Get More Done: 9 Time-Saving Microsoft Word Hacks

Struggling with disorganized files, inconsistent formatting, and time-consuming edits in your Word documents can overwhelm you and hinder your productivity. Do you want to work smarter and faster in Microsoft Word? Word is a powerful tool with tons of features, but it also has tricks and shortcuts that will help you be more efficient with the tasks you do every day.

To get even more done, choose Microsoft 365. This cloud service is the ultimate solution for efficient document management, tailored specifically for small business owners in Harrisburg, Lancaster, and York, PA. Microsoft 365 offers a suite of tools designed to streamline your workflow, ensuring consistent document creation, easy collaboration, and seamless integration across devices.

Keep reading to learn nine Microsoft Word tips and tricks for faster document creation. Interested in Microsoft 365? Schedule your consultation with us today! By harnessing the power of Microsoft 365, you can alleviate common word-processing headaches and focus on what truly matters: growing your business and serving your customers.

Word Hack #1 – Start Typing Anywhere

When you’re staring at a blank Word document, you often start typing at the top. But if it’s a cover page, you may want to start further down the page. Rather than pressing Enter a bunch of times, double-click on the line where you want to start. Word will automatically add extra spaces.

Word Hack #2 – Quickly Bold, Italicize and Underline

Among the most frequently used formatting tools in Word are bolditalic, and underline. While Word makes these buttons easy to find on your Home tab, you’ll still save an enormous amount of time by learning keyboard shortcuts using the Ctrl key. Press the shortcut keys once to turn on the effect and a second time to go back to normal text. Note that these shortcuts can differ if you are on a Mac computer.

  • Bold: Ctrl + B
  • Italics: Ctrl + I
  • Underline: Ctrl + U

It is also helpful to learn other keyboard shortcuts as part of your Microsoft Word hacks list. Mastering these shortcuts can dramatically improve your efficiency.

  • Save your document: Ctrl + S
  • Undo your last action: Ctrl + Z
  • Select all: Ctrl + A
  • Select text gradually: Shift + Arrow keys
  • Move the cursor to the beginning of the document: Ctrl + Home
  • Move the cursor to the end of the document: Ctrl + End

Word Hack #3 – Change Paragraph Alignment and Spacing

Along the same lines, you can use the buttons in your ribbon to change paragraph alignment and spacing, but if you know the shortcuts, you won’t have to interrupt your typing.

Paragraph Alignment Shortcuts

  • Left align: Ctrl + L
  • Center: Ctrl + E
  • Right align: Ctrl + R

Paragraph Spacing Shortcuts

  • Single Space: Ctrl + 1
  • Double Space: Ctrl + 2
  • 1.5x Spacing: Ctrl + 5

You can also add a line break (rather than a full paragraph break) by pressing Shift + Enter.

Word Hack #4 – Remove Extra Spaces and Paragraphs

Back when “word processing” meant typewriters, people often put two spaces after periods and two returns after every paragraph to improve readability. While modern computers and word processors have made this practice obsolete, the old habit hasn’t died yet.

If you want to remove those pesky extra spaces, bring up the Find/Replace tool by pressing Ctrl + H. In the Find box, type a period (.) followed by two spaces, and next to Replace, type a period (.) followed by one space. Then click Replace All.

To eliminate double paragraphs, use the Find/Replace tool to find ^p^p (these are the symbols for a paragraph break) and replace it with ^p.

find replace paragraphs

Word Hack #5 – Quickly Create a Bulleted List

Our next Microsoft Word hack helps you with those pesky bullet lists. Need a quick bulleted list but don’t want to interrupt your train of thought? Save time and hassle by using a simple keyboard shortcut instead of the button in the ribbon.

Just type an asterisk (*) and then the space bar. Your first bullet will automatically appear so you can begin your list. You can continue adding bullets by pressing Enter. When you want to stop your list, just press the Enter key twice to return to standard formatting. If you prefer dashes as bullets, the same trick works with the dash (-) button.

Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + L, which will also start a bulleted list.

Word Hack #6 – Change Case Instantly

Have you ever seen a document in ALL CAPS that felt like it was shouting at you the whole time? Rather than retyping everything, just highlight the text you want to change and press Shift + F3. Each time you press Shift + F3, your text will toggle through UPPERCASE, lowercase, Sentence case, and Title Case options.

Word Hack #7 – Clear Formatting

Controlling formatting when you copy and paste text from a website or other document can be one of the most frustrating tasks in Word. Try this Microsoft Word tip instead.

When you paste, a handy Paste Options button will appear that will allow you to keep the formatting of the text you’re copying, merge it with the destination document, or discard all formatting and keep the text.

Paste Options

But what if you’ve already copied multiple things into your document and you forgot to change the formatting? Simply highlight the text you want to change and press CTRL + Space bar. This step restores the default font size and style settings for that section to match the rest of your document.

