How to Format an Envelope in MS Word

The Microsoft Word envelope function makes it easy to finalize your business and personal correspondence. Once you get the hang of it, it will actually take less time to format and print an envelope than to write it by hand.

Instructions

1. Open Microsoft Word and start a new document.

2. Click "Tools" from the main menu and then "Envelopes and Labels." A new window will appear in the center of the screen. Click the tab that says "Envelopes."

3. Type the mailing address or cut and paste the text in the Delivery Address section from another Word document.

4. Enter the return address when using a nonletterhead envelope (an envelope that does not have a preprinted return address). In the Return Address section, type the sender's address or cut and paste the text from another Word document.

5. Set the envelope size. Microsoft Word uses a standard business letter-sized envelope as the default size. To keep the default size, click the "Print" button, and you are finished. To change the envelope size, click the "Options" button and then select a new envelope size from the drop-down menu before printing.

Tips & Warnings

• Do a test print on a nonletterhead envelope to ensure you have inserted the envelope in the proper position.

• When you have several letters and envelopes to send, use the Microsoft Word mail merge feature to streamline the process. (See "How to Create a Mail Merge in MS Word" under related eHows.)

• To create mailing labels instead of printing the address directly onto the envelope, see "How to Create a Label in MS Word" under related eHows.