What's Awesome Features of Microsoft Word? Learn Them and Use Them to Make Your Document Most Relevant!

Abstract:

With so many features packed inside each Microsoft application, it’s easy to overlook some that can really add value to your daily workflow.  Below is a list of some of the features you may have never noticed but will quickly become part of your daily routinein Microsoft Word. 

Keywords: 

Microsoft Word, Short Cut Keys, Hyperlinks, Design, Formatting, Window

Learning Outcomes

After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following: 

1. What's MS Word ?

2. Why MS Word is important?

3. What are top MS Word features?

4. What are top MS Word  features?

5. What's the advantages of MS Word?

6. Where is the uses of MS Word?

7. Conclusions

8. FAQs

References 

Introduction 1. What's MS Word ?

Microsoft Word is a much-known software that allows its users to type in and process the words digitally. The purpose of using a word window can be to create text documents which can be saved or transferred digitally or even can be printed on a paper. Text documents such as – resumes, contracts or study material can be easily made on Microsoft word window.  

Microsoft Word is a part of Microsoft office suite, which is one of the most used digital text-oriented services. Microsoft Office suite provides other services to create documents of different kinds, such as- MS Excel, MS PowerPoint etc. 

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.”

2. Why MS Word is important?

Without a question, Word allows you to create customized documents, newsletters, and mailing lists. It enables you to send documents to a group of people for feedback. Word provides customized assistance in a number of ways. You can utilize files imported from other programs in Word to create archives.

It is 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.

3. Top Features of Microsoft Word:

• Fast Typing: Text in a word processor becomes fast since there is no associated mechanical carriage movement. 
   
• Editing functions: Any type of correction (insert, delete, change, etc.) can be easily done as and on demand. 
   
• Permanent storage: Documents can be stored indefinitely. The saved document can be called up at any time. 
   
• Formatting functions: Entered text can be created in any form and style (bold, italic, underline, different fonts, etc.). Graphics Provides the ability to insert drawings into documents, making them more useful. 
   
• OLE (Object Linking and Embedding): OLE is a program integration technology used to exchange information between programs about objects. Objects are entities stored as graphs, equations, video clips, audio clips, images, and so on. 
   
• Alignment: You can align your text as you like, for example, left, right, or centered. You can even make a box set, i.e, aligned from both sides. 
• Delete errors: You can remove a word, line, or paragraph from a stroke, and the rest of the subject will appear automatically. 
   
• Line Spacing: You can set the line spacing from one to nine according to your preference. 
   
• Move-in Cursor: You can move the cursor from one word to another or from one paragraph to another as needed. 
   
• Naming a Document: You can name a document and retrieve it from your hard drive at any time for editing, updating, correction, and even for printing. 
   
• Page break: You can set a page break at any point in the text so that the next page is printed when printing. 
   
• Search and Replace: You can search for a specific word in the entire document and replace it with another word. 

• Thesaurus: you can exchange a word with one of its synonyms. This way you can avoid the repetition of a single word in a document and add beauty to the language. 
   
• Indentation: Refers to the space between the text boundaries and the margins of the page. There are three types of indents: positive, negative, and hanging. 
   
• Header and footer: A header or footer is text or a graphic, such as a page number, a date, or a company logo, that is typically printed at the top or bottom of each page of a document.   
   
• Page orientation: Refers to whether the text is printed lengthways or across. Above the printed side is called PORTRAIT and the side printed across is called LANDSCAPE. 
   
• Spell Checker: Not only can it check spelling mistakes, but it can also suggest possible alternatives for misspelled words. 
   
• Mail Merge: This is a function that allows you to print a large number of letters/documents with more or less similar texts. Below this, the same letter of invitation must be sent to the guests, only the name and address are changed.
• Shortcut keys: MS Word is mostly famous because of the shortcut keys action. This shortcut allows a user to make changes in the document in a way that the user can save time and do the needful. Shortcut keys involve one or two keys, but sometimes more keys to be performed. This feature alone made an impression on its users that they totally rely upon MS Words to create a document of their need. Here are some of the examples of shortcut keys-  
• Ctrl + K is used for Hyperlink
• Ctrl + A is used to select all the contents
• Ctrl + C is Used to copy the selected content
• Ctrl + V is used to paste the copied content
• Ctrl + X is used to cut the selected content
• Auto-correct : Autocorrect is one of the best features of Microsoft Word. Typing errors has always been a major problem for writers. Detecting and correcting all the errors eventually takes a lot of time and effort. Microsoft has come up with the solution of built-in auto correct system within the word window. Therefore, a user can easily track all the errors and can also correct them automatically by just turning on the autocorrect option given in the word window.  MS Word free download for Windows 10 is pre-equipped with beautiful features. To use Autocorrect on MS Word a user just needs to go to File and then click on Options, then click on Autocorrect options. On this particular tab, users have to tick on a box called – Replace text as you type. 
• Hyperlink : Hyperlink is one of the most useful features on MS Word. To link an external location into the document a user can add a hyperlink in it. The primary intention to use a hyperlink is to send the user or reader of the document to a particular address. A hyperlink can be easily inserted in a text document or even in a picture. To use this feature user, have to just select the text or picture and right click on it, it brings a short menu which already has option named as Hyperlink or else just simply select the text or picture and use a shortcut key (Press and hold down the Ctrl button and at the same time press the button k) Ctrl+K to add a hyperlink in the document.   

