Vocabulary for Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word vocabulary is the language of document editing, styles, page layout, collaboration and proofreading. Start with DOCX, paragraph, Heading 1, style, page break, section break, Track Changes, comment, Accept Change and AutoSave. These words explain why documents look different, how reviewers work and what really becomes final.

The most important distinction is page break versus section break. A page break starts content on another page; a section break can enable different layout settings such as orientation, headers, columns or numbering. Microsoft documents separate section-break types, including Continuous and Next Page. Another crucial distinction is No Markup versus accepting tracked changes: hiding changes from view does not approve or erase them.

Quick answer: Use real heading styles rather than bolding every heading manually, insert a page break for simple pagination, use a section break when layout needs to differ, and enable Track Changes for formal review. Review each change before accepting or rejecting it. For team editing, save a supported DOCX to OneDrive or SharePoint and understand AutoSave and sharing permissions.

Writing: distinguish document, paragraph, styles and formatting.
Designing pages: learn margins, headers, footers and breaks.
Navigating long work: use Heading 1, Heading 2 and Navigation pane.
Reviewing: separate tracked revisions from comments and approvals.
Collaborating: understand cloud storage, permissions and AutoSave.
Finishing: inspect hidden information, accessibility and PDF output.

This independent glossary is for readers writing letters, proposals, contracts, reports and manuscripts. For related office vocabulary, visit Vocabulary for Microsoft Excel | Formulas, Tables and Spreadsheet Terms Explained.

Why a Word document needs structure, not only attractive formatting

Imagine a 40-page report with twenty headings. If each heading is merely enlarged manually, a reader may find it visually easy to scan but Word’s Navigation pane and generated Table of Contents may not identify the structure. Applying appropriate Heading 1 and Heading 2 styles makes the hierarchy available to relevant tools and assistive technology. Microsoft explicitly says the Navigation pane uses heading styles.

Now imagine the report needs one wide landscape page for a large table. Pressing Enter repeatedly or inserting a simple page break cannot create a separate page orientation without the appropriate section layout. Section breaks allow selected formatting to differ within the same file.

A final complication appears when several people review the report. A comment might ask for a source, while Track Changes marks an actual insertion or deletion. Resolving the comment does not automatically accept the text revision. Showing No Markup may make the page look finished while edits remain pending. A document must be reviewed at the level of meaning, not just appearance.

Word documents, text and page layout

The following 42 terms explain one part of Microsoft Word. Definitions are paired with situations that reveal why the distinction matters.

