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In this video tutorial I will show you how to automatically have a template you create become your default Microsoft Word new document.

When Microsoft Word starts, it usually has a new document that loads up which is usually a blank page.

Now some people may want to have a customized version of a Microsoft Word new document show up when they create a new page. Now you do have an option to create a new page based on a template in Microsoft Word but that takes extra steps, with this version you just have to click the new page icon or use the shortcut key “CTRL+N” to have your template load automatically!

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Open Microsoft Word.
  2. Create a new document and fill in the information that you want to be in your new document template.
  3. Save the document with the filename “Normal.dot” as a “document template“, this is very important, you can save the Microsoft Word file to your desktop.
  4. You will need to find your Microsoft Word “user templates folder“, go to “tools>options>file locations“; click on user templates and click on the button “modify.“
  5. Now you will need to go to this folder in windows explorer. But first we will close Microsoft Word.
  6. You can backup your existing “Normal.dot” in your Microsoft Word “user templates folder” if you would like, to a different folder, maybe something called “template backups.” Copy the “Normal.dot” you saved to your desktop and paste it to overwrite your current one in your Microsoft Word “user templates folder.“
  7. Now open up Microsoft Word and see if your new document shows the new document template you made.
  8. If you would like to go back to a blank Microsoft Word new document template, restore the one you backed up while Microsoft Word is closed, or you can create a new Microsoft Word document, make the contents empty and follow the above steps 3 – 6.

Please leave feedback if this has helped you, thanks :)

VIDEO TUTORIAL [Please View Fullscreen]

More information:

Top Free Alternatives To Microsoft Word

  1. Open Office
    OpenOffice.org is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose.
  2. AbiWord
    AbiWord is an award winning, small, fast, feature filled and cross platform word processor. Get your copy today to experience the state of the art in word processing.
  3. Google Docs
    Free web-based word processor and spreadsheet, which allow you share and collaborate online.
  4. Zoho
    Zoho offers a suite of online web applications geared towards increasing your productivity and offering easy collaboration. Zoho’s online office tools include a word processor, spreadsheet application, presentation tool, hosted wiki, notebook, CRM and etc.

I currently use AbiWord Portable from this list ;)

Categories:

Microsoft Word, Productivity, Windows

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