Microsoft Word – Basics

The Ribbon

Word employs a tabbed Ribbon system over traditional menus. This Ribbon encompasses various tabs that are found close to the top on Word window.

Every tab has various group of related commands. Some of the examples include, the Font group found in the Home tab, it has commands for formatting text in your document.

Other groups contain a small arrow located in the bottom-right corner that can be clicked on for alternatives to choose from.

Showing and hiding the Ribbon

The ribbon can take up space in the screen therefore you can hide it. This is done through clicking the Ribbon Display Options arrow located in the upper-right corner of the Ribbon, you will then choose from the drop-down menu The command you would like to select.

  • Auto-hide Ribbon:  This option shows the document in full-screen mode and then hides the Ribbon from the view completely. To display the Ribbon, the Expand Ribbon command located at the top of the screen must be clicked.
  • Show Tabs: It hides all unused command groups, but tabs will still be visible. For the Ribbon to display, click a tab.
  • Show Tabs and Commands: The Ribbon is maximized in this option. All the tabs and commands will be showing on the screen. This option is automatic when you open Word for the first time.