Microsoft Word — A word-processing application for creating and editing documents. In practice: Use Word to prepare the client letter.
Document — The complete editable file containing text and other supported objects. In practice: Save the document before sharing.
DOCX — A common modern Word document file format based on Office Open XML. In practice: DOCX is generally more suitable for current co-authoring than the old DOC format.
DOC — An older Word document format with compatibility limitations. In practice: A legacy DOC file may not support modern collaboration features.
Template — A reusable starting document containing formatting or placeholders. In practice: Create letters from an approved template.
DOTX — A modern Word template file format without a macro-enabled template extension. In practice: A DOTX template is different from a standard DOCX document.
Ribbon — The grouped command area with tabs such as Home, Insert, Layout and Review. In practice: Open the Review ribbon tab for editing feedback.
Home tab — The ribbon area containing common text, paragraph and style tools. In practice: Change the heading style from Home.
Insert tab — The area for adding tables, pictures, links and other elements. In practice: Insert a table instead of aligning values with spaces.
Layout tab — The area for margins, orientation and other page arrangements. In practice: Change margins through Layout.
Review tab — The area for proofing, comments and revision tools. In practice: Turn on Track Changes from Review.
View tab — The area for controlling document display, navigation and related options. In practice: Open the Navigation pane from View.
Quick Access Toolbar — A configurable collection of frequently used commands in supported desktop Word. In practice: Add useful commands to the Quick Access Toolbar.
Paragraph — A block of text ending with a paragraph mark under Word’s editing model. In practice: Paragraph spacing affects the whole block.
Sentence — A unit of writing whose punctuation and structure convey an idea. In practice: Check sentence clarity before formatting.
Run of text — A contiguous span of characters sharing formatting properties within a paragraph. In practice: A bold phrase may be one formatting run.
Cursor — The insertion position where new text will be entered. In practice: Place the cursor before inserting a table.
Selection — A highlighted portion of content targeted for editing or formatting. In practice: Select only the intended paragraph.
Clipboard — Temporary storage used when copying or cutting content. In practice: Pasted clipboard content may carry formatting.
Cut — Remove selected content and place it on the clipboard. In practice: Use Cut when moving a paragraph.
Copy — Duplicate selected content into the clipboard without removing its source. In practice: Copy the approved address accurately.
Paste — Insert clipboard content at the target position. In practice: Paste the text into the correct field.
Paste Special — A control for choosing how copied content is inserted, where supported. In practice: Use Paste Special to avoid unwanted formatting.
Keep Text Only — A paste choice that discards much source styling under Word’s rules. In practice: Keep Text Only can clean imported email text.
Find — Locate particular words or phrases in a document. In practice: Find the old company name before replacing it.
Replace — Substitute matching text according to selected search and replacement conditions. In practice: Use Replace carefully with names that appear in other contexts.
Word count — A measure of the number of words under Word’s counting conventions. In practice: A word count does not measure writing quality.
Character count — The number of characters under a chosen text-counting rule. In practice: A job application may set a character limit.
Page count — The number of pages in a document’s current layout. In practice: Page count can change when fonts or margins change.
Margins — Space between page edges and the main text area. In practice: Check margins before printing.
Orientation — Portrait or landscape arrangement of the page. In practice: Landscape can suit a wide table.
Page size — The physical dimensions assigned to the document page. In practice: A4 and US Letter have different measurements.
Page break — A control starting following content on a new page without necessarily changing section layout. In practice: Use a page break rather than pressing Enter many times.
Section break — A boundary allowing different layout, columns, headers or numbering in another portion of the document. In practice: Use a section break for a landscape appendix.
Continuous section break — A section boundary permitting some formatting changes without starting a new page. In practice: A continuous break can change column layout midpage.
Next Page section break — A section boundary moving following content to the next page. In practice: Use Next Page when the appendix needs distinct headers.
Header — Repeated content near the top of selected pages under section rules. In practice: Put the project name in the header.
Footer — Repeated content near the bottom of selected pages under section rules. In practice: Place document identifiers in the footer.
Page number — A field displaying a page’s number under selected numbering rules. In practice: Check page numbering after adding sections.
Different First Page — An option giving the first page a distinct header or footer where enabled. In practice: Keep the cover page free of the running header.
Link to Previous — A setting controlling whether section headers or footers share earlier section content. In practice: Turn off Link to Previous when a new section needs its own header.
Print preview — A display showing how pages may appear when printed. In practice: Check print preview before sending to the printer.

Styles, formatting, tables and navigation

The following 45 terms explain one part of Microsoft Word. Definitions are paired with situations that reveal why the distinction matters.

