Microsoft Word 2021 Step by Step Complete Notes.

By RITESH SIR / July 8, 2024

What is Microsoft Word 2021 |

Microsoft Word 2021 is the most popular word processing computer software used all over the
world. It has been developed by Microsoft Corporation. It is used in banks and all offices to do
the following related work.

Tasks to be performed using this application –

• Business Letters & Agendas

• Bio-Data & CV

• Magazines & E-Books

• Invitation Cards

• Business Reports

• PDF Files

• Labels & Stickers

• Application Forms

• Brochure & Invoices

• Question Papers, etc.

Note: The extension name of a Microsoft Word file is .docx.

How to Open Microsoft Word 2021 on Computer |

Following are the ways to open Microsoft Word on a computer-

1. Click on Start Menu>All Programs>Microsoft Office>Microsoft Word 2021

2. Click on Start Menu>Run>winword

3. Right Click on Desktop>New>Microsoft Office Word Document

You can start Microsoft Word using any of the above methods.

Note – If this software is not installed on your computer, the above methods will not work.
Microsoft Word 2021 Application Window with Component Names

1. Title Bar – This bar is displayed at the top, in which options to close, restore and minimize
the application window with File Name, Search Bar, Account Sign in are available.

2. Tabs – is the area just below the title bar where 11 tabs are displayed by default; File,
Home, Insert, Draw, Design, Layout, Reference, Mailing, Review, View and Help. These tabs have
various options to create and manage documents.

3. Ribbon – The area below the tab that is displayed as a bar. In this, the tools related to
the selected tab are displayed. All these tools are organized in groups according to the
task. The ribbon can be hidden/unhide by pressing CTRL + F1.

4. Quick Access Toolbar – This toolbar is displayed above the ribbon. This toolbar
contains options that are used repeatedly; Such as – Save, Undo, Redo etc. The options of
this toolbar can also be customized according to the user.

5. Ruler – It looks like a scale, which is displayed just above and left of the document page.
It helps set the margins of the page.

6. Page Area – This is the main area where we write the information of the document.

7. Scroll Bars – Scrollbars are displayed on the edges of the page. These are used to
scroll the page up-down, right-left.

8. Status Bar – This bar shows the important information of the current document, such as
– total pages, total words, etc.

9. Layout Buttons – This toolbar converts the page into different layouts such as Normal
Layout, Print Layout, Web Layout, Reading Layout etc. These toolbars are displayed on the
right side of the status bar.

10. Zoom Buttons – This bar is displayed along with the Layout Buttons. By this, the page
can zoom in or zoom out.

Microsoft Word 2021 Tabs and Options

As mentioned above, Microsoft Word 2021 has 11 tabs by default, under which many options are
available. Using these options, we can edit, format, decorate the document, etc. Below we are
telling you in detail about the use of all the tabs and their options of Microsoft Word 2021.

1. File Tab
Microsoft Word File Tab Options : This is the first tab. Following are the various options of this tab
and their uses –

1. New – You can add a blank document through this option, apart from this option, you
can create a new document using many types of readymade templates.
2. Open – To open a secure document in memory, use the Open option from the File menu.
3. Save – The Save option is used in the File Menu to secure the existing document.
4. Save As – Through this option, you can save the document in a new file by converting
it to other formats, such as – pdf, html, txt etc.
5. Print – Use the Print option from the File Menu to print the existing document. You can
also see the preview of the document through this option.
6. Export – Through this option, you can export the existing document to PDF file.
7. Share – Through this option, you can upload the existing document to Microsoft One Drive
and share it with others.
8. Account – This option is used to activate the license of Microsoft Word 2021 and to manage
the update settings.
9. Options – This option is used to manage the entire settings of Microsoft Word 2021.

2. Home Tab
Microsoft Word Home Tab Groups and Options: The Home tab has a number of options for
editing and formatting documents. All these options are divided into different groups , which are
as follows-

2.1 Clipboard Manager

Clipboard Manager is the default feature of Microsoft Office specifically for managing cut or copied
data, it works equally in all applications in Office packages. All the options that come under it
are the following.

