Create, open and save documents

What you can do#

Opening Word on doc.et starts on the Home ribbon with a blank document and the insertion point ready for typing. You do not need to visit File or create a document before composing.

Use File to start a document or open a supported file from your device. The browser edition reads the selected file into the editor; opening a document is separate from saving your later changes. Keep the original when trying a complex document for the first time.

DOCX is the practical working format for documents with formatting, tables, references and review information. PDF is useful when the recipient needs the finished pages. Text and other interchange formats preserve different amounts of document structure. Opening and saving are conversions, so check page breaks, imported objects and fonts before sharing.

Try it#

The browser shell disables desktop autosave. Save a copy regularly and before closing or reloading the tab. Browser download locations and save pickers depend on your browser settings; a successful export should be checked in your downloads or chosen folder.

1. Open Word and start typing in the blank document, or choose File → Open to work on an existing file.
2. Edit the document, then use File → Save or Save As.
3. Complete the browser save or download flow and check the saved file.
4. For a final copy, export PDF and inspect the result.