Create and Use Custom Templates in Word
What
Instructions to create, save, and use templates that are customized to your needs.
Why
If you often open Word to a new document based upon the Normal template and have to modify the
Normal document for the document you are creating, then just a few extra steps after modifying the
Normal document can save you from having to do that modification in the future. You can create
different templates where each template can have its own default settings and/or already included
graphics. Using a custom template you made will create a document based upon that template,
which means the document will have the same default settings that the template has.
How
Step 1 - Create the Template
➢ Open a New document in Word as you normally would do, which will be based upon the
Normal.dotm template.
➢ Modify the document as you would want it to be each time you open a blank document
based upon this custom template.
➢ Your can enter objects (lines, shapes, pictures, text boxes, etc.) and set the default
formatting for these objects; then you can delete the objects after the default settings have
been saved. Pressing the
Set as Default
settings on these objects does not change the
default settings in the Normal.dotm template, but changes the default for this document
(which we will make a different template).
➢ Once you have all the formatting, logos, default settings, etc. and the document is like you
want it to open, proceed to the next Step on how to save your new custom template.
Step 2 - Save the Custom Template
➢
Select File
>
Save As
>
Browse
to open the
Save as
window. It doesn’t matter the location
the Browse window opens to because when you select to save as a template File Explorer
will automatically change the location to where Word (Office) stores your custom
templates....
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Custom Office Templates
Side Tip:
Copy and Paste into the Start menu Search box and press Enter key to open folder
containing your custom templates.
➢ Select a Name for the template and enter that name into the
File name:
box as shown
below. Select a name that will tell you which template it is.