1. Cut – Use the Cut option to move the text written in the document from one place to another.
To cut the text, select the text then click on the Cut option. Its shortcut key is Ctrl + C.
2. Copy – To copy the text written in the document, select the text then click on the Copy
option.
3. Paste – Use this option to paste cut or copied text.
 4. Paste Special – Use this option to cut or paste the copied text with additional features,
such as – creating links, pasting as a picture, etc.
5. Format Painter – Use this option to copy the formatting of the text, place the cursor
over the text whose formatting is to be copied, then click on the Format Painter option ,
then select the text on which to apply formatting.

2.2 Font
There are many options available under the Font section to format text, which are as follows –

1. Font – Use the Font option to change the format of the text written in the document.
2. Font Size – Use the Font Size option to increase or decrease the size of the text.
3. Bold – Use the Bold option to make the text thicker.
4. Italic – Use the Italic option to skew the text.
5. Underline – Use the Underline option to draw a line below the text.
6. Superscript – Through this option, you can write text in superscript mode. Ex – X2 is
written here in 2 superscript form.
7. Subscript – Through this option, you can write text in subscript mode. Ex – X2 is written
here in 2 subscript form.
8. Change Case – Use the Change Case option to convert text to capital case, small case,
sentence case, etc.
9. Font Color – Use the Font Color option to write colored text.
10. Highlight Color – Use this option to highlight the selected text.
2.3 Paragraph
To align text, line or a paragraph , the following options are available under the Paragraph section –

11. Right – Use the right option to write the text from the right side of the page.
12. Left – Use the left option to write the text from the left side of the page –
13. Center – Use the Center option to write the text in the middle of the page.
14. Justify – Through this option, the text written in the document is set equally from the
right and left margin.
15. Increase/Decrease Indent – Use these options to move a paragraph right or left.
For this, place the cursor on the paragraph and click on the option.
 1. Line Height – Use this option to adjust the gap or space between the lines in the
written text.
2. Bullets – Use the Bullets option to create an un-order list of information. As–
1. MS Word

2. MS Excel

3. MS PowerPoint

4. Numbering – Use the numbering option to create an order list of information. As–
1. MS Word

2. MS Excel

3. MS PowerPoint

2.4 Styles
Text can be written by changing them to different formats (styles) through styles. Some readymade
styles are also available here, apart from these, favorite styles can also be created.

2.5 Editing
1. Find – Use the Find option to find a word or information in the document. Its shortcut key
is Ctrl + F.
2. Replace – Use the Replace option to replace a word or information in the text written in the
document with any other information. Its shortcut key is Ctrl + H.
3. Select – This option is used to select the text, shapes or any other object of the
document.
2.6 Add-ins
Many new features can be added for Microsoft Word 2021 through this option. Such as – Emojis,
Keyboards, Math Type, GPT for Excel Word etc. These features further enhance the functionality of
Microsoft Word 2021.

3. Insert Tab
Microsoft Word Insert Tab Groups and Options: The Insert tab has many options for adding
pages, tables, media, shapes, links, symbols, etc. to the document. All these options are divided
into different groups which are as follows-
3.1 Pages
1. Pages – Use this option to add a blank page to the document.
2. Cover Pages – Use the Cover Page option to create a cover page for the document. It has
a collection of many readymade cover pages. The cover page is the front page of the
document, in which information related to the document is written.
3.2 Tables
3. Insert Table – Through this option, you can add a table made of row and column to
the document, so that any type of information can be written in rows and columns.
4. Draw Table – Through this option, you can draw the table using the pencil, you can
create the desired table using the pencil.
3.3 Illustrations
Under this section, different types of objects can be added to the document. The following
options can be used under the Illustrations section to present the data in graphical form.