Font — A family of character shapes used to display text. In practice: Choose a readable font for long documents.
Font size — The displayed height of text, usually measured in points. In practice: A very small font can hurt accessibility.
Bold — A heavier visual text weight used for emphasis. In practice: Use bold for key terms, not whole pages.
Italic — A slanted text treatment often used for titles or emphasis. In practice: Avoid relying on italics as the only indicator.
Underline — A line beneath text, sometimes used for emphasis or hyperlinks. In practice: Underlines can be mistaken for web links.
Text highlight — A background colour applied behind selected words. In practice: Highlight instructions needing review.
Font colour — The colour used to display text. In practice: Check contrast before choosing pale lettering.
Style — A named group of text or paragraph formatting rules that can be applied consistently. In practice: Use Heading 1 rather than manually enlarging every chapter title.
Normal style — A standard body-text style used by many Word documents. In practice: Change Normal style to adjust ordinary paragraphs consistently.
Heading 1 — A structural heading style intended for major sections. In practice: Heading 1 helps build the document outline.
Heading 2 — A structural style for subsections beneath Heading 1. In practice: Use Heading 2 for an explanation within a chapter.
Title style — A named format for a document title, not necessarily the same as a structural heading level. In practice: A Title style need not appear as a navigable heading.
Style gallery — An interface presenting available styles for application. In practice: Choose an approved style from the gallery.
Modify Style — A process changing the properties of a style so consistent document text updates accordingly. In practice: Modify Heading 1 instead of formatting twenty headings separately.
Direct formatting — Formatting applied directly to selected characters or paragraphs rather than through a named style. In practice: Direct formatting can make a long document inconsistent.
Clear formatting — Remove selected formatting and return text toward its default or style-defined appearance. In practice: Use Clear Formatting to repair pasted text.
Paragraph alignment — The position of text relative to the page’s horizontal space, such as left or centred. In practice: Left alignment is often easiest for long body text.
Justified text — Text stretched so both left and right edges align under Word’s composition rules. In practice: Justification can create uneven gaps in narrow columns.
Line spacing — Vertical distance between baselines of lines in a paragraph. In practice: Increase line spacing for dense documents.
Paragraph spacing — Space placed before or after a paragraph. In practice: Use paragraph spacing instead of repeated blank lines.
Indentation — Moving text inward relative to the main margin. In practice: First-line indentation is different from margin size.
First-line indent — A setting moving only the first line of a paragraph relative to its other lines. In practice: A first-line indent helps some long-form layouts.
Hanging indent — A setting in which following lines sit inward relative to the first line. In practice: References often use hanging indents.
Tab stop — A predefined alignment position reached by the Tab key within a paragraph. In practice: Use tab stops, not repeated spaces, for simple aligned text.
Bulleted list — A list using symbols rather than sequence numbers. In practice: Use bullets when order is not important.
Numbered list — A list where sequence or hierarchy matters. In practice: Use numbers for instructions that must be followed in order.
Multilevel list — A hierarchy of numbered or bulleted items across levels. In practice: Multilevel lists suit structured legal outlines.
Table — A grid of rows and columns for presenting related information. In practice: Use a table for prices and quantities.
Table header row — The labels identifying column content at the top of a table. In practice: Header rows help readers understand table data.
Merge cells — Combine adjacent table cells into one cell. In practice: Merge only when the table’s meaning remains clear.
Split cells — Divide a table cell into multiple cells under available controls. In practice: Split a cell when separate fields are needed.
Table of Contents — A generated list of sections linked to appropriate heading styles. In practice: Update the table of contents after revising headings.
Navigation pane — An interface for moving among headings, search matches and pages in supported Word versions. In practice: Heading styles make the Navigation pane useful.
Outline view — A document view focused on structure and heading levels on supported desktop versions. In practice: Use Outline view to reorganise chapters.
Page layout view — A display showing the document’s pages and formatting under selected view settings. In practice: Check page layout before final export.
Columns — An arrangement dividing some text into vertical areas within a section. In practice: Two columns may suit a newsletter.
Text box — A movable text container that can behave differently from ordinary document flow. In practice: A text box may not appear in heading navigation.
Picture wrap — A setting determining how text flows around an image. In practice: Check picture wrap so labels remain connected.
Caption — A labelled description for a figure, table or other object, potentially used in references. In practice: Give each chart a meaningful caption.
Footnote — A note placed at the bottom of the page or nearby area, connected to a reference mark. In practice: Use a footnote for a short explanatory qualification.
Endnote — A note collected at the end of a document or section under relevant settings. In practice: Endnotes may suit long research documents.
Cross-reference — A field referring to another part of the document such as a heading or figure. In practice: Use cross-references rather than typing fragile page numbers.
Hyperlink — A clickable reference to another document location or web address. In practice: Check every hyperlink’s destination.
Alt text — A written description of meaningful image content for assistive technologies. In practice: Alt text explains the purpose of a diagram.
Accessibility Checker — A Word tool for finding certain accessibility issues in supported versions. In practice: Run Accessibility Checker before sending the document.

Review, Track Changes and collaboration

The following 37 terms explain one part of Microsoft Word. Definitions are paired with situations that reveal why the distinction matters.

Track Changes — A Word feature recording additions, deletions and selected other revisions for review. In practice: Turn on Track Changes for editorial review.
Tracked insertion — New text marked as an addition by revision tracking. In practice: Check whether the insertion changes a legal obligation.
Tracked deletion — Content marked for removal rather than simply vanishing under revision display. In practice: A deletion is not final until resolved where applicable.
Markup — The visible indicators of document edits, comments or formatting changes. In practice: Markup can make a draft look more crowded.
All Markup — A review display showing tracked changes and comments broadly under available settings. In practice: Use All Markup when checking every editor’s changes.
Simple Markup — A simplified presentation of tracked changes that still preserves underlying review information. In practice: Simple Markup does not necessarily mean edits have been accepted.
No Markup — A view showing the document as if changes were accepted, without actually accepting them. In practice: No Markup is not a secure way to remove hidden edits.
Original view — A display of content before tracked edits under the chosen revision view. In practice: Original view is a comparison display, not automatically a file backup.
Accept Change — Make a selected tracked addition or deletion the accepted document text. In practice: Accept a change only after checking its meaning.
Reject Change — Decline a tracked revision and retain or restore the relevant prior content. In practice: Reject a deletion when the sentence must remain.
Accept All Changes — Approve every tracked revision within the selected scope. In practice: Never Accept All blindly in a contract.
Comment — A note attached to a selection or point in a document for discussion. In practice: Ask a question through a comment without rewriting text.
Reply to comment — A response continuing an existing review conversation. In practice: Reply with the source supporting the correction.
Resolve comment — Mark a discussion as addressed under the comment system without necessarily deleting its history. In practice: Resolve after the author confirms the issue.
Delete comment — Remove a comment from the document according to the application’s controls. In practice: Deleting a comment is not the same as accepting a tracked change.
Reviewing mode — A sharing or editing mode intended for proposed changes rather than unrestricted direct editing under supported settings. In practice: Reviewing mode may limit how you can turn tracking off.
Editor — A person allowed to change document content under the assigned permissions. In practice: An editor should still follow the approval process.
Reviewer — A person assessing content, often through comments or tracked changes. In practice: A reviewer may not have full authoring rights.
Author — The person credited as creating or originating the document under applicable metadata and roles. In practice: Author metadata may not identify every contributor.
Co-authoring — Multiple authorised people editing the same shared document in compatible versions and storage. In practice: Co-authoring is supported in OneDrive or SharePoint workflows.
AutoSave — A feature automatically saving eligible supported documents while editing. In practice: AutoSave on OneDrive may preserve unintended edits quickly.
Manual Save — An explicit action to preserve changes to a file. In practice: A local document may rely on manual saves.
OneDrive — Microsoft’s cloud storage service often used for Word collaboration. In practice: Save the shared DOCX in OneDrive.
SharePoint — A Microsoft collaboration and content-management platform supporting eligible shared documents. In practice: An organisation may keep approved files in SharePoint.
Sharing link — A URL granting access under selected permission settings. In practice: Check a sharing link before sending confidential work.
View permission — An authorisation to read the file without normal editing rights. In practice: Use view access for a final reference.
Edit permission — An authorisation permitting document changes under relevant settings. In practice: Grant edit only when collaboration is intended.
Version History — A record of prior file states available in suitable cloud or storage environments. In practice: Review Version History after an accidental overwrite.
Version conflict — A situation where concurrent changes cannot be merged cleanly and need attention. In practice: Resolve a version conflict before publishing.
Upload Failed — An error indicating edits could not be successfully saved to the cloud location. In practice: Use Save a Copy before discarding work from an upload failure.
Read-only — A state limiting ordinary editing through file attributes, permissions or app controls. In practice: Read-only does not necessarily mean the file is encrypted.
Restrict Editing — A Word feature limiting selected types of edits under supported document settings. In practice: Restrict Editing can help preserve form structure.
Protect Document — A group of Word controls intended to help manage editing or document status. In practice: Protection features vary in strength and purpose.
Mark as Final — A document setting signalling completion and discouraging edits, not secure cryptographic protection. In practice: Mark as Final is not a password barrier.
Document password — A secret used to open or protect documents under applicable settings. In practice: Store passwords securely and do not email them in the same thread.
Comments versus changes — Feedback discussion differs from revisions that alter underlying text. In practice: Resolving a comment does not accept a tracked deletion.
Final approval — An editorial or organisational decision that the reviewed document can be used. In practice: A clean-looking Word display is not proof of formal approval.

