Words of Wisdom for using Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is the most used document creation tool in business, but formatting Word documents can be frustrating. This guide will help your team save time and create professional looking documents fast. Check out our 7 tips to help you get the most of out Microsoft Word.

1. My Formatting Keeps Changing!

This is the number one culprit behind inconsistent-looking reports and proposals. You paste text, and suddenly your fonts and spacing go haywire.

The Problem:

Word uses Styles (Normal, Heading 1, List Paragraph, etc.) to define how text looks. When you paste text from another source (like a webpage or an email), you often bring hidden formatting along for the ride.

The Fix: Use Word Styles Throughout Your Documents

• When Pasting: Use the Paste Options button (it appears right after you paste). Choose “Keep Text Only” (the little ‘A’ icon). This strips all external formatting.
• Applying Styles: Instead of manually changing the font size or color, select the text and click the appropriate Style (like Heading 1 or Normal) in the Home tab. This ensures consistency across your entire document.

2. My Numbering or Bullet Points Don’t Line Up!

You’re trying to create a neat, multi-level list, but your indents are wrong, and the numbering resets randomly.

The Problem:

Word’s automated list features are powerful but easily confused by manual spacing, tabs, or applying numbering to individual lines instead of the whole group.

The Fix: Use the List Library

• Multi-Level List Tool: Always use the dedicated Multi-level List button (it looks like a stack of numbered lists) in the Home tab. Select the style that matches your needs (e.g., I. A. 1.).
• Fixing Indents for an item: If an indent is wrong, select the list item and use the Increase Indent or Decrease Indent buttons (next to the list buttons). Never use the Spacebar or Tab key to position a bullet point.
• Fixing Indents for all items: You can also adjust the indent for all indexed items and for the related text by selecting all bullets, right click, and select Adjust List Indents.

3. I Can’t Get Text to Line Up!

You want to line up a list of names and phone numbers, but using the Spacebar creates a jagged mess.

The Problem:

The Spacebar and random tab presses don’t provide precise positioning.

The Fix: Master the Tabs Stop

• Turn on the Ruler: Go to the View tab and check the Ruler box.
• Set a Tab Stop: Click the small L-shaped icon on the far left of the ruler until it shows the type of tab you need (usually the left-aligned ‘L’). Then, click the ruler where you want the text to line up.
• Use the Tab Key: Now, when you press the Tab key, the cursor will jump precisely to your defined stop, ensuring clean, column-like alignment.

4.  I Can’t Edit the Header/Footer!

The header/footer area is visible, but clicking it does nothing, and you can’t type in it.

The Problem:

You are in the main body of the document, not the dedicated Header/Footer editing layer.

The Fix: Double-Click

• Enter/Exit: Simply double-click anywhere in the header or footer area (the grey space at the top or bottom margin of the page). This opens the Header & Footer Tools tab.
• To Exit: Double-click anywhere in the main body of the document, or click the Close Header and Footer button in the ribbon.

5.  My Text is Too Spaced Out! (Hidden Line Spacing)

You select your text and set the line spacing to “Single,” but there’s still a huge gap between paragraphs.

The Problem:

Word’s default paragraph style often includes extra space after each paragraph (usually 8pt or 10pt) to improve readability. This is different from line spacing.

The Fix: Adjust Spacing Before/After

• The Quick Fix: Select the text, go to the Home tab, click the Line and Paragraph Spacing icon (looks like up/down arrows next to lines), and choose “Remove Space After Paragraph.”
• The Precise Fix: Right-click the text, select Paragraph…, and in the Spacing section, set both Before and After to 0 pt.

6.  My Pictures Won’t Stay Put!

You drag an image, and it jumps to a completely different location, or you can’t move it at all.

The Problem:

Images in Word are not just free-floating objects; they are tied to a specific paragraph (the anchor). By default, they may be set to “In Line With Text,” treating them like a large character.

The Fix: Text Wrapping

• Change the Layout: Click on the image, then look for the Layout Options icon (a small box next to the image).
• Choose a Wrap Style: Select any option except “In Line With Text,” such as “Square,” “Tight,” or “Through.” This makes the image a true floating object that can be dragged and resized easily without affecting the surrounding text flow as much.

7.  I Can’t Delete a Blank Page!

You have a blank page at the end (or in the middle) that refuses to be deleted with the backspace key.

The Problem:

The page break isn’t a line break; it’s likely a hidden Section Break or Page Break that forces the subsequent content onto a new page.

The Fix: Reveal Formatting Marks

• Show Everything: Go to the Home tab and click the Show/Hide Formatting Marks button (it looks like a paragraph symbol ¶).
• The Fix: Now you can see the hidden text like “Page Break” or “Section Break (Next Page).” Place your cursor before the break marker and hit the Delete key. The blank page will disappear!

By mastering these simple fixes, you’ll spend less time fighting with Word and more time producing professional, consistent documents. For help with Word or more complex network or cybersecurity issues, reach out to our sales team.