4. Top MS Word Window Features:

• Title Bar: Displays the name of the file you are currently working on. It also consists of three buttons, for example, The Minimize button reduces the window to an icon, but the word remains active.  The Restore button returns the Word window to its original maximum size. The close button takes us out of Word. 
   
• Menu Bar: This consists of various commands that can be accessed by clicking on the menu options under these menu headings. 
   
• Standard Toolbar: Displays icons for common operations, such as Open, Print, Save, etc., which can be done by clicking on the suitable tool. 
   
• Formatting Toolbar: Displays the options that can be used to format our document, such as The ruler indicating the width of the document. It can be increased or decreased. You can see how many of the lines you wrote. Work area This is the area where you can enter the text. 

• Vertical Scroll Bar: For larger text in the document, you can scroll the vertical bar to view the text in different positions. 
   
• Horizontal scrollbar: Used to move from left to right of the document and vice versa if the document is too wide to fit on the screen. 
   
• Search Object Selection Button: This helps us select one of several tools used to find something in a document. 
   
• Normal View button: Helps us view the document very as it will be printed. Arranges the text so that no document is hidden on the screen. 
   
• Print Layout View: This option allows us to see how the document will be printed. All headers, footers, and comments are displayed. 
   
• Draw Toolbar: One of several toolbars that may be available on the screen. This special is used to make drawings on the document. 
   
• Status bar: This bar always shows you your current position as far as the text goes. It shows you the current position of your in terms of the page number, line number, etc.
• Smart Design: Designing a content is now hassle-free because of MS Word. Its design tab has a huge number of ready to use templates on it for the users. It has a lot of templates for every occasion that can be documented.  The Appearance of the document lies in the design of a content, word window can give it a perfect look depending on the occasion. There is also a customization option available for those who want to make their own design. A user just has to click on the design tab to proceed further. 
• Easy to use: A user can only be satisfied when a lot of useful options are available and it’s just a click away from the user. Microsoft word free download for windows 10 

5. Advantages of MS Word

• Simple and Customizable User Interface. 
• Allows Collaboration. 
• Instant Help Availability. 
• Document Flexibility. 
• Feature-Rich Platform. 
• Cross Platform Support

6. 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. 

7. Conclusion 

Microsoft Word is focused on developing better content with better user experience at the same time. 

Each of its components are ready to be used as well as its features are also being updated by the Microsoft development team, so that in future its users don’t face any hurdle to create beautiful and needful content. 

8. FAQs

What are the most used shortcut keys in MS word?

Ans :

Microsoft Word, or MS Word is a popular word-processing program used mainly for creating documents, such as brochures, letters, learning activities, quizzes, tests, and students' homework assignments.

The following short cut keys play important roles while making word document 

• Ctrl + N is used to open a new window

• Ctrl + P is used to open print window

• Ctrl + I is used to italicize the selected content

• Ctrl + U is used to underline the selected content

• Ctrl + Y is used to redo the last action

• Ctrl + Z is used to undo the last action

• Ctrl + S is used to save the file

• Ctrl + W is used to close the document

• F1 is used to open help

• F7 is used to do a spell check

• Alt + Shift + T is used to insert the current time

• Alt + Shift + D is used to insert the current date

Q. What can you do with Microsoft Word Docs?

Ans.:

• Use the traditional options like copy, cut and paste.
• Add headers and footers, and page formatting.
• Use Mail merge for letters, envelopes and labels.
• Access add-ons like dictionaries, mail chimp, and Fax.
• Open and edit PDF files.
• Insert pictures from your hard drive or from the web right from the Microsoft Word Insert Tool Bar.

References 

1. Microsoft Word