email software that allows you to send, receive, and manage emails, as well as maintaining calendars, and contacts. 
• SharePoint: A web-based collaboration software that allows you to share and manage documents with others. 
• Teams: A collaboration and productivity that allows you to chat, call, hold meetings, share files, and collaborate with others. 
• Excel: A spreadsheet program that allows you to create, edit, and share spreadsheets.

Is there a free way to edit a PDF?

Yes, there are many free PDF editors available online. Here are some of the best free options:

• Edit a PDF in Word: You can edit a PDF in Word by converting it to a Word document. This works best with PDFs that are mostly text. Learn more >
• Edit a PDF in Microsoft Edge: Edge is a web browser with a built-in PDF editor that allows you to make edits directly within the browser. This is convenient for making minor edits to a PDF without switching to another app.
• Edit a PDF using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC: This is a popular PDF editor that lets you add text, sticky notes, highlights, drawings, and more.

Can I scan a document and edit it?

You can edit a scanned document using Microsoft Word. Here are the steps:

• Scan your document according to the instructions for your scanner and save it to your computer as a PDF file. 
• Open Word, select File , and then Open . 
• Browse to the location of the PDF file on your computer and select Open . 
• A message will appear stating that Word will convert the PDF file into an editable Word document. Select OK . 
• Once the conversion is complete, you can edit the document as you would any other Word document. 
• When you’re done editing, select File and then Save As . 
• In the Save As dialog box, choose PDF from the Save as type dropdown menu. 
• Enter a name for the file and select Save .

How can I edit an existing document?

Depending on the document type, there are many ways to edit an existing document.

Here are a couple of popular options using versions of Microsoft Word:

• Word for the web: Word for the web is a free online version of Word that allows you to create, edit, and share Word documents online. Learn more >
• Word desktop app: If you have the Word desktop app installed on your computer, you can use it to edit Word documents. Learn more >

Can I edit documents online with Office?

Yes! Office is now Microsoft 365, which is free to use online with a Microsoft account. It offers robust document editing apps with the latest AI tools to create and edit documents online.

*What types of files can I open and edit in Microsoft Word?

Word lets you open and edit in many file formats, including:

Are there good editing apps for PC?

Yes! One of the advantages of Microsoft Word is that it is available for many different devices and operating systems (OS). You can use Microsoft 365 apps on your personal computer or mobile device—no matter if you’re running Windows OS, MacOS, iOS, or Android.

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