Microsoft Word is one of the essential tools for almost anything. Although Microsoft Office has other work software packages like Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, and many more, Microsoft Word remains an essential part of official work. Despite its usefulness, many people still do not know how to do certain basic Microsoft Word features. One of such is creating a copy of the Word document. In this people, you will learn different ways of creating a copy of a word document.
Copy by Creating a Similar Document
This style is very crude/tedious, and you cannot tell which from which, but it also works. It involves copying the entire document and pasting it into a new document. It also includes the name of the document. However, this approach may not work if you want to save the copied document to the original document’s location. To use this approach, kindly follow the following procedures.
- Create a new/blank word document
- Copy all the items in the original document using Ctrl-A.
- Go to the new document and paste the copied information in the new document.
- You can either write the title of the document and add “copy” after its name, or you can as well copy the title, paste it as the copy of the new document and add “copy” after pasting the when you want to save it.
This process is totally manual, tedious and time. Consuming if you ask me. However, you will still be able to create a copy especially as a beginner.
Copy Using File Manager
It is not only through Microsoft Word that you can use to create a copy of a document. You can create a copy using your file manager if you follow these simple steps.
- Identify the name/title of the document you want to copy.
- Go to your file manager to locate that document.
- Select the document and right-click on the document, and you will be presented with a menu.
- Scroll down and click on copy.
- Unselect the document, right-click again, and you will be provided with a shorter menu.
- Please scroll down to the paste option and click on it.
- A prompt message will pop up asking if you want to overwrite, merge or keep both documents.
- Click on the option to keep both documents.
Another way to create a copy is by using shortcut keys (Ctrl C and Ctrl V).
- Go to your file manager and click on the file you want to copy.
- With the file selected, click on Ctrl C.
- After clicking on Ctrl C, stay in the location you want to copy the file to and click on Ctrl V.
- The same popup message will ask if you want to merge, overwrite or keep both documents.
- Select the option of keeping both documents.
The option of either merging, replacing, or keeping both documents will only display if you intend to keep both documents in the same file location. Otherwise, the case will be different. Also, if you store both in the same location, you will easily differentiate both as the copied document will have “copy” attached to its name. For example, if the document’s name is “how to create a copy of Word Doc,” the copy will “how to create a copy of word doc copy.”
Copy Via Saving
This is a bit easy method if you want to create a copy of a Word document. To use this method, use the method, follow the processes below.
- Launch the document you want to create a copy of.
- Click on the main menu on the left, and it will display a drop-down menu.
- Scroll down, select the “save as” option and click on it.
- You will be presented with an option of the name with which to save the new file and the location.
- Select the appropriate location and add “copy” to the end of the name.
- After doing this, click on save and close the window.
The reason for closing the window is so that you can go and launch the copied document anew. If you keep working on the current document, you may get confused about whether you are manipulating the original document or the copy.
Copy by Using a Shortcut
This is the most advanced process if you want to create a word document. It is fast and convenient. It is done using just the Microsoft Word application via a shortcut or the top menu. To create a copy using this process, use the following steps.
- Launch Microsoft Word and open the document you want to copy.
- You can either click on Ctrl O to open the dialog box.
- With the document open, click on the”open” option, and Microsoft Word will provide you with various options.
- Click on “open as a copy” to open a copy of that document in a different window.
- Select the preferred destination where you want to save this copy.
- The copy document will have “copy” after its name, like using your file explorer.
The major difference between this particular method and the other first two methods is the ease you can use to create a copy of the said document.
Creating a copy of a document is essential if you want to make some trial adjustments without tampering with the original document. You can easily delete the copy or use it when you have achieved your aim.
