Do you need to use legal-sized paper for your Word documents but aren’t sure how to set it up? Don’t worry; it’s a piece of cake! All you need to do is change your document’s page size settings to ‘Legal’ and Word will remember this preference for all future documents. Let’s get started!
Step by Step Tutorial: How to Use Legal Paper by Default in Word
Before we dive into the steps, let’s clarify what we’ll achieve. By following these instructions, you’ll configure Word to use legal-sized paper (8.5 x 14 inches) for all new documents. This will save you the hassle of adjusting the size each time you create a new document.
Step 1: Open a new document in Word
This is where your journey begins. Simply launch Word and start a new document.
Opening a new document in Word is as simple as clicking on the Word icon on your computer, and then selecting ‘New’ from the template options. This gives you a blank canvas to work with.
Step 2: Go to the ‘Layout’ tab
This is where you’ll find the page setup options.
Once you’re in the ‘Layout’ tab, you’ll see a variety of options to tweak your document’s appearance. But for now, we’re focusing on the page size.
Step 3: Click on ‘Size’
This will open a dropdown menu with various paper size options.
After clicking ‘Size’, you’ll see a list of different paper sizes, including the one we want – Legal.
Step 4: Select ‘Legal’
Choose the ‘Legal’ option, which will set your document to the correct size.
By selecting ‘Legal’, you’re telling Word that you want your document to be 8.5 x 14 inches, which is the standard size for legal documents in the U.S.
Step 5: Save the document as a template
Saving your document as a template with the legal size setting ensures that all future documents will have the same size by default.
To save your document as a template, go to ‘File’, select ‘Save As’, and in the dialog box, choose ‘Word Template’. This action saves your current document’s settings and allows you to use them for new documents.
After you complete these steps, any new Word document you create will automatically use legal-sized paper, meaning you won’t have to go through this process again.
Tips: How to Use Legal Paper by Default in Word
- Always double-check the paper size before printing, as some printers may require you to adjust settings there as well.
- Remember that using legal-sized paper might affect the layout of your content, so you might need to adjust margins and fonts.
- If you’re sharing the document electronically, make sure the recipient can accommodate the legal size format.
- Consider creating different templates for different paper sizes if you frequently switch between them.
- Keep in mind that not all templates in Word might be optimized for legal-sized paper, so some manual adjustments might be needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will setting legal paper as default affect my existing documents?
No, changing the default paper size to legal will only affect new documents that you create after changing the setting.
Can I use these instructions on all versions of Word?
While the exact location of the options might vary, the steps should be similar across recent versions of Word.
What if I need to return to letter size paper?
You can always change the paper size for individual documents by going back to the ‘Layout’ tab and selecting ‘Letter’ from the ‘Size’ dropdown menu.
How do I know if my printer can handle legal paper?
Check your printer’s manual or specifications online to ensure it can print on legal-sized paper.
Can I make other sizes the default in a similar way?
Yes, you can set any size available in the ‘Size’ dropdown menu as the default using a similar process.
Summary
- Open a new document in Word.
- Go to the ‘Layout’ tab.
- Click on ‘Size’.
- Select ‘Legal’.
- Save the document as a template.
Conclusion
Setting up legal paper as the default size in Word is a straightforward task that can significantly streamline your document creation process. Whether you’re a legal professional, an academic, or just someone who prefers the additional space that legal-sized paper provides, customizing Word to meet your needs can save you time and ensure consistency across your documents.
Remember to consider the layout of your content when switching to legal-sized paper, as it may require some tweaking to ensure everything looks just right. And don’t forget, if you ever need to switch back or use a different size for a specific document, Word is flexible enough to accommodate that.
Adopting this setting could be a small change that makes a big difference in your workflow. So go ahead, give it a try – your future self will thank you for taking the time to learn how to use legal paper by default in Word.