Every new or existing Office Online user should know these six things about using Word via Office 365.
If you have subscribed to Office 365, you have no doubt explored the capabilities of Office Online—the easy way to collaborate with others wherever and whenever you want with an Internet connection. While similar in form to Google applications like Docs, Sheets, and Slides, Online Office applications offer more functionality and compatibility with your other apps under the Office 365 umbrella (depending on your chosen plan, of course).
The focus of this article will be on the functions of Word in Office Online, as the interface can look a little different in your browser than when you are using the regular version of Word. To make sure you don’t get frustrated looking for that one function you need to make the edits of changes you need, My Choice Software has crafted a list of seven things you need to know about when using Word within Office Online:
List of Microsoft Services
In the top left corner of your screen when in Word Online, you will find the Microsoft Services icon (nine small squares forming a larger square).
By selecting it, you will bring up a list of the Office 365 applications available to you via your account; these applications are the same as those found on your Office 365 homepage. Please note that not every app available will be listed on this menu as they will be determined by the kind of subscription you have plus any add-ons. Use this menu to access any of your apps without leaving Word Online quickly.
Accessibility Mode
By selecting the Accessibility Mode button, your document is transformed into a PDF format for you to see how others without editing privileges will see your document. In this mode, you will gain a few extra options similar to those when reading a PDF in programs such as Adobe Reader like a page count, Rotate Clockwise tool, Download tool, and Print tool in the upper right corner when hovering over the document.
Additionally, you will also be able to zoom in easily and out of the document as well as contextually Fit to Page or Fit to Width in the bottom right corner of the screen. To return to regular viewing, click the Accessibility Mode button again.
Edit Document
If you wish to make changes to the current document, select the Edit Document button; a drop-down menu will present you with two options: Edit in Word (use the full functionality of Word) or Edit in Browser (make quick changes using Word Online).
If you choose Edit in Word, you document will be opened in a regular Word window for your current version of Word (must be compatible with Office 365); however, you must be signed in to gain access.
If you choose Edit in Browser, you will be granted new capabilities via a new ribbon along the top of the screen in which you will be given access to the File, Home, Insert, Page Layout, Review, and View tabs. You will also have access to the ‘Tell me what to do’ search box along with another option to Edit in Word.
From the editing page, you also can share the current document via the Share button in the top right corner. In the top left next to “Word Online,” you will find your account name with a hyperlink; this link will take you to your OneDrive account where all your documents and projects have been saved in the cloud through Office Online.
You can print your current document by selecting the Print option among the top right options. A new menu will appear with details regarding the print job. After you have printed your document, you will see another window that confirms the printing and gives you the option to ‘Open a printable PDF of your document’ should you need a more professional look.
Share
Sharing your document makes collaborating with team members simplified by granting them either direct or limited access to your documents. To share your document with another Office 365 account, select Share among the top right options. A new ‘Share’ window will appear and present you with a few sharing options:
- Invite People – Through this option, you can invite others to either edit directly within your document or only view it. You may also include a personal message to the intended recipients as well as check whether your viewers must be signed into their respective Office 365 accounts or not to view the document or receive an email invitation.
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Get a Link – From here, you can send a link out to others to invite them to view your document. You can choose from a few options of what kind of link to send:
- Edit link – no sign-in required
- Edit link – account in your organization required
- View link – no sign-in required
- View link – account in your organization required
- Restricted link – Only specific people can open this link
Some of these options can have an expiration date set if your partnership is a temporary one. You may also open the links via a mobile phone by selecting the small phone icon to the right of the link box.
- Shared with – You can see which accounts you have shared the current document here, including you the owner
More
More options are accessible through the triple-dot icon among the choices in the top right of the screen. These extra options are as follows:
- Find - Use this tool to find words and phrases quickly within your document.
- Translate - Translate your document into another language.
- Download - If the current document has been shared with you, use this option to download a copy to your computer.
- Download as PDF - Similar to the Download option, you can download the current document as a PDF file.
- Embed - If you would like to copy the current document into a blog or website, use this tool to create an embed code that can be easily applied to your HTML code.
- Help - If you need assistance learning how to do or find something in Word Online, open this tool and type your search word(s) into the text box of the Help window.
- Give Feedback to Microsoft - Want to share your opinion on your use of Word Online? Select this option and then one of the following sub-options to get more specific: I like something, I dislike something, or I have a suggestion.
- Terms of Use - If you are curious about the Terms of Use for Word Online, you can select this link to go to the Terms of Use page for Office Online
- Privacy and Cookies - If you would like to know about Microsoft’s Privacy Policy and use of cookies, click this link to go to the Microsoft Privacy Statement page
If you have any more questions regarding how to utilize Word Online or other apps available on Office Online, feel free to contact us at (800) 318-1439 or support@mychoicesoftware.com.
