Get Started with Microsoft Word

This is a full and free computer course for Microsoft Word 2007 and up to the latest versions. It is designed for complete beginners. If you’re unsure whether you’re in the right place, take a look at Section 1.1 below, How to Open Microsoft Word.

We’ll jump right in and open up Microsoft Word. The easiest way to do this is from the Windows search box in the bottom left of your screen if you have Windows 10 or 11. Simply type Microsoft Word into the search area, where it says ‘Type here to search’.

If you have Word 2013 or 2016 and later, you’ll see a screen like the one in the link below:

Most of the time, you’ll want to click on Blank Document. Click on that now and you’ll see Word open. It will then look like the screen in the image below (Word 2010 will be very similar to this one, as well);

For all others, click your left mouse button once on the Start button in the bottom left of your screen. If you have Windows Vista or Windows 7, the round Start button will look like this:

If you have Windows XP the start button looks like this:

On the Start menu that appears, click your left mouse button on the All Programs item. On the All programs menu, look for Microsoft Office. If you have Office 2007 to Office 2016 or later, you’ll see something like this:

If you have an earlier version of Microsoft Word, you’ll see something like this:

If you don’t see Word 2007, Word 2010, Word 2013 or 2016 (or later), then you have an earlier version of the software. Unfortunately, we no longer have a Word course for versions earlier than Word 2007.

If you have Word 2007, you should see a screen something like this one:

In Word 2010 to 2016 or later, you won’t see the round Office button in the top left. Instead, you’ll have an extra item in the top left – the File tab.

The main area, all that white space, is the page you type on, just like a piece of paper. The area above the white space is called the Ribbon. The Ribbon contains all the toolbars (known as Tabs) that you can use to brighten up the plain white text on your page. The Tabs are called: Home, Insert, Page Layout, References, Mailings, Review, and View. (Word 2010 to Word 2016 or later will also have a File tab, which will be the first item.)

Click each of these in turn to see what items are on each tab. When you have finished exploring, click back on the Home tab. The Home tab contains the items you’ll use the most, like font formatting, alignment, cut, copy and paste.

In the next lesson, you’ll discover how to find your way around Microsoft Word.