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Step 1
Access File commands. Open Word 2007 and create a new document. Click on the "Office Button," the circular icon with the Office logo. Select "New" then "Blank Document." Notice that all file commands, both new options and those that were once in the "File" menu, are now located underneath the Office Button.
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Step 2
Familiarize yourself with the Ribbon structure. The Ribbon is broken into groups, each pertaining to a particular task. For example, most text formatting commands are in the "Home" group, while tasks associated with mailings are in the "Mailings" group. Under each group, you will find graphical and textual links that may change according to the task you are performing, as well as applying previews of what a given link will accomplish. The Ribbon is intended to help alleviate the problem of searching through numerous menu layers to find certain capabilities.
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Step 3
Experiment with a Ribbon group. Click the "Home" tab and notice that most of the common formatting and text manipulation tools are immediately at hand. This includes Styles, which in previous versions of Word were not individually accessible. Select some text, and then hover your mouse pointer over a style. Notice how the text changes to preview how the style will make the text appear on the page.
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Step 4
Minimize the Ribbon. One disadvantage of the Ribbon is that it can use significant screen real estate. To minimize the Ribbon, right-click on the clear space above the Ribbon and select "Minimize the Ribbon." To return the Ribbon to its normal size, right-click on the clear area and deselect "Minimize the Ribbon." While minimized, the Ribbon sections will only appear when you click on one of the section headers. A shortcut to minimize or restore the Ribbon is "ctrl+F1."
