Microsoft Word 2007 is built around the Ribbon, a strip of tabs across the top of the window, and the round Microsoft Office Button in the top-left corner. You create, open, save and print documents from the Office Button, and you find almost everything else (fonts, pictures, margins, spell check) on the Ribbon tabs. Save your work as a .docx file unless you need to share it with someone using Word 2003 or earlier.
Before you rely on it, know this: Microsoft ended support for Office 2007, including Word 2007, on October 10, 2017. It still runs, but it no longer gets security updates. This guide shows you how to use Word 2007 confidently, how to keep your files compatible, and what your upgrade options are, including a free one.
Quick Answer
- Open Word 2007 from the Start menu. A blank document is ready for typing.
- Use the Home tab for fonts, bold, alignment, lists and styles.
- Use the Insert tab for pictures, tables, headers, footers and page numbers.
- Use the Page Layout tab for margins, orientation and page size, and the Review tab for spelling and grammar.
- Click the Office Button and choose Save As to save. Pick Word Document (.docx) for everyday use, or Word 97-2003 Document (.doc) for very old versions of Word.
- Click the Office Button and choose Print to print or preview.
- Plan an upgrade: Word 2007 has had no security updates since October 10, 2017.
In This Guide
- Before you start: Word 2007 support status
- A tour of the Word 2007 screen
- Create and open documents
- Type, select and edit text
- Format text and paragraphs
- Add pictures, tables and page layout
- Check spelling and grammar
- Save your work: .docx vs .doc
- Print a document
- Use Word 2007 more safely
- Upgrade options
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Start: Word 2007 Support Status
Word 2007 is part of Microsoft Office 2007. According to Microsoft’s lifecycle page, Office 2007 launched on January 27, 2007, mainstream support ended on October 9, 2012, and extended support ended on October 10, 2017. As of September 2026, that means:
- No security updates. Microsoft no longer fixes newly discovered security problems in Word 2007.
- No technical support. Microsoft no longer offers phone or chat help for Office 2007.
- No downloads. You can’t download Office 2007 from Microsoft anymore, and much of its online help has been retired.
- It still works. Microsoft confirms your Office 2007 apps will continue to function, but warns that using them carries serious security risks.
Microsoft’s own summary is on the End of support for Office 2007 page.
If your computer also runs an older operating system, keep in mind that Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) now run until October 12, 2027. If you still need to set up the old program, see our guide on installing MS Office 2007 on Windows 10, but treat it as a short-term solution.
This guide is for people who already have Word 2007 on a computer (at work, at school, or on an older PC) and need to get things done with it. Most of the skills carry straight over to newer versions, because later versions of Word kept the Ribbon layout that Word 2007 introduced.
A Tour of the Word 2007 Screen
Word 2007 replaced the old menus (File, Edit, View and so on) with the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface, better known as the Ribbon. If you’ve used Word 2003 or earlier, this is the biggest change. Here are the main parts of the screen, from top to bottom.
The Microsoft Office Button
The round button with the Office logo in the top-left corner is the Microsoft Office Button. It replaces the old File menu. Click it to find commands such as New, Open, Save, Save As, Print and Close. At the bottom of this menu you’ll typically see Word Options, where Word’s settings live, and Exit Word.
The Quick Access Toolbar
Next to the Office Button is the Quick Access Toolbar, a small row of icons that stays visible no matter which tab you’re on. By default it includes Undo and Redo, and usually Save. You can add your own favorite commands to it, typically by right-clicking a command on the Ribbon and choosing the option to add it to the Quick Access Toolbar.
The title bar
The bar across the very top shows the document’s name. New, unsaved documents are called “Document1”, “Document2” and so on. If you open an older .doc file, you may see [Compatibility Mode] after the name (more on that in the saving section).