Before

Clearing the formatting

After

clear formatting

Word Hack #8 – Modify Styles in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word’s built-in styles make it easy to format your document with a single click. But did you know that you can make changes to the built-in styles or even create your own?

Here’s how:

Change Built-In Styles

Select the style you want to change and then right-click on the style to get the context menu. Choose Modify from the menu.

You’ll get a screen like the one below where you can change just about any aspect of the style, including the font, color, spacing, number formatting, and more. If you want your changes to carry over across documents, select the radio button to apply to New documents based on this template.


Alternatively, if you have text in your document that looks just how you want it, you can update your styles to match. Just highlight the text, right-click on the style you want to modify, and click Update <Style> to Match Selection.

Create Your Own Styles

If you’re constantly changing Word’s default styles, consider creating your own custom style.

To do this, simply select the text from which you’d like to base the new style, right-click the selected text, and choose Styles –> Create a Style from the formatting menu. Give your new style a name and click OK. The new style will appear in the list of other quick styles in your Home tab.

Word Hack #9 – Expand Your Cut & Paste Options with the Spike

Everyone knows that the cut-and-paste feature is helpful for moving text from one place to another. However, one of Word’s lesser-known functions is the Spike, which is a storage place for multiple text snippets that can be pasted just once or multiple times throughout your document. This feature is helpful for moving separate blocks of text in rapid succession.

Here’s how it works. Instead of cutting and pasting the text you want to move, highlight the text and press Ctrl + F3. This action cuts the selected text and saves it in the Spike. You can repeat this action multiple times until you have captured all the text you want to move. Each time you press Ctrl + F3, a new entry will be added to the Spike.

Now it’s time to’ empty’ the Spike onto the page. To do that, move your cursor where you want the saved text to appear. Then press Ctrl + Shift + F3. All of the individual text snippets you just saved will be pasted into the document. This method only works once.

If you want to use the contents of the Spike multiple times, instead of pressing Ctrl + Shift + F3 to paste, type the Word spike and then press F3. The contents of the Spike will appear, and you can do this as many times as you want throughout the document. Newer versions of Word will even detect when you write the Word spike and automatically insert your copied text if you press Enter. If you’d like to see the contents of the Spike, go to the Insert tab and click the Quick Parts button. Then, choose Building Blocks Organizer. Finally, select the Spike from the left side to display its contents on the right. You can also click the Insert button to insert the contents of the Spike into your document right from this screen.

Easily Share Your Word Documents with Microsoft 365

Now that you know nine Microsoft Word hacks, you should also learn about the difference Microsoft 365 can make for your business. Sharing Word documents seamlessly is one of the standout features of Microsoft 365. With cloud-based integration, you can save your documents directly to OneDrive, allowing easy access and sharing with colleagues.

Simply click the Share button in the top-right corner of your Word window to send a document link via email, ensuring recipients consistently access the latest version. The platform also supports real-time collaboration, where multiple users can edit a document simultaneously, enhancing team productivity and reducing back-and-forth email chains.

To tailor access, use the drop-down arrows in sharing settings to allow editing or limit the document to view-only. For those needing rigorous control of sensitive data, utilize the Protect Your Document feature to set specific permissions and restrictions. This interconnected approach keeps your workflow smooth and efficient, making it easier to collaborate and share ideas with your team, no matter where they are.

What Are the Benefits of Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 offers numerous benefits that cater to the needs of small business owners. Its suite of tools ensures efficient document management, enhancing productivity and collaboration. You can enjoy these benefits:

  • Work from anywhere: One of the primary advantages is its cloud-based nature, allowing access to files from any device anywhere and ensuring your business operations are never interrupted.
  • Full Microsoft Office suite: The integration with Microsoft Office applications like Word and Excel provides a familiar interface with powerful features like Smart Lookup and Translate Text to enhance your workflow.
  • Robust security measures: Microsoft 365 includes strong measures to protect your documents and data, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.
  • Access the latest features: Regular updates mean you always have access to the latest features without additional costs.

By adopting Microsoft 365, you streamline your IT resources and focus more on strategic growth, knowing that your technology backbone is both reliable and cutting-edge. This feature makes it an invaluable asset for businesses aiming to optimize efficiency.

Ready to Start Using These Microsoft Word Hacks?

Implementing these Microsoft Word hacks can revolutionize how you manage documents, enhancing productivity and efficiency. Start by integrating keyboard shortcuts into your daily routine, making document editing swift and seamless.

Protect your documents using built-in security settings, ensuring your business information remains secure. Sharing capabilities in Microsoft 365 allows you to collaborate effortlessly, keeping you and your team synchronized regardless of location. As you incorporate these tips, you’ll find that document management becomes less of a chore and more of a streamlined process, giving you more time to concentrate on your business goals.

Suppose you’re unsure where to begin or need guidance, consider scheduling a consultation. You can explore how these tools can be tailored to your specific needs, empowering your business to achieve greater efficiency and growth.

Looking for other Microsoft Office hacks? Check out our other posts: