How to Begin Using the New Microsoft Software

Which specific product did you purchase? For example, if you have Microsoft 365 Personal, did you successfully install the Office programs on your PC?

Once installed, you can start Word from the Start menu. You can go to the All Apps view, if you don't see Word directly.

In Word, arrows and other shapes can be inserted from the Insert tab. Click Insert > Shapes and choose what you want to draw in the document.

Specifically regarding borders and shading, if you have used Word in the past, you will find that the interface hasn't change much. In fact, that particular dialog box has remained more or less unchanged since 1997.

Hi @Robin Adams, 

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.  

To assist you more effectively, I need to know which version of Microsoft 365 you are using. Could you please send me a screenshot of your version and product information? 

You can find this by following these steps: 

• Open Word. 
• Go to File > Account. 
• Click on About Word. 

Please kindly help me take a screenshot of the Product Information and Version details. 

In the meantime, based on your request, I've compiled the following information and guides on how to create and edit documents in Word. (based on my version)

Editing Existing Documents 

1. Opening a Document: 

The simplest way is to double-click the file from your computer. Alternatively, you can open Word first, then go to File > Open and browse for the file. 

2. Enabling Editing Mode: 

If you see a yellow banner at the top that says "Read-Only," the file is protected. You may need to: 

• Click "Enable Editing" on the banner. 
• If the file is password-protected, you'll need to enter the password. 
• If you still cannot edit, go to File > Save As and save a new copy to your computer. 

For more information, see: Enable editing in your document - Microsoft Support 

3. Making and Saving Changes: 

Once the document is in editable mode, you can click on the text and start typing, deleting, or formatting. The toolbar on the Home tab provides all the standard formatting options. To save your work, go to File > Save or press Ctrl + S. 

Tip: Using "Track Changes" 

This feature is very useful for collaborative editing. Go to the Review tab and select Track Changes. Any modifications you make will be highlighted, allowing you or others to easily review and accept or reject them later. 

Creating New Word Documents 

For more information, see: Create a document in Word - Microsoft Support   

Adding a Page Border: 

Go to the Design tab and click on Page Borders. From there, you can customize the border's style, color, and thickness.

For more information, see: Add a border to a page - Microsoft Support 

Inserting Arrows and Shapes: 

Go to the Insert tab and select Shapes. Choose your desired shape, then click and drag on the document to draw it. Hold down the Shift key while dragging to create a perfect circle, square, or a straight line. 

Once you've drawn the shape, a new Shape Format tab will appear, allowing you to customize its appearance, including Shape Fill (color), Shape Outline (border), and Shape Effects (shadows). 

For more information, see: Add an arrow - Microsoft Support 

I hope this helps you get started. Please send over that screenshot, and don't hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions. 

Looking forward to your reply!  

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It says Microsoft 365 Copilot

"Microsoft 365 Copilot" is the name of the free dashboard app (not a very clarifying name). It basically provides access to the web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. It is possible to use the app with the full, locally installed Office suite as well.

Unfortunately, the version of Microsoft Word that you are referencing is the one that I previously used (and loved). Unfortunately, the new version of Microsoft Word is extremely different and difficult to use. It does not have a ribbon or the standard menus that are displayed in your screen shots.

Your description indicates that you are using a mobile app or possibly the web version.

Please upload a screen shot of the whole app window so that we can see what you see. Hide any sensitive information, such as e-mail addresses etc.

Thank you for responding and providing detailed information, step by step. Unfortunately, the version of Microsoft Word that you are referencing is the one that I previously used (and loved). Unfortunately, the new version of Microsoft Word is extremely different and difficult to use. It does not have a ribbon or the standard menus that are displayed in your screen shots. There is no "insert menu" at all and no access to shapes, borders or other objects. There isn't even a "save" button. Instead, it saves automatically. I don't even know the name of this new software - I was not present when it was installed.