5. Pictures – Use this option to add pictures to the document through online or offline
medium.
6. Icons – To add different types of icons to the document, the Icons option is used, for
this it is necessary to have an internet connection.
7. Shapes – Use the Shapes option to add different types of shapes like – circle, box, triangle,
line, arrow, flow chart etc. to the document.
8. 3D Models – Through this option, you can add different types of 3D artistic designs to
the document online. These designing models can be rotated 360 degrees. There are 3D
models related to each department that can be used to explain a topic with a graphic .
1. Smart Art – Smart art is a graphical object, using them, any information such as text,
picture, etc. can be displayed simultaneously in list, process, cycle, hierarchy, pyramid etc.
formats.
2. Charts – A chart is also a graphical object, using charts can graphically display the
information written in rows and columns. For example, the annual sales report of a
company recorded in a sheet can be presented with the help of a chart.
3. Screenshot – Through this option, the document can add a screenshot of any part of
the computer screen.

Object Controlling Options in Format Tab

 1. Styles – Through this, you can change the style of the object and change an object like
shape, picture etc. to different formats.

2. Fill Color – If there is an object shape, you can fill it with color.

3. Outlines – Through this option, you can manage the outline color and thickness of the
shape or object.

4. Effects – Can apply effects to the object in a variety of ways, such as – drop shadow,
reflection, glow etc.

5. Positions – You can set the position at which position in the page the object is to be set,
such as – Top, Bottom, Center, Right, Left, Middle.

6. Text Wrap – Use the Text Wrap option to fit the text written in the document with the
object, you can set an object as In Line, Tight, Square, Behind Text, Infront of Text etc.

7. Arrange – If more than one object has been added to the document, and any of those
objects have to be placed above or below an object, then under the Arrange section, you
can do it through Send to Back/Bring to Front option.

8. Align – Use this option to align multiple objects together vertically or horizontally.

9. Group – Use the Group option to create an object by grouping multiple objects together,
use the Ungroup option to reassemble the grouped object.

10. Rotate – Use the Rotate option to rotate a picture, shape or object to 90, 180, 360
degrees.

11. Size – You can adjust the height and width of the object by this.

3.4 Media
Under the Media section, you can add links to online videos such as YouTube Videos that can
be played in Microsoft Word 2021 itself.

3.5 Links
The following options can be used to link to a text in a document.

1. Links – You can put a link to an external page, URL, file, folder, etc. on any text or information
written in the document. To do this, you will select the text, then click on the Links option
and choose the option for which you want to link the information. The shortcut keys for
the link are Ctrl + K.
 2. Bookmarks – If the document has more than one page, then you can create bookmarks
of the main information of the document, so that that information can be reached directly
without scrolling. Select the information whose bookmark you want to create in the
document, then click on the Bookmark option and save it by any name without giving
space. Use the bookmark option to access the created bookmarks.
3. Cross Reference – Through cross reference, you can create cross references for
document information, so that the information of the document can be easily accessed
through a label, for which the information cross reference has been created. Headings
can also be used to create cross references. For this, place the cursor where you want
to create a cross reference and then click on the Insert>Cross Reference option. After this,
select Heading in Reference Type, then select the heading whose cross reference is to be
made and Ok. In this way, a cross reference label will be created for that heading , now
if you click Ctrl+click on the label, you will reach that heading.
3.6 Comments
Comments can be used to write a note on text or information, which can be hidden or shown.