Proofing, sharing, printing and document safety

The following 40 terms explain one part of Microsoft Word. Definitions are paired with situations that reveal why the distinction matters.

Spelling checker — A tool identifying some words that may be misspelled. In practice: A spellchecker cannot verify a name or fact.
Grammar checker — Software identifying certain grammatical or style issues. In practice: Grammar suggestions may be unsuitable for technical writing.
Microsoft Editor — Microsoft’s writing-assistance system offered in supported Word and Microsoft products. In practice: Check Editor suggestions for meaning before applying.
Thesaurus — A reference offering words with related meanings rather than exact interchangeable replacements. In practice: A thesaurus suggestion can change the tone.
Language setting — The proofing language selected for a document or passage. In practice: Wrong language settings can flag valid spelling.
Readability — How easily an intended audience can understand writing. In practice: Short paragraphs often aid readability.
Clarity — The degree to which a sentence communicates one intended meaning without ambiguity. In practice: Clear writing defines who must act.
Consistency — Stable use of names, terms, formatting and references across a document. In practice: Keep the same unit spelling in every table.
Proofreading — Checking writing for spelling, grammar, typographical and formatting errors. In practice: Proofread page numbers as well as sentences.
Fact-checking — Checking claims against appropriate evidence rather than only grammar rules. In practice: A grammar checker cannot confirm a legal deadline.
Source citation — A reference connecting a factual assertion to supporting evidence. In practice: Verify that a citation actually supports its claim.
Bibliography — A list of sources cited or consulted under an academic or professional convention. In practice: A bibliography is not proof that every claim was accurately paraphrased.
Reference style — A set of citation and formatting conventions used by a discipline or publisher. In practice: Use the required reference style consistently.
Track Changes cleanup — Accepting or rejecting remaining tracked edits rather than merely hiding markup. In practice: Complete cleanup before external distribution.
Inspect Document — A tool that can identify selected hidden metadata or information in supported Word versions. In practice: Inspect Document before sharing private files.
Document properties — Metadata about a file, which may include author names, dates or other fields. In practice: Check properties when sharing confidential documents.
Hidden text — Text stored with formatting that may hide it from normal display under some conditions. In practice: Hidden text may reappear in another viewing mode.
Tracked metadata — Author or revision details associated with review features and file properties. In practice: Hiding markup does not necessarily remove metadata.
Export to PDF — Create a PDF based on the document’s present content and layout. In practice: Export to PDF when recipients need a stable layout.
PDF — A document format often used for sharing or printing a relatively stable page appearance. In practice: PDF export is not automatically accessible.
Print range — The pages or selection chosen for printing. In practice: Check print range before making fifty copies.
Print scaling — An adjustment to how pages fit a physical sheet or output device. In practice: Scaling can shrink an important diagram.
Paper size — The physical page dimensions selected for printing. In practice: A4 and Letter are not identical.
Printer margins — The nonprinting or restricted edge area of a printer. In practice: Printer margins can clip text near the edge.
Section formatting — Settings that may differ between sections, including orientation or margins. In practice: A landscape appendix needs the right section settings.
Nonprinting characters — Marks showing spaces, tabs, paragraph breaks and other layout structure. In practice: Show formatting marks to diagnose blank pages.
Paragraph mark — A character indicating the end of a paragraph in Word’s layout model. In practice: Extra paragraph marks can produce unwanted space.
Page-break mark — A formatting marker representing an inserted page break. In practice: Remove unintended page breaks when blank pages appear.
Section-break mark — A marker representing a layout boundary whose removal may alter nearby formatting. In practice: Deleting a section break can change headers unexpectedly.
Widow or orphan control — A paragraph setting helping prevent awkward isolated lines at page boundaries. In practice: Review pagination when a paragraph splits badly.
Keep with next — A paragraph setting intended to keep a heading together with following content. In practice: Use Keep with next for headings.
Keep lines together — A paragraph setting intended to prevent a paragraph splitting across pages where possible. In practice: Use Keep lines together for short important notices.
Accessible heading — A heading using real structural styles rather than merely enlarged bold text. In practice: Accessible headings support document navigation.
Screen reader — Assistive software that reads document structure and content through supported information. In practice: Screen readers benefit from semantic heading styles.
Meaningful link text — A descriptive hyperlink label that explains its destination. In practice: Use “Read the policy” rather than “click here.”
Sensitive information — Private material requiring appropriate access and sharing protections. In practice: Remove unnecessary account numbers from external copies.
Version label — A clear indication of which draft or approved edition a document represents. In practice: Name a file Final approved 2026-11 instead of Final final 2.
Approval record — A retained decision identifying who authorised a particular document version. In practice: Formal approval is different from hiding comments.
Backup copy — A separate recoverable record, not just another shortcut to a cloud file. In practice: Keep a backup copy of critical documents.
Compatibility mode — A state for working with older document formats that may limit certain modern functions. In practice: Compatibility mode can explain disabled features.

