- Ruth Kogan
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
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From business proposals to your first novel, some ideas just need to be written down. For decades, the go-to tool for turning those thoughts into a clean, professional document has been Microsoft Word. A Word doc has become so common that the term is practically synonymous with any digital document.
This guide will walk you through what a Word doc is and answer some of the most common questions asked about this type of document.
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What is a Word document?
At its simplest, a Word doc is a digital file created by Microsoft Word, a word processing program. These files typically end with a .doc or .docx extension. Unlike a plain text file, which only contains words, a Word doc can hold a rich variety of content. It allows you to control formatting, which means you can change fonts, adjust text sizes, add colors and structure your content with headings and bullet points.
Beyond text, you can embed images, create tables, build charts and even add hyperlinks to websites. This versatility is why it’s used for so many different tasks:
Business: Writing reports, creating invoices, drafting contracts and sending official letters.
Academics: Composing essays, research papers and dissertations with citations and bibliographies.
Creative: Writing manuscripts, screenplays and resumes.
Personal: Making flyers for a local event, writing a family newsletter, or just taking notes.
Word documents are designed for easy sharing and collaboration. You can track changes from multiple editors, add comments and save the file as a PDF file for universal viewing.
What's the difference between .doc and .docx?
.doc is the file format used by older versions of Microsoft Word (Word 97-2003). .docx is the newer format, introduced with Word 2007. .docx is an open XML-based format, which generally results in smaller file sizes and better recovery of damaged files. For compatibility and modern features, it's always best to save your files as .docx.
Can I open a Word doc without having Microsoft Word?
There are several free alternatives that can open and edit Word documents. Google Docs is a popular web-based option that allows you to upload, edit, and save Word files. Wixel's document creator allows you to write, design and edit documents online. You can chat with an AI agent to draft and refine until your doc is ready to publish or tweak text and visuals directly in the editor with the help of AI-powered suggestions
How can I share a Word doc so no one can edit it?
The best way to do this is to save it as a PDF. In Microsoft Word, go to "File" > "Save As" and in the "Save as type" dropdown menu, choose "PDF." A PDF file preserves your formatting perfectly and can be viewed on almost any device, but its content cannot be easily edited. This makes it ideal for sending final versions of resumes, reports, and invoices.
Wixel's PDF editor makes it easy to edit PDF files in multiple ways.
How do I convert a Word document to a PDF?
Converting a Word document to a PDF is essential for maintaining your formatting when sharing files with others who might not have Word or use different fonts. To do this, you don't need external software. simply go to File > Save As (or Export in newer versions).
In the "Save as type" dropdown menu, select PDF (*.pdf).
Before clicking save, you can often select "Options" to choose whether to include document properties or specific page ranges.
You can also use the Print menu (Ctrl+P) and select "Microsoft Print to PDF" as your printer. This creates a static image of your document that looks exactly like the printed version, so that the layout remains identical across all devices and operating systems.
How can I recover an unsaved Word document if my computer crashes?
Losing work due to a crash is terrifying but fortunately Microsoft Word has a built-in safety net called AutoRecover. If you close a file without saving or if the program crashes, open Word again and go to File > Open > Recent.
Scroll to the very bottom of the list and click on Recover Unsaved Documents.
This will open a folder containing .asd files, which are temporary backups Word created while you were working. Select the file that matches the time of your crash and open it.
To prevent future loss, toggle on the AutoSave feature (usually found in the top left corner) and check File > Options > Save to ensure "Save AutoRecover information every X minutes" is set to a low number, like 5 or 10 minutes.
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