3.7 Header and Footer

4. Header – On every page of the document, the same information or information can be
displayed through the Header option. You can add any text, page number, picture, etc. to
the header. The header is displayed in the top area of the page.
5. Footer – The footer is displayed in the bottom area of the page, its function is also the
same as the header.
6. Page Number – If there is more than one page in the document, you can add a page
number to each page through this option.
3.8 Text
1. Text Box – A text box is an object, it can be placed anywhere in the document. You
can write text in multiple directions in the text box.
Quick Parts – Quick Part is a usage feature of Microsoft Word, through which information can be
protected that is used repeatedly, such as – a name, address etc. To save the information in
Quick Part, select the information and click on the Insert>Text>Quick Part>Save Selection to Quick
Part option, and fill the name, location and other information and OK. There are many options
available inside the Quick Part such as – There are many options available related to a document
within the Document Property such as – Author, Subject, Title, Category, Company, Publish Date etc.
The information can be updated by inserting these fields in the document.
 2. Word Arts – Word Art is decorative text objects, they can be placed anywhere in the
document. A separate format tab opens for selected word art, from where it can also be
customized through various options.
3. Drop Cap – With this option, you can make the first letter of a paragraph bigger, so
that it can be known where the new section is starting.
4. Signature Line – Through this option, you can add a signature line to a document such
as a form, certificate etc. Hold the mouse cursor to add a signature line then click on this
option and fill in the name and title and click on the OK option.
5. Object – Through this option, objects of any other application can be added to the
document, and direct work can also be done on them without closing the file. Such as –
MS Paint, Excel Spreadsheet, Photoshop Document etc.
3.9 Symbols
6. Equation – Through this option, you can create the equation of Math.
7. Symbols – Symbols that are not available in the keyboard can be added to the document
through this option. Under this, thousands of symbols are available according to different
fonts. Such as – Smileys, Characters, Operators, Arrows etc.
4. Draw Tab
Under the Draw tab, there are different types of drawing tools such as color pen, eraser, selection,
scale, etc. to draw an object in the document, with the help of which you can draw the desired
object like – Circle, Tringle, Square or any other shape.

5. Design Tab
Microsoft Word Design Tab Groups and Options: The Design tab includes a wide range of options
for formatting and decorating documents. All these options are as follows-

8. Themes – Using themes can change the overall look and appearance of the document
such as colors, font styles, etc.
9. Page Border – Use the Page Border option to put a border on the page. Under page
borders, there are many stylish page borders available that can be placed around the
page.
10. Page Color – Through this option, you can set the desired color in the background of
the page.
1. Watermarks – Watermarks can set any text or image in the background of the page ,
which is displayed equally on every page. It does not affect the text written in the
document. It is often used to display logos or copyright information.
6. Layout Tab
Microsoft Word Layout tab, Groups and Options: The Layout tab includes options related to
document page settings. All these options are divided into different groups which are as follows-

6.1 Page Setup

A variety of options for setting up the layout of the document are available under the Page
Setup section, which are as follows.

1. Margins – Margin is the area around the page, it can be set by the Margin option. The
more margin you set in the top, left, right, bottom of the page, the text or information will
be written in the page leaving that margin.
2. Orientation – You can change the page to Portrait or Landscape mode through the
orientation option. In portrait mode the page is in height mode, in landscape mode the
page is in width mode.
3. Size – To print the page through this option, the printer can set the size of the page
according to the paper such as – Letter, A4, A3, Legal etc.
4. Columns – Use the Column option to write text in more than one column in the page.
5. Line Numbers – Using this option, you can set serial numbers on the lines or paragraphs
of the document.
6. Hyphenation – When a big word has to be written at the end of a line and the space
is less, then on turning on this option, the long word is written with a dash (-), that is,
the number of letters of the word can be written, the rest will go to the new line.
6.2 Paragraph
Under this section, you can control the spacing of paragraphs. For example, you can set how
much space to give to a paragraph Top, Bottom, Right, Left.

6.3 Arrange
1. Position – You can set a shape or picture automatically in which part of the page ,
through this option.
2. Word Wrap – When you set a shape or picture in the page, you can set how the text
written in that page will break.
3. Bring Forward/Send Backward – Use this option to move a shape or picture above
or below another shape or picture.
 4. Selection Pane – Clicking on this option opens a pane window, in which information
about all the shapes added to the document is displayed. Many different shapes can be
controlled simultaneously by using the selection pane.
5. Align – Use this option to align multiple shapes together vertically or horizontally. For this,
select all the shapes together and click on the given option.
6. Group – Use this option to group or ungroup multiple shapes together.
7. Rotate – Use this option to rotate a shape or picture 90, 180 or 360 degrees.
7. Reference Tab
Microsoft Word Reference Tab Groups and Options: The References tab contains options that
create references to data. All these options are divided into different groups , which are as follows-

