Microsoft Word is the industry standard for word processing. As a component of the Microsoft Office productivity package, the software is used daily by more than one billion computer users. That works up to approximately one in seven people on the planet, an astounding statistic unmatched in the technological sector. Here are our top ten time-saving shortcuts, tricks, and hacks for Microsoft Word. That helps you become a master of Microsoft Word. (While the majority of these recommendations work with every Word version, some, like Word 2013, 2016, or 2016 for Mac, are only accessible in later releases.) Please let us know which ones work best for you after trying a few.
Despite the fact that Microsoft Word is often used, not everyone is aware of all of its features. Word has a ton of functions for writing reports, texts, and documents. Additionally, as you become more productive and effective as a result of your everyday activities being simpler, which is the ultimate purpose of all software.
The Best Ways to Master Microsoft Word
1. Use keyboard shortcuts to copy, paste, and cut.
Anyone who is familiar with these keyboard shortcuts will attest to how beneficial they are for speeding up work: Ctrl + C for copying, Ctrl + V for pasting, and Ctrl + X for cutting. You’ll be able to create documents quickly once you’ve mastered these three key steps.
2. Zoom in or out quickly to ease eye strain.
To eliminate the need to scroll up and down or left and right, some people like to work in a Word window that is zoomed in to 150 percent, while others prefer to zoom out to 75 percent. To select the best solution for you, click the Window > Zoom button in any instance. Alternatively, check for the “100%” tab with a slider at the bottom right of the document to quickly zoom in or out.
3. Eliminate single words at a time.
Use Ctrl+Backspace with the cursor behind a word you wish to erase to remove one word at a time, making a laborious operation much simpler than carefully pounding the keyboard to remove text or holding down Backspace to erase words or entire phrases.
4. Use Smart Lookup to do online searches.
In the “Smart Lookup” menu that appears when you right-click a word or phrase, you may quickly explore the web without having to wait for a new browser window to start. With the use of this amazing technology, a straightforward search can provide a wealth of results, including news scans and word meanings.
5. Eliminate any unnecessary formatting.
Trying to make something useful out of a document from another source? To remove formatting from highlighted text and start over with your own style, use Ctrl + Space or click the Clear All Formatting option (in more recent versions, an eraser on an A on the Home tab). This will save you time and effort.
6. Let the software know your intentions.
A helpful “Tell me what you want to accomplish” box may be found at the top of the toolbar in the majority of newer versions of Word. Any instruction can be referenced by a word or phrase, and the program will immediately recognize the command you need.
7. Click many times to select different copy locations.
You can choose portions of copy with your mouse as opposed to the time-consuming drag and highlight method: To highlight a word, click twice on it; to highlight an entire sentence or section, click three times.
8. Insert links into a document quickly.
The keyboard shortcut Ctrl + K for adding internet connections to a document can save you time and soon turn into one of the most useful tools in your toolbox, similar to the copy, paste, and cut commands.
9. Opt for your desired default font instead of Word’s suggestion.
Which do you prefer, Calibri or Cambria? Do you like Verdana’s more contemporary look over Times New Roman or Arial? The ability to change the default font in Microsoft Word is the most useful function; the command varies depending on the version, but the most reliable method is to go to Format > Font, choose the desired options, and then click Default.
10. Quickly and simply locate any word.
In earlier versions of Word, using Ctrl + F would open the window instead of using the mouse, whereas in more recent versions, it would automatically move the cursor to the Search on Document option, which is always there in the toolbar.