The Ribbon, tabs and groups
The Ribbon is organized into tabs. Each tab is divided into groups of related commands, with the group name shown at the bottom. For example, the Home tab has a Font group and a Paragraph group. The main tabs are:
| Tab | What you’ll use it for |
|---|---|
| Home | Cut, copy and paste; font, size and color; bold, italic and underline; alignment, bullets and numbering; styles; find and replace |
| Insert | Page breaks, tables, pictures, clip art, shapes, headers, footers, page numbers and text boxes |
| Page Layout | Margins, orientation (portrait or landscape), page size, columns and paragraph spacing |
| References | Table of contents, footnotes, citations and captions |
| Mailings | Envelopes, labels and mail merge |
| Review | Spelling and grammar, word count, comments and Track Changes |
| View | Document views (such as Print Layout and Draft), the ruler, zoom and window options |
Two more things to watch for. Some groups have a tiny arrow in the bottom-right corner, called a dialog box launcher, which opens the full set of options for that group. And some tabs only appear when you need them. For example, when you click a picture or table, an extra tab with tools for it appears on the Ribbon; these are called contextual tabs.
If the Ribbon takes up too much room, you can usually double-click the active tab name to minimize it, and double-click again to bring it back.
The ruler and status bar
The ruler above the page shows margins and indents; if you don’t see it, turn it on from the View tab. The status bar along the bottom shows the page number and word count, and on the right it has buttons to switch views and a zoom slider.
Create and Open Documents
Create a new document
- Open Word 2007 from the Start menu. Expected result: a blank document opens, ready for typing.
- To start another document, click the Office Button and choose New.
- Choose Blank document and click Create, or pick one of the installed templates. A template is a ready-made document design, such as a letter or resume, that you fill in.
Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+N creates a new blank document.
Open an existing document
- Click the Office Button and choose Open (or press Ctrl+O).
- Browse to the folder that holds your file, select it and click Open.
The right side of the Office Button menu also lists Recent Documents, which is often the fastest way back to a file you used recently.
Type, Select and Edit Text
Click where you want to type and start typing. The blinking vertical line, called the insertion point or cursor, shows where your text will appear. Word wraps text to the next line automatically, so press Enter only when you want to start a new paragraph.
Select text
- Drag across text with the mouse to select it.
- Double-click a word to select that word.
- Triple-click inside a paragraph to select the whole paragraph.
- Press Ctrl+A to select the entire document.
When you select text, a faded mini toolbar with common formatting buttons may appear next to it. Move your mouse toward it to use it, or away from it to make it disappear.
Cut, copy and paste
- Select the text.
- On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Cut (Ctrl+X) to move it or Copy (Ctrl+C) to duplicate it.
- Click where you want the text to go and click Paste (Ctrl+V).
Undo and redo
Made a mistake? Click Undo on the Quick Access Toolbar or press Ctrl+Z. To bring back something you undid, click Redo or press Ctrl+Y.
Find and replace
On the Home tab, the Editing group (at the far right) has Find and Replace. Use Replace to change a word everywhere at once, for example a misspelled name. Keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+F for Find and Ctrl+H for Replace.
Format Text and Paragraphs
Change the font
- Select the text you want to change.
- On the Home tab, in the Font group, choose a font from the font box and a size from the size box.
- Click B for bold (Ctrl+B), I for italic (Ctrl+I) or U for underline (Ctrl+U).
- Use the Font Color button (the letter A with a colored bar) to change the color.
As you point at a font or style in a list, Word 2007 previews the change on your selected text before you click. This Live Preview makes it easy to try options without committing.
Align and space paragraphs
In the Paragraph group on the Home tab, use the alignment buttons to align text left, center, right or justified (even on both sides). The Line spacing button sets single, 1.5 or double spacing. Click the dialog box launcher in the corner of the Paragraph group for precise indent and spacing settings.
Make lists
Click Bullets or Numbering in the Paragraph group, then type your list. Press Enter for each new item, and press Enter twice to end the list.
Use styles for headings
The Styles group on the Home tab offers ready-made formats such as Normal, Heading 1 and Heading 2. Applying heading styles instead of just making text big and bold keeps your formatting consistent and lets Word build a table of contents from the References tab.
Add Pictures, Tables and Page Layout
Insert a picture
- Click where you want the picture.
- On the Insert tab, click Picture.
