How to Master Microsoft Word Formatting Like a Pro

We have all experienced the nightmare of pasting an image into Word, only for the entire document's layout to explode. Here is how to tame Word and format like a pro.

1. Always Use Styles (Stop Using the Font Toolbar)

Instead of manually bolding and enlarging text for titles, use the Styles Pane. Highlight text and click "Heading 1". This allows you to generate automated Tables of Contents and change the entire document's theme with one click.

2. Use Page Breaks, Not Enter Keys

Don't hold down the Enter key to push text to the next page. When you add a paragraph later, it will ruin your spacing. Press Ctrl + Enter to insert a hard Page Break instead.

3. The Format Painter

Have a perfectly formatted paragraph? Highlight it, click the Format Painter brush icon, and click any other text to instantly copy the exact formatting.