7.1 Table of Contents

8. Table of Contents – You can create a table of content based on the headings in the
document. It is a type of list displayed at the beginning of a document that displays which
heading is on which page in the document. To create it, click on Table of Contents and
choose a format.
9. Add Text – Use this option to add some heading-related information to the table list.
10. Update Table – After creating the Table of Content, if more headings are added to the
document, then use this option to bring it to the Table of Contents.
7.2 Footnotes
11. Insert Footnote – Use this option to add information related to the page at the end of
the page.
12. Insert Endnote – Use this option to add information related to the document at the
end of the document.
7.3 Citations & Bibliography
If you are writing a research paper, it is important to give from where you have studied for a
particular statement or from where you have taken any formula, facts or results of previous
research, etc. which you have based.

If you are also writing an article, then you have to put citations below so that it knows what is
the basis of your writing and where it came from. In MS Word, you can also add citation or
bibliography to your document so that it looks even more authentic.

1. Insert Citations – Citations can be inserted through this option. For this, click on this
option and click on Add new Source and fill the given information. Similarly, you can create
 more than one citation. Now select the text with which the citation is to be added and
click on the created citation in the citation list. In this way, the citation will be inserted
inside the bracket (Name, Year) in the last of the text, whose details can be inserted at the
end of the document or anywhere through the Bibliography option.
2. Manage Sources – Under this option, a list of all citations is displayed, whose source
can be edited again. Under Manage Source , Master List and Current List are displayed,
Master List displays a list of Citations that is displayed in all documents and under
Current List only a list of Citations for current documents is displayed.
3. Styles – Here you can choose a style for citations, which displays the added citations in
different formats.
4. Bibliography – This option displays a detailed list of multiple created citations, which can
be added to the document with the help of this option.
8. Mailings Tab
Microsoft Word Mailing Tab Groups and Options: The Mailing tab has various options for sending
letters and letters. All these options are divided into different groups which are as follows-

8.1 Create
1. Envelopes – This option is used when someone has to send a letter. Through this
option, you can print the return address and delivery address on the envelope and can also
choose different sizes for the envelope.
2. Labels – Through the label option, you can create small stickers of the address which
can be pasted on the envelopes. Apart from this, stickers can also be made and pasted
on CD / DVD and any other product etc.
8.2 Start Mail Merge
Email letters can be sent to multiple recipients at the same time through mail merge. Such as
an invitation card, any information, etc. You can add address blocks, greeting lines, etc. for
recipients in the letter, in which different details of different recipients can be merged. Apart from
this, ID Cards, Payment Slips of many employees can also be generated at once using mail merge.

3. Start Mail Merge – Through this option, you can start the mail merge and choose which
type of document to use through the mail merge.
4. Select Recipient – Through this option, the recipient can select the list, or you can
also create a new list to whom the letter has to be sent.
5. Edit Recipient List – Through this option, the selected recipients can edit the list , to
which recipients to send letters or mails and to whom not.
8.3 Write and Insert Fields
6. Highlight Merge Fields – This option highlights all the inserted fields, this helps to
identify the fields inserted in the letter.
7. Address Block – This option adds the address block. Place the cursor wherever the
recipient's address is to be displayed in the letter and click on Address Block.
8. Greeting Line – Through this option, you can add a greeting line for the recipient, such
as – Dear (Name),
9. Insert Merge Field – Through this option, you can insert a field from the recipient list.
Such as – Phone No, Company Name etc. Place the cursor wherever the field is to be
inserted and click on Insert Merge Field.
8.4 Preview Results
This section is used to preview the Mail Merge result. You can see how the format of the email
/ letter will be sent to any recipient through this option.

8.5 Finish & Merge

You can complete the mail merge through this option. Through this, you can send emails directly
to each recipient, or you can open and print all the recipient's letter copies in a new document
or edit the details.