- Find the image on your computer and click Insert. Expected result: the picture appears, and a picture tools tab appears on the Ribbon while it’s selected.
- Drag the corner handles to resize it without stretching it.
Insert a table
- On the Insert tab, click Table.
- Drag across the grid to choose the number of rows and columns, then click.
- Click in a cell and type. Press Tab to move to the next cell; pressing Tab in the last cell adds a new row.
Headers, footers and page numbers
On the Insert tab, use Header, Footer and Page Number. Pick a design from the list, type your text, then double-click in the main body of the page to return to the document.
Margins, orientation and page breaks
- On the Page Layout tab, click Margins to choose a preset such as Normal or Narrow.
- Click Orientation to switch between Portrait (tall) and Landscape (wide).
- Click Size to change the paper size, for example Letter or Legal.
- To start a new page, press Ctrl+Enter or use Page Break on the Insert tab instead of pressing Enter many times.
Check Spelling and Grammar
By default, Word typically underlines possible spelling mistakes in red and possible grammar problems in green as you type. Right-click an underlined word to see suggestions.
- To check the whole document, click the Review tab and then Spelling & Grammar (or press F7).
- For each item, choose a suggestion and click Change, or click Ignore if the word is correct, such as a name.
- When Word says the check is complete, click OK.
To see how many words you’ve written, look at the status bar at the bottom of the window, or click Word Count on the Review tab for details.
Save Your Work: .docx vs .doc
Word 2007 introduced a new default file format, .docx, based on XML. Microsoft says these Open XML files are compressed and can be up to 75 percent smaller in some cases, and they recover better from damage. The older binary format, .doc, is what Word 97 through Word 2003 used.
Save a document for the first time
- Click the Office Button and choose Save As (or press Ctrl+S on a new document).
- Choose a folder and type a file name.
- In the Save as type list, keep Word Document (*.docx) for everyday use.
- Click Save. Expected result: the new name appears in the title bar.
After that first save, press Ctrl+S or click Save on the Quick Access Toolbar often. Word only saves your latest changes when you tell it to.
Which format should you choose?
| Format | Extension | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Word Document | .docx | Almost always. Opens in Word 2007 and newer, Word for the web, and most other word processors. |
| Word Macro-Enabled Document | .docm | Only if the document contains macros (small automated programs). |
| Word Template | .dotx | When you want a reusable starting design. |
| Word 97-2003 Document | .doc | Only when someone must open the file in Word 2003 or earlier. |
Warning: Microsoft notes that when you save a .docx file as a Word 97-2003 Document, some features and elements may be lost or behave differently. Keep a .docx copy as your master version. Microsoft’s guidance is in Create a document to be used by previous versions of Word, which also mentions a Compatibility Checker that flags features older versions can’t handle.
Compatibility Mode
When you open an old .doc file, Word 2007 may show [Compatibility Mode] in the title bar. This limits new features so the file stays compatible with older versions. If everyone who uses the file has Word 2007 or newer, you can convert it: look for a Convert command on the Office Button menu, or use Save As and choose Word Document (.docx). For details, see how to get out of Compatibility Mode in Word.
Print a Document
- Click the Office Button and point to Print.
- Choose Print Preview first to see how pages will look. Close the preview when you’re done.
- Choose Print (or press Ctrl+P) to open the Print dialog box.
- Select your printer, choose which pages to print and the number of copies, then click OK.
The Quick Print option sends the document straight to your default printer without showing any settings, so only use it when you’re sure the defaults are right. If your printer isn’t listed, the problem is usually in Windows printer setup, not in Word.
Use Word 2007 More Safely
Because Word 2007 no longer receives security fixes, documents are the main risk. A booby-trapped document can take advantage of old, unpatched flaws. You can’t make Word 2007 fully secure, but you can reduce the risk while you plan an upgrade:
- Only open files you trust. Don’t open Word attachments from unknown senders or unexpected downloads in Word 2007.
- Be careful with macros. Macro-enabled files (.docm) can contain code. Word 2007 groups its security settings in the Trust Center, found under Word Options; leave macro settings at a restrictive level and don’t enable content you didn’t expect.