Five common Word problems decoded

1. All the headings look correct but the Table of Contents is empty

The writer probably relied on direct formatting rather than structural heading styles. Apply Heading 1 and Heading 2 to the appropriate paragraphs, then insert or update the Table of Contents. Microsoft confirms that the Navigation pane recognises the heading structure of document text; headings inside tables or text boxes may have different behaviour. Treat the document as an ordered hierarchy rather than a gallery of enlarged text.

2. A landscape appendix changes every other page

The issue usually involves section boundaries rather than paper size alone. Create the correct section break before and after the appendix, then apply landscape orientation to the intended section. A header or page number may also be linked to the previous section. Check Link to Previous and section numbering instead of repeatedly adding blank pages.

3. A reviewer says their corrections disappeared

First distinguish display mode from actual revision state. No Markup hides the visible indicators but does not necessarily remove them. Review All Markup and inspect accepted, rejected and unresolved changes. If the file is shared online, confirm that edits synced successfully. Microsoft reports that coauthoring failures can create upload conflicts and stale copies.

4. AutoSave updated the approved version by mistake

AutoSave is designed to save eligible OneDrive or SharePoint files while working. This is helpful for collaboration, but it also means an accidental edit to a shared approved file may be preserved quickly. Microsoft’s guidance recommends appropriate read-only or finalised-document precautions and use of Version History for recovery. Prefer an independent copy when a new draft must not change the signed-off original.

5. A confidential draft looks clean but contains hidden review information

Hiding tracked changes or deleting visible comments may not remove every piece of metadata. Check remaining revisions, document properties, hidden text and the actual exported result. On supported desktop Word versions, Inspect Document can identify some hidden information. Follow organisational data-handling policies before sharing externally.

