How to Use Document Templates in Microsoft Word

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This wikiHow teaches you how to select or create a template in Microsoft Word for Windows and Mac. Templates are pre-formatted documents designed for specific purposes, such as invoices, calendars, or résumés.

Selecting a Template on Windows

Open Microsoft Word. Double-click the Word icon, which resembles a white "W" on a dark-blue background.

• For example, if you wanted to find budget-related templates, you would type "budget" into the search bar.
• You must be connected to the Internet in order to search for templates.

Select a template. Click a template that you want to use. This will open it in a window where you can take a closer look at the template.

Click Create . It's to the right of the template preview. Doing so opens the template in a new Word document.

• You can also edit most templates' formatting (e.g., font, color, and text size) without ruining the template itself.

• You can re-open this document by going to the folder where you saved it and double-clicking it.

Selecting a Template on Mac

• If the Word home page opens, skip to the "search for a template" step.

Click New from Template . You'll find this option near the top of the File drop-down menu. Clicking it opens the template gallery.

• For example, to find invoice-related templates, you might type "invoice" into the search bar.
• You must be connected to the Internet in order to search for templates.

• You can also edit most templates' formatting (e.g., font, color, and text size) without ruining the template itself.

Save your document. Click the File menu item, click Save As, enter a name for your document, and click Save.

Applying a Template to an Existing Document on Windows

• This will only work for recently-opened templates. If you haven't recently opened the template you want to use, open the template and then close it before continuing.

Click the "Manage" drop-down box. This box is at the bottom of the Add-Ins page. A drop-down menu will appear.

Check the "Automatically update document styles" box. You'll find this box below the template's name near the top of the page.

Click OK . It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so will apply your template's formatting to the document.

Save your document. Click File in the upper-left side of the page, click Save As, double-click a save location, enter your document's name, and click Save.

Applying a Template to an Existing Document on Mac

• This will only work for recently-opened templates. If you haven't recently opened the template you want to use, open the template and then close it before continuing.

• If you don't see Tools, click your Microsoft Word window to make it appear.

Click Templates & Add-Ins… . It's an option near the bottom of the drop-down menu. Doing so opens a window.

Save your document. Click the File menu item, click Save As, enter a name for your document, and click Save.

Creating a Template on Windows

• If you want to create a template from an existing document, double-click the document itself and skip to the "edit your document" step.

• If you're creating a template from an existing document, you might not need to edit anything.

Select a save location. Double-click a save folder or location here to set it as the template's storage spot.

Click the "Save as type" drop-down box. It's below the file name text box. A drop-down menu will appear.

• You can also click Word Macro-Enabled Template here if you put macros in your document.

• You'll be able to apply the template to other documents if you want to.

Creating a Template on Mac

• If you want to create a template from an existing document, double-click the document itself and skip to the "edit your document" step.

• If there isn't a home page, click the File tab and then click New from Template first.

• If you're creating a template from an existing document, you might not need to edit anything.

Click the "File Format" drop-down box. It's near the bottom of the window. A drop-down menu will appear.

• You can also select Microsoft Word Macro-Enabled template if you put macros in your document.

• You'll be able to apply the template to other documents if you want to.

Community Q&A

You can open HTML window in editor and you can place your code there. It will work if your editor has an edit HTML option.

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Prepare your template and save it as .oft (Outlook template). Next time you need it, go to the Home tab and select New Items / More Items / Choose Form / Look in: User Templates in File System and select your template.

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Draw them using the line tool in the box. On updated computers, go to insert>illustrations>shapes. On non-updated computers, go to insert>shape. You can also underline text by highlighting it, then going to home>underline text.

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