How to Use Rulers in Microsoft Word

By eHow Computers Editor

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Microsoft Word is the most popular word processor on the market today. While Microsoft Word does not have the full functionality of a page layout program, it does have several simple processes that can help you arrange text on the screen. Through the use of guides and rulers, it's possible to move specific pieces of text and set up rules to automatically arrange future sections.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Display your ruler by selecting "Ruler" in the View menu.
Step2
Look over the main parts of the ruler. The dark areas are parts of the page where you aren't writing, while the light parts are the active area of the document. There are also two triangular stops and a rectangular stop at the beginning of the white section and one triangular stop at the end.
Step3
Block, or highlight, the text you want to change before using the ruler guides. While this isn't always necessary, blocking allows you to confirm what you are and aren't changing.
Step4
Use the left rectangular and right triangular stops to change the margins for the selected area. This sort of change is particularly useful for making block quotes and sidebars in a document.
Step5
Move the upper left stop to change the first line indent of the selected area.
Step6
Slide the bottom left triangle to create a hanging indent, all parts of the paragraph indented but the first line.
Step7
Click once on the ruler to make a tab stop or double-click to bring up the tab box. These stops are special points where the cursor will stop when you press the "Tab" key. If you have a section blocked, the new stop will only work in that area if there is not a blocked section then the tab will be in the entire document.

Tips & Warnings

  • Many of the margin changes described here will change the entire paragraph, even if you only have a portion of it selected.

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eHow Article: How to Use Rulers in Microsoft Word

eHow Computers Editor

eHow Computers Editor

Category: Computers

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