Styles, formatting and structure compared

Bold text versus heading style: visual emphasis does not automatically create a structural heading.
Normal style versus direct formatting: a consistent body-text rule differs from ad hoc edits.
Page break versus section break: pagination differs from layout-boundary control.
Header versus heading: repeated page furniture differs from a document section title.
Table of Contents versus manual list: a generated outline depends on structural headings and can be updated.
Comment versus tracked revision: discussion differs from proposed text changes.
No Markup versus Accept All Changes: hiding edits differs from approving them.
AutoSave versus backup: automatic saving to a working file does not guarantee a separate independently recoverable version.
Read-only versus encryption: discouraging edits differs from preventing unauthorised access.
PDF versus source DOCX: a distribution copy differs from the editable working document.

A practical five-stage Word document workflow

Stage 1 — Establish purpose. Identify reader, document type, required information and approval process. A short memo may not need a Table of Contents, while a long report often benefits from a clear heading hierarchy.

Stage 2 — Create structure. Use Normal for ordinary paragraphs and appropriate Heading styles for sections. Put tables in real table objects where meaningful, not in columns of repeated spaces.

Stage 3 — Control layout. Set paper size, margins and paragraph spacing consistently. Use genuine page and section breaks rather than blank paragraphs. Check page numbers, headers and footers after section edits.

Stage 4 — Review changes deliberately. Keep tracked revisions visible during formal review, check comments, verify claims and obtain the relevant person’s agreement. Do not blindly Accept All in an agreement or policy document.

Stage 5 — Prepare the deliverable. Inspect file metadata, accessibility, final pagination, hyperlinks and references. Export a PDF when stable display is needed, but retain the approved editable source securely.

Practice with Word vocabulary

A heading is manually enlarged but missing from Navigation pane: apply a heading style.
A new page must start with the same layout: page break.
A landscape appendix needs different orientation: section breaks.
A reviewer proposes deleting a sentence: tracked deletion.
A reviewer asks a question without changing text: comment.
The author decides to keep a proposed deletion: reject the deletion.
The author decides a proposed insertion should remain: accept the insertion.
A clean view still contains pending tracked revisions: No Markup does not remove edits.
Three people edit a compatible cloud document: co-authoring.
A wrong change overwrote a shared file: inspect Version History and recovery options.
A chart needs a description for assistive technology: meaningful alt text.
The final file must display consistently across devices: export an appropriate PDF and check it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a page break and a section break?

A page break starts another page. A section break can enable different layout, orientation, headers, columns or numbering in the next section.

What are Word styles?

Named groups of formatting that help maintain consistent appearance and structure. Heading styles are particularly useful for navigation, outlines and accessible documents.

What does Track Changes do?

It records selected insertions, deletions and formatting revisions for review. These edits remain until they are resolved under the appropriate review action.

Does choosing No Markup delete revisions?

No. It changes the way revisions are displayed. Accept or reject them deliberately if the document is to be finalised.

What is the difference between a comment and a tracked change?

A comment is feedback or discussion. A tracked change is an edit to document content or supported formatting.

Does AutoSave work for every Word document?

No. It depends on supported versions, file types and storage. Microsoft describes AutoSave behaviour especially for eligible Microsoft 365 files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint.

Can I co-author an old DOC file?

Microsoft’s collaboration guidance notes format limitations and recommends modern compatible file formats for eligible co-authoring scenarios.

How do I remove hidden editing information?

Review all tracked revisions, comments and properties; use supported inspection tools where available. Simply hiding markup is not a privacy safeguard.

Does exporting as PDF make the file accessible?

Not necessarily. Accessibility depends on structure, reading order, meaningful labels, contrast and export behaviour. Check the actual PDF before distribution.

Official Microsoft references and related reading

The interface and available options can vary between Word for Windows, Mac, web and mobile. These Microsoft articles describe current supported behaviour.

Vocabulary for Microsoft Word | Documents, Editing and Review Terms Explained