2,001 Tips
Applications
Word Processing

Word 7.0

Take a Spike

Save multiple cuts from a document by selecting the text, then pressing Ctrl+F3 to put it on the Spike. Repeat for each item you want to append. Move the cursor to where you want to paste this collection of "cuts" (even in another document) and press Ctrl+Shift+F3 to paste all the cuts and clear the Spike.

Double Duty Draw and Paint

To use a Drawing toolbar button multiple times, double-click on the button. To copy the formatting of selected text multiple times, double-click on the Format Painter button.

Play It Straight

If you don't want to use the "curly" quotes that AutoCorrect inserts, type a single or double quotation mark, then press Ctrl+Z to get straight quotes.

Bump a Button

To remove a button from a toolbar, press Alt and drag the button into the document area. This doesn't delete the button; you can put it back on the toolbar, by using Tools/Customize.

A Place for Paragraphs

Rearrange paragraphs quickly by highlighting the paragraph you want to move and pressing Alt+Shift+Up arrow to paste it above the preceding paragraph, or Alt+Shift+Down arrow to paste it below the next paragraph. You can also hold down the Alt+Shift keys and repeatedly press the arrow key until the paragraph moves to the desired position.

Push-Button Text

Store frequently used phrases as toolbar buttons. Create the phrase you want to save, select Tools/Customize and choose AutoText from the list of categories. Drag the phrase to the toolbar, and name the button or pick an icon from the dialog box. Click on Assign to place the button on the toolbar.

Box a Block of Text

To select a rectangular block of text at any point on a page, press Alt while you drag the cursor.

Get the Blues

If you pine for the blue background of WordPerfect, select Tools/Options, click on the General tab and choose "Blue background, white text."

Open and Shut Case

To close all open documents, hold the Shift key while you select Close.

Budge a Button

To move a button to a different spot on a toolbar, press Alt while dragging the button. To copy a button, press Alt+Ctrl.

Cap Zapper

When AutoCorrect changes a word or abbreviation from all caps into lowercase letters, click on the Undo button or manually correct the characters. Word will automatically add your change to its Exceptions List, and won't make the same correction-or mistake-again.

Border Patrol

To add a line across the entire page, select Tools/Options and click on the AutoFormat tab. Check Borders. When you type a string of dashes or underlines, the keystrokes will be converted to a border across the page. Border lines will resize when the margins change.

Lowdown on Highlighting

Use the Highlighter button to call attention to text. Click on the toolbar icon and your cursor turns into a highlighter pen. Move it over text to be highlighted. Change the highlighter color using the drop-down menu next to the icon.

Little Black Book

Use Word's Address Book tool to insert addresses quickly. Click on the Insert Address button and pick the name to insert. Afterwards, you can access that address from Most Recently Used by clicking on the drop-down menu arrow next to the button.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Store files or folder locations as a Favorite Place by clicking on the button in the File Open dialog. When you want to access one of these files or folders, just click on the Look in Favorites button.

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