How to Change Microsoft Word Options

By eHow Computers Editor

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Changing the options in Microsoft Word makes your workspace individualized to your preferences. Many users just go with the default settings; but changing the way a document prints or saves, even the way it appears on the page, is an improvement and should be considered comparable to adjusting the seat position when you get in a car to drive. Read on to learn more.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Computer
Microsoft Word

Step1

Select "Options" in the sub-menu under "Tools" on the top menu bar. A pop-up menu will appear with various labeled tabs.

Step2

Press the "View" tab to change the default way documents appear as you work. A major suggestion is to mark the box for "Text Boundaries," found under the "Print and Web Layout Options." This option places a dotted line around the area in your document where text will be placed, with margins outside the dotted lines. Text boundaries make it easier to see the overall layout of your document and clearly show when you're reaching the end of a line or page. Once you've used it, you'll wonder why everyone else doesn't.

Step3

Adjust the number of recent documents that will be displayed in the recently used file list under the "General" tab. While this seems like a random thing to change, it actually saves you time if you switch between several documents or open certain documents frequently.

Step4

Make changes in the "Editing" area, as needed. Most default options are adequate, although uncheck the box for "Show Paste Button Options" if it annoys you to have the pop-up window appear every time you paste something.

Step5

Change any saving and printing options that strike your fancy. Do make sure the box is checked for background printing, which enables you to continue to edit documents as they print. Also, adjust the frequency of the "Auto-Recover" feature if your work is critical. Auto-recover will save a copy of the document you are currently editing and restore to that copy if Microsoft Word locks up or encounters an error.

Step6

Secure your documents with encryption under the "Security" tab and modify options in the "Track changes" tab. These modifications will keep your document protected from unauthorized alterations by other users. Don't forget to change the "User Information" tab to take credit for your work. User information will show up under the documents property tab and when viewed in Windows Explorer.

Tips & Warnings

It's also fun to select the "Blue Background, White Text" option in the "General" tab, although you may find it hard to edit documents using this look.