9. Review Tab
Microsoft Word Review Tab Groups and Options: The Review tab includes options related to
checking and verifying documents. All these options are divided into different groups which are
as follows-

9.1 Proofing
1. Spelling and Grammar – Spelling and Grammar option is used to check and correct
the spelling and grammatical mistakes of the text written in the document. This option works
automatically and also presents a possible suggestion for a mistake.
2. Thesaurus – Through this option, you can search many synonyms of a word.
3. Word Count – The total number of letters, words, paragraphs, lines, pages, etc. written in
the document can be seen through the Word Count option.
9.2 Speech
4. Read Aloud – Text can be listened to through this option.
9.3 Language
 5. Translate – Through this link, the selected text or the entire document can be translated
into any language.
6. Language – You can set languages for translation services through this option.
9.4 Comments
7. Comments – Through this option, you can add any other information or comment through
comments on any information written in the document, they can also be hidden, seen and
deleted as needed.
9.5 Tracking
1. Track Changes – You can turn on the Track Changes option to make changes or edits
in the document, and the changes made can be seen from the reviewing pane.
2. Changes – Once edited, the document can be re-verified, so that the changes made
can be accepted or rejected.
9.6 Compare Document
Through this option, any two documents can be compared with each other, and the information
of the document can also be combined in a new document.

9.7 Protect
3. Restrict Editing – Through this option, the document can be protected with a password.
So that no other person can tamper with the document.
10. View Tab
Microsoft Word View Tab Groups and Options: The View tab allows viewing of documents with
various options. All these options are divided into different groups which are as follows-

10.1 Document Layouts

4. Read Mode – This mode is used to read the document like a book.
5. Web layout – This mode is used to display the document as a web page. In this mode,
all pages of the document are converted into a single page.
6. Print Layout – This is the default mode, this mode displays the document page by page
and is used to print.
7. Outline View – In this mode, the heading, subheading, and text of the document can be
seen by show/hide.
10.2 Immersive
 8. Focus – This is an option by which the document can be viewed in focus mode. This
means that apart from the document text, other parts are hidden, and the area becomes
black.
9. Immersive Reader – With this option, there are some options to read the document
that improve the reading experience.
1. Column Width – With this option, you can make the text column wide and thin.

2. Page Color – Through this option, you can set the page color as desired.

3. Line Focus – Through this option, the part of the text being read remains visible , the
transparent layer comes on the rest of the text.

4. Text Spacing – Through this option, the line of text and word spacing can be read by
increasing.

10.3 Show/Hide
5. Ruler – Check it to show the ruler in the document, the ruler is helpful in managing the
margin.
6. Grid Lines – Check it to show the grid line in the document. Grid lines are helpful in
managing objects.
1. Navigation Pane – Check it to show the navigation pane, with the help of which the
headings and pages in the document can be navigated.
10.4 Zoom
Under the Zoom section, you can zoom the page in different ways. Such as – 100% zoom, page
width zoom, multiple page zoom etc.

10.5 Window

2. New Window – A new window can be inserted through this option.

3. Arrange All – With this option, multiple windows can be arranged vertically or
horizontally.
4. Split – A window can be broken into two parts by this option.
5. View Side by Side – Through this option, their information can be seen by placing two
windows side by side.
6. Switch Window – An active window can be switched with another window by this
option.
10.6 Macros
It is a program that is used to record a task including mouse actions and keystrokes. For
example, the recorded macro data can be any template. The macro feature is most useful for
repeatable work, if we repeat a task from time to time, we can record it using macro and get it
run when needed.

1. Record a Macro – You can record a new macro through this option, keep in mind that
there should be no space in the macro name.

2. Run a Macro – You can run the recorded macro through this option.

11. Help Tab

Under the Help tab, you can get various information related to Microsoft Word 2021.

3. Help & Support

4. Help – You can search for information related to an option by going to the Help option.
5. Contact Support – You can ask about any problem through this option. For example,
if an option of Microsoft Word 2021 is not working, you can do information by typing the
problem.
6. Show Training – Through this option, you can watch many training videos related to
Microsoft Word, and learn how to use Word options.