- Keep other software updated. Keep your operating system, antivirus and web browser as current as your computer allows.
- Open unfamiliar files somewhere safer. For documents from outside your organization, consider opening them in an up-to-date app such as Word for the web instead.
- Back up your documents. Keep copies on an external drive or cloud storage in case the old PC fails.
Upgrade Options
Microsoft recommends upgrading to a newer version of Office so you get the latest features, patches and security updates. The good news is that the Ribbon you learned in Word 2007 is still the core of newer Word, and your .docx files open without conversion.
| Option | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Word for the web | Free with a Microsoft account | Basic documents, occasional use, any computer with a modern browser |
| Microsoft 365 subscription | Monthly or yearly fee | Full desktop Word with ongoing feature and security updates |
| Office Home 2024 | One-time purchase | People who prefer to buy once; includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote for one PC or Mac |
Microsoft says the free web apps require only a Microsoft account and include 5 GB of OneDrive storage, but they are web-only, get security updates rather than new features, and come with no technical support. See the difference between a Microsoft 365 subscription and the free web apps. If you’ll often work without internet access, a desktop version is the better fit; our guide to using Word offline explains the options.
Which option should you choose?
- You write a few letters or forms a month: start with free Word for the web.
- You use Word daily, need desktop features or work offline: choose Microsoft 365 or Office Home 2024.
- Your computer is very old: check that it can run a current, supported operating system before you buy new Office software.
Troubleshooting
I can’t find the File menu
Word 2007 doesn’t have one. Click the round Office Button in the top-left corner instead. It holds New, Open, Save, Save As, Print and Word Options.
The Ribbon disappeared
It’s probably minimized. Try double-clicking any tab name, such as Home, to bring it back.
Someone can’t open my file
They may be using Word 2003 or earlier, which can’t open .docx files natively. Use Save As and choose Word 97-2003 Document (.doc) for them, and keep your .docx original.
A document from a newer version looks different
Files made in newer versions of Word may use features Word 2007 doesn’t support, so some formatting can look different or be missing. Ask the sender for a PDF if you only need to read it, or open it in Word for the web.
Word 2007 won’t install or activate on a new PC
Microsoft no longer supports Office 2007 or offers it for download, so help with installation and activation is limited. On a new computer, a current version of Word is the more reliable choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did support for Word 2007 end?
Extended support for Office 2007, including Word 2007, ended on October 10, 2017. Mainstream support had already ended on October 9, 2012.
Is it safe to keep using Word 2007?
It still works, but Microsoft warns it carries serious security risks because it no longer receives security updates. Limit it to trusted files and plan an upgrade.
Can Word 2007 open .docx files?
Yes. .docx became Word’s default format with Word 2007, so it opens .docx files natively. Some features added in later versions may not display exactly the same.
Where is Word Options in Word 2007?
Click the Office Button. The Word Options button is typically at the bottom of that menu, next to Exit Word.
Do skills from Word 2007 transfer to newer versions?
Mostly, yes. Newer versions kept the Ribbon and most tab names. The biggest difference is that the Office Button was later replaced by a File tab.
Is there a free alternative from Microsoft?
Yes. Word for the web is free with a Microsoft account. It covers everyday writing and saves files to OneDrive.
Can I still buy Office 2007?
Microsoft no longer offers Office 2007 for download or supports it. Current options are Microsoft 365 or a one-time purchase such as Office Home 2024.
Summary
- Use the Office Button for New, Open, Save, Save As and Print.
- Find formatting on the Home tab, pictures and tables on Insert, margins on Page Layout and spell check on Review.
- Save as .docx by default; use Word 97-2003 Document (.doc) only for people on very old versions.
- Preview before printing, and save often with Ctrl+S.
- Word 2007 lost support on October 10, 2017, so open only trusted files and plan an upgrade.
Next step: sign in to Word for the web with a Microsoft account and open one of your .docx files there, so you have a free, supported way to work on your documents while you decide on a full upgrade.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.