Microsoft Word is a common tool for the home and workplace – from using it to create resumes and cover letters, to offer letters, training manuals, recipes, and beyond.

But if you’re not very familiar with Word, it can be a bit intimidating.

In this tutorial, I provide a brief explanation of the basics of Word to help you familiarize yourself with it.

Resources

Toward the bottom of the page, you’ll find a couple helpful resources:

Training Manual: I’ve linked to a 20-page Microsoft Word training manual I created that explains many of the basic functions of Word, with screenshots and helpful tips.

Walkthrough Video: I’ve created a long-form walkthrough video where I explain the different features in a relaxed manner so you can see the different features in action and gain an understanding of how each feature can be used.

Finding Microsoft Word

Your computer may have a shortcut to Microsoft Word on the desktop or on the taskbar along the bottom of your screen, so clicking or double clicking the icon with your left mouse button will open the program.

If you don’t see Word in either of those locations, it can be found by clicking on the Windows start icon (typically on the bottom left on your screen, which will open your programs or apps. You may see the Microsoft Word icon on this menu, but if not you can search for “Word” in the search bar to locate the program.

Opening Microsoft Word

When you open Microsoft Word, you’ll see a variety of options:

  • New: create a new document – either blank or use a free template
  • More templates: browse or search for free templates to use with Word
  • Recent: a list of recent Word documents you’ve created
  • Favorites: any documents you’ve added to your favorites by clicking the star by the file name in the recent section
  • Shared with Me: documents that have been shared with you by another user
  • Search for a file: search for a document you created in Word

Saving Your Document

As a best practice, one of the first things you should do when creating a Word document is save the file. That way, you can be assured that your work won’t be lost if Word closes unexpectedly, or your computer restarts or shuts down.

To save a document:

  • Click File > Save
  • Name the document
  • Select a save location, like your Documents folder
  • Click save

Naming Files

It’s best to name your document using words that will help you locate and understand what it is at a later time. It’s also helpful to include a date in the file name so you know when you created the document, or when it was last updated, if that’s relevant.

Some examples for reference:

  • Marketing Specialist Resume 01-15-2026
  • Marketing Specialist Cover Letter 01-15-2026
  • Mom’s Lasagna Recipe
  • Emergency Contact List (Rev 06-04-2025)
  • Meeting Notes – Ad Specials 03-14-2026
  • Business Cards – Blue Outline 06-2026
  • 2026 Calendar
  • May 2026 Work Schedule

The Home Tab

The Home tab is probably the tab you will use the most, since it includes a variety of text editing options, like bold, italics, font size, copy, paste, and various list options.

The Insert Tab

The Insert tab lets you insert a variety of things, such as tables, charts, images, and more.

The Design Tab

The Design tab provides a variety of design options, letting you control the look and feel of your document.

The Layout Tab

The Layout tab in Word is where you can control the margin size, the paper size, orientation (portrait or landscape), add columns, and more.

The References Tab

The References tab is where you can add a table of contents, and manage footnotes, citations, and bibliographies.

The Mailings Tab

The Mailings tab is where you can set up your document to print envelopes, labels, or perform a mail merge.

Related: How to Create Mailing Labels in Word From an Excel List

The Review Tab

The Review tab is where you can access spell check, track editing changes, and see the word count.

The View Tab

The View tab is where you can change how you view your document.

The Help Tab

The Help tab is where you can access help resources, contact support, provide feedback, and show training (short instructional videos)

The Acrobat Tab

The Acrobat tab is where you can access Adobe Acrobat add-ins, such as the ability to create a PDF, send for review, or perform a mail merge.

Contextual Design & Formatting Tabs

Sometimes when you add something to a document, like a table, image, or smart art, additional tabs will appear with options for changing the design and format of the object or item.

Microsoft Word Basics Training Manual

Want a more detailed reference you can work through at your own pace? I’ve also created a Microsoft Word Basics Training Manual that covers many of Word’s common features in greater detail, with step-by-step instructions, screenshots, and examples throughout.

The approximately 20-page guide is designed to complement this tutorial and guided walkthrough, giving you another resource you can reference while learning or return to later when you need a reminder. Feel free to download the manual for personal use or bookmark the page so you can easily find it when needed.

Note: This manual was created using Microsoft Word and demonstrates a lot of the helpful capabilities found in this tutorial.

View The Basics of Microsoft Word – Training Manual

Video Tutorial

Related

How to Troubleshoot Common Computer Problems

Learn a simple process for troubleshooting common computer problems without randomly trying fixes. This guide explains how to read error messages, check basic issues, narrow down the cause, search effectively, use AI carefully, test solutions one at a time, and recognize when it’s better to ask for help.

What Is a Web Browser? Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox, and More Explained

Learn what a web browser is, how browsers differ from search engines and websites, and how common options like Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox work. This guide also explains tabs, bookmarks, downloads, browser history, private browsing, default browsers, mobile browsers, and other everyday browser basics.

Computer Basics for Work and Everyday Life

Build confidence using a computer with simple, practical tutorials for work and everyday life. Learn essential skills like understanding operating systems, choosing software programs and apps, managing files, using email and the internet, and troubleshooting common problems – all explained in plain language and without assuming prior knowledge.

Stay Updated

There are two easy ways to get notified when new tutorials are published:

Subscribe on YouTube for new video tutorials: @SimpleSoftwareTutorials

or enter your email below to receive new blog posts directly in your inbox: