How To Use A Letter Template With Microsoft Word 2021

Whether you're starting from a built-in template or updating one of your own, Give-and-take'due south built-in tools assistance y'all update templates to accommodate your needs. To update your template, open up the file, brand the changes you want, and so save the template.

In Microsoft Word, you can create a template by saving a certificate as a .dotx file, .dot file, or a .dotm fie (a .dotm file blazon allows you lot to enable macros in the file).

Click File > Open.
Double-click This PC. (In Word 2013, double-click Reckoner).
Scan to the Custom Office Templates folder that'south under My Documents.
Click your template, and click Open.
Make the changes you want, then salvage and close the template.

Add content controls to a template

Brand your templates flexible by adding and configuring content controls, such every bit rich text controls, pictures, driblet-down lists, or engagement pickers.

For instance, you lot might create a template that includes a drop-downwards list. If you allow editing to the drop-downward list, other people tin can modify the listing options to encounter their needs.

Note:If content controls are not available, you may take opened a document or a template that was created in an before version of Give-and-take. To use content controls, you lot must convert the document to the Word 2013 file format by clicking File > Info > Convert, and so clicking OK. After you catechumen the certificate or template, save information technology.

Earlier you can add content controls, yous need to show the Programmer tab.

Click File > Options > Customize Ribbon.
Nether Customize the Ribbon, select Principal Tabs.
In the list, select the Developer bank check box, and so click OK.

Turning on the Developer tab in the Word ribbon

Add content controls

On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Design Mode, and then insert the controls that you lot want.

developer mode design button

Insert a text control where users can enter text

In a rich text content control, users tin can format text equally bold or italic, and they tin can type multiple paragraphs. If you lot want to limit what users add, insert the plain text content control.

In the certificate, click where you desire to insert the command.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls grouping, click Rich Text Content Control or the Plain Text Content Control .

Insert a flick control

Click where yous want to insert the command.
On the Programmer tab, in the Controls group, click Picture Command .

Insert a combo box or a drop-down list

In a combo box, users can select from a list of choices that y'all provide or they tin type in their own information. In a drop-downwards list, users can only select from the list of choices.

On the Developer tab, in the Controls grouping, click the Combo Box Content Control or Drop-Downward List Content Control .
Select the content command, and then on the Programmer tab, in the Controls group, click Properties.
To create a list of choices, click Add under Philharmonic Box Properties or Drop-Downwards List Properties.
Type a pick in the Display Name box, such every bit Yes, No, or Maybe. Repeat this step until all of the choices are in the drib-downward list.
Fill in any other backdrop that you want.

Annotation:If you select the Contents cannot exist edited check box, users won't be able to click a pick..

Insert a engagement picker

Click where you want to insert the date picker control.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click the Date Picker Content Control .

Insert a check box

Click where yous want to insert the check box command.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls grouping, click the Check Box Content Control .

Insert a building block gallery control

You lot can apply edifice block controls when yous want people to choose a specific cake of text.

For instance, building cake controls are helpful if you're setting upwards a contract template, and you need to add different boilerplate text depending on the contract'south specific requirements. You tin can create rich text content controls for each version of the average text, and so you can utilise a building block gallery control every bit the container for the rich text content controls.

You can too use a building block command in a form.

Click where you want to insert the control.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls grouping, click Building Block Gallery Content Control .
Click the content control to select it.
On the Programmer tab, in the Controls grouping, click Properties.
Click the Gallery and the Category for the building blocks that you want to make available in the edifice block control.

Gear up or alter the properties for content controls

Select the content control, and click Properties in the Controls grouping.
In the Content Control Properties dialog box, cull whether the content control tin be deleted or edited when someone uses your template.
To go on several content controls or fifty-fifty a few paragraphs of text together, select the controls or the text, and so click Grouping in the Controls group.

For example, maybe you have a 3-paragraph disclaimer. If you utilize the Group command to group the three paragraphs, the three-paragraph disclaimer cannot exist edited and can exist deleted only as a group.

Add instructional text to a template

Instructional text can enhance the usability of the template that you create. Yous can change the default instructional text in content controls.

To customize the default instructional text for your template users, do the following:

On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Design Way.
Click the content control where yous want to revise the placeholder instructional text.
Edit the placeholder text and format it whatever way you want.
On the Programmer tab, in the Controls group, click Design Manner to turn off the blueprint characteristic and save the instructional text.

Add protection to a template

Y'all can add protection to individual content controls in a template to assistance prevent someone from deleting or editing a particular content command or grouping of controls, or you can help protect all of the template content with a password.

Add protection to parts of a template

Open the template that y'all want to add protection to.
Select the content controls to which yous want to restrict changes.

Tip:Select multiple controls by holding down the CTRL primal while yous click the controls.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Group, and so click Group again.
On the Programmer tab, in the Controls grouping, click Backdrop.
In the Content Control Properties dialog box, nether Locking, practise any of the following:
- Select the Content control cannot be deleted check box, which allows the content of the control to exist edited but the control itself cannot be deleted from the template or a document that is based on the template.
- Select the Contents cannot be edited bank check box, which allows you lot to delete the control but does non allow you to edit the content in the control.

Use this setting when you want to protect text if it is included. For case, if y'all often include a disclaimer, you can help ensure that the text stays the same, and you lot can delete the disclaimer for documents that don't crave information technology.

Assign a password to a template

To assign a password to the document so that only reviewers who know the password can remove the protection, exercise the following:

Open the template that yous desire to assign a password to.
On the Review tab, in the Protect group, click Restrict Editing.
Under Start enforcement, click Yes, Kickoff Enforcing Protection.
Type a countersign in the Enter new password (optional) box, and and so ostend the password.

Important:If y'all choose not to use a password, anyone can change your editing restrictions.

Use strong passwords that combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Weak passwords don't mix these elements. Strong password: Y6dh!et5. Weak password: House27. Passwords should exist at least 8 characters long. In full general, longer a password is, the more secure information technology is.

Information technology is critical that you call up your countersign. If you forget your countersign, Microsoft cannot retrieve it. Shop the passwords that you write down in a secure place away from the data that they help protect.

A template is a document type that creates a re-create of itself when y'all open it.

For example, a business plan is a common document that is written in Give-and-take. Instead of creating the structure of the business organization plan from scratch, you can use a template with predefined page layout, fonts, margins, and styles. All you lot accept to do is open a template and fill up in the text and the information that is specific to your document. When you lot save the document every bit a .docx or .docm file, you lot save your document separately from the template on which it is based.

In a template, you can provide recommended sections or required text for others to utilise, as well as content controls such as a predefined drop-down list or a special logo. You can add protection to a department of a template, or you tin utilize a password to the template to help protect the contents of the template from changes.

You lot can find Discussion templates for nigh kinds of documents on Office.com. If you lot accept an Net connection, click the File tab, click New, then click the template category that you desire. You tin can too yous can create your own templates.

You can kickoff with a blank document and save it as a template, or you lot tin can create a template that is based on an existing document or template.

First with a blank template

Click the File tab, and and so click New.
Click Blank certificate, and then click Create.
Brand the changes that yous want to the margin settings, page size and orientation, styles, and other formats.

You lot tin can also add together content controls such as a date picker, instructional text, and graphics that you lot desire to appear in all new documents that you base on the template.
Click the File tab, and and then click Salvage As.
Give the new template a file name, select Word Template in the Save as blazon list, and then click Salvage.

Note:You can also salve the template as a Word Macro-Enabled Template (.dotm file) or a Word 97-2003 Template (.dot file).
Shut the template.

Click the File tab, and then click New.
Under Bachelor templates, click New from existing.
Click a template or a document that is like to the one that you desire to create, and and so click Create New.
Brand the changes you desire to the margin settings, page size and orientation, styles, and other formats.

You can also add content controls such as a date picker, instructional text, and graphics you want to appear in all new documents that you base on the template.
Click the File tab, and and then click Salvage As.
Requite the new template a file name, select Word Template in the Save as blazon list, and and then click Save.

Note:You can also save the template as a Discussion Macro-Enabled Template (.dotm file) or a Discussion 97-2003 Template (.dot file).
Close the template.

Building blocks are reusable pieces of content or other document parts that are stored in galleries to be accessed and reused at any time. You can besides save edifice blocks and distribute them with templates.

For instance, you may create a written report template that provides your template users with two cover letter types to choose from when they create their ain report based on your template.

Save and close the template that you have designed simply the fashion yous want it and to which you want to add together building blocks for template users to choose from.
Open the template.

Keep open up the template to which you desire to add together building block options for template users.
Create the building blocks that you lot want to provide to your template users.

When you fill out the information in the Create New Building Cake dialog box, in the Save in box brand sure to click the template proper name.
Distribute the template.

When you send or make the template available to others, the building blocks yous saved with the template will be bachelor in the galleries y'all specified.

You can offering flexibility to anyone who may use your template past adding and configuring content controls, such as rich text controls, pictures, drop-down lists, or date pickers.

For example, you lot might provide a colleague with a template that includes a drop-down list, only your colleague wants to use a unlike set of options in the drib-downwardly listing in the document that he'due south distributing based on your template. Because you lot allowed editing to the drop-downward listing when you added the content control to the template, your colleague can rapidly and easily change the template to meet his needs.

Notation:If content controls are not available, you may have opened a document or a template that was created in an earlier version of Word. To apply content controls, yous must convert the document to the Word 2010 file format by clicking the File tab, clicking Info, clicking Convert, and and so clicking OK. Afterwards you convert the certificate or template, salvage it.

To add together content controls, you lot need to show the Developer tab.

Evidence the Developer tab

Click the File tab.
Click Options.
Click Customize Ribbon.
Under Customize the Ribbon , click Master Tabs.
In the listing, select the Developer check box, and then click OK.

Add together content controls

On the Programmer tab, in the Controls group, click Blueprint Style, then insert the controls that you want.

Office 2010 ribbon

Insert a text control where users can enter text

In a rich text content control, users can format text every bit bold or italic, and they tin can type multiple paragraphs. If you want to limit what users add, insert the apparently text content command.

Click where yous desire to insert the control.
On the Programmer tab, in the Controls group, click Rich Text Content Control or the Plain Text Content Control .

Insert a picture control

Click where y'all desire to insert the command.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Picture Control.

Insert a combo box or a drop-down list

In a combo box, users tin select from a list of choices that y'all provide or they tin blazon in their ain information. In a drop-down list, users tin only select from the list of choices.

On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click the Philharmonic Box Content Control or Drop-Downwardly Listing Content Control .
Select the content control, and so on the Developer tab, in the Controls grouping, click Properties.
To create a list of choices, click Add together nether Combo Box Backdrop or Drop-Downwardly List Properties.
Type a choice in the Display Name box, such as Yes, No, or Maybe.

Repeat this pace until all of the choices are in the drop-down list.
Fill in any other properties that you want.

Note:If you select the Contents cannot be edited cheque box, users won't exist able to click a choice.

Insert a date picker

Click where you want to insert the date picker control.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click the Engagement Picker Content Control.

Insert a check box

Click where you desire to insert the check box control.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls grouping, click the Bank check Box Content Control.

Insert a building block gallery control

You can use building block controls when you want people to cull a specific block of text.

For example, edifice cake controls are helpful if you're setting upward a contract template, and you need to add different average text depending on the contract's specific requirements. You can create rich text content controls for each version of the boilerplate text, and and then yous can use a building block gallery control as the container for the rich text content controls.

You can also utilise a building block command in a form.

Click where you want to insert the control.
On the Programmer tab, in the Controls group, click Building Block Gallery Content Control.
Click the content control to select it.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Properties.
Click the Gallery and the Category for the edifice blocks that you want to make available in the building cake control.

Set up or change the properties for content controls

Select the content control, and click Backdrop in the Controls group.
In the Content Command Properties dialog box, choose whether the content control can be deleted or edited when someone uses your template.
To continue several content controls or even a few paragraphs of text together, select the controls or the text, and so click Group in Controls group.

For example, perhaps you lot have a three-paragraph disclaimer. If you use the Group control to grouping the iii paragraphs, the three-paragraph disclaimer cannot be edited and can be deleted only as a grouping.

Add instructional text to a template

Instructional text can enhance the usability of the template that you create. You lot tin can change the default instructional text in content controls.

To customize the default instructional text for your template users, do the post-obit:

On the Programmer tab, in the Controls group, click Design Mode.
Click the content control where y'all want to revise the placeholder instructional text.
Edit the placeholder text and format it whatever way you want.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Design Fashion to turn off the design feature and save the instructional text.

Yous can add protection to individual content controls in a template to help prevent someone from deleting or editing a particular content control or grouping of controls, or you can aid protect all of the template content with a password.

Add together protection to parts of a template

Open up the template that you desire to add protection to.
Select the content controls to which you lot want to restrict changes.

To select multiple controls concur down the CTRL central while y'all click the controls.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Grouping, and so click Group again.
On the Programmer tab, in the Controls grouping, click Backdrop.
In the Content Control Properties dialog box, under Locking, do whatsoever of the following:
- Select the Content control cannot be deleted check box, which allows the content of the command to exist edited but the control itself cannot be deleted from the template or a certificate that is based on the template.
- Select the Contents cannot be edited cheque box, which allows you to delete the command just does not allow you to edit the content in the control.
  
  Utilise this setting when you want to protect text if information technology is included. For instance, if you often include a disclaimer, you can help ensure that the text stays the same, and you tin can delete the disclaimer for documents that don't require it.

Assign a password to a template

To assign a password to the document and so that merely reviewers who know the countersign can remove the protection, do the post-obit:

Open up the template that you want to assign a countersign to.
On the Review tab, in the Protect group, click Restrict Editing.
Under Start enforcement, click Yep, Start Enforcing Protection.
Type a countersign in the Enter new countersign (optional) box, then confirm the password.

Important:If yous choose non to use a password, anyone can alter your editing restrictions.

Passwords should be 8 or more than characters in length.

It is disquisitional that you lot remember your password. If you forget your countersign, Microsoft cannot retrieve it. Store the passwords that you write down in a secure identify away from the information that they help protect.

A template is a document blazon that creates a re-create of itself when y'all open information technology.

For example, a business plan is a mutual document that is written in Discussion. Instead of creating the structure of the business plan from scratch, y'all can use a template with predefined page layout, fonts, margins, and styles. All you take to do is open a template and fill in the text and the information that is specific to your document. When you lot save the document equally a .docx or .docm file, you save your document separately from the template on which it is based.

In a template, you can provide recommended sections or required text for others to utilise, as well as content controls such as a predefined drib-down list or a special logo. Yous can add together protection to a section of a template, or you tin can apply a password to the template to assist protect the contents of the template from changes.

You can find Word templates for most kinds of documents on Part.com. If you have an Internet connection, click the File tab, click New, and so click the template category that you lot want. You lot tin can besides you can create your own templates.

Important: Function 2007 is no longer supported. Upgrade to Microsoft 365 to work anywhere from any device and proceed to receive support.

Upgrade now

You can starting time with a blank document and salve it every bit a template, or you tin create a template that is based on an existing document or template.

First with a blank template

Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click New.
Click Blank document, so click Create.
Make the changes that you lot desire to the margin settings, page size and orientation, styles, and other formats.

You tin can also add instructional text, content controls such as a engagement picker, and graphics that you want to appear in all new documents that you base on the template.
Click the Microsoft Office Button , then click Relieve Equally.
Requite the new template a file name, select Discussion Template in the Save as type list, and so click Save.

Note:Y'all can too save the template as a Word Macro-Enabled Template (.dotm file) or a Give-and-take 97-2003 Template (.dot file).
Close the template.

Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Open.
Open the document that you want.
Make the changes that y'all desire to appear in all new documents that yous base on the template.
Click the Microsoft Role Button , and then click Relieve As.
Give the new template a file name, select Word Template in the Save equally type list, and so click Salvage.

Note:You tin can also save the template every bit a Word Macro-Enabled Template (.dotm file) or a Word 97-2003 Template (.dot file).
Close the template.

Click the Microsoft Function Button , and and then click New.
Under Templates, click New from existing.
Click a template that is similar to the one that y'all want to create, and and then click Create New.
Brand the changes you desire to the margin settings, folio size and orientation, styles, and other formats.

You tin also add together instructional text, content controls such as a date picker, and graphics you want to appear in all new documents that you base on the template.
Click the Microsoft Office Button , and so click Save As.
Give the new template a file name, click Word Template in the Save as type box, and then click Save.

Notation:You can also save the template as a Word Macro-Enabled Template (.dotm file) or a Word 97-2003 Template (.dot file).
Close the template.

You can offer flexibility to anyone who may use your template by calculation and configuring content controls, such as rich text controls, pictures, drib-down lists, or engagement pickers.

For instance, you might provide a colleague with a template that includes a driblet-downward list, simply your colleague wants to use a different set up of options in the drop-down list in the certificate that he's distributing based on your template. Because you allowed editing to the drop-downwards list when you added the content control to the template, your colleague can chop-chop and easily modify the template to meet his needs.

Add together content controls

Note:Yous can besides add content controls to documents.

Click the Microsoft Office Button , and and then click Discussion Options.
Click Pop.
Select the Show Developer tab in the Ribbon bank check box, and and then click OK.

Note:The Ribbon is a component of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface.
Open the template to which you want to add content controls, and then click where yous desire to insert a control.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click the content control that you want to add together to your certificate or template.

For case, y'all can click Rich Text to insert a rich text control that will announced in any document that is created past using the template.

Note:If content controls are not available, yous may have opened a document that was created in an earlier version of Give-and-take. To utilize content controls, you must convert the certificate to the Word 2007 file format by clicking the Microsoft Office Button , clicking Convert, and then clicking OK. Afterwards you catechumen the document, relieve it.
Select the content control, and click Properties in the Controls group.
In the Content Control Properties dialog box, cull whether the content control tin can exist deleted or edited when someone uses your template.
To proceed several content controls or fifty-fifty a few paragraphs of text together, select the controls or the text, and and then click Group in Controls group.

For example, maybe you have a three-paragraph disclaimer. If you lot use the Group control to grouping the three paragraphs, the three-paragraph disclaimer cannot be edited and can be deleted only every bit a group.

Add instructional text to a template

Sometimes it is useful to include placeholder instructions for how to fill up out a item content control that you have added to a template. The instructions are replaced past content when someone uses the template.

On the Developer tab, in the Controls grouping, click Design Mode.
If you haven't already added a content control to your document, click where y'all want the control to appear, so click a control.

Notation:If content controls are not available, you may accept opened a document created in an before version of Word. To use content controls, y'all must convert the document to the Word 2007 file format by clicking the Microsoft Office Push , clicking Convert, and then clicking OK. After you convert the document, save it.
On the Programmer tab, in the Controls group, click Design Mode.
Click the content control to which you desire to add together placeholder text.
Edit the placeholder text and format information technology any way you lot want.

If you add a text box content command and you desire the placeholder text to disappear when someone types in their own text, in the Controls group, click Properties, and and so select the Remove content control when contents are edited check box.

Save and distribute building blocks with a template

Building blocks are reusable pieces of content or other certificate parts that are stored in galleries to be accessed and reused at any fourth dimension. You lot can also save building blocks and distribute them with templates. For example, you may create a report template that provides your template users with two encompass letter types to choose from when they create their own study based on your template.

Save and shut the template that you lot have designed only the way you lot want it and to which you desire to add together building blocks for template users to choose from.
Open the template.

Proceed open up the template to which you want to add edifice block options for template users.
Create the building blocks that you want to provide to your template users.

When you fill out the information in the Create New Edifice Block dialog box, in the Save in box make sure to click the template name.
Distribute the template.

When you send or make the template bachelor to others, the building blocks y'all saved with the template will be available in the galleries you lot specified.

You can add protection to individual content controls in a template to help prevent someone from deleting or editing a item content control or group of controls, or you can help protect all of the template content with a password.

Add protection to parts of a template

Open the template that yous want to add together protection to.
Select the content controls or the group of controls to which yous want to restrict changes.
On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Properties.
In the Content Command Properties dialog box, under Locking, exercise any of the post-obit:
- Select the Content control cannot be deleted check box, which allows the content of the control to exist edited but the command itself cannot be deleted from the template or a document that is based on the template.
- Select the Contents cannot be edited cheque box, which allows yous to delete the control only does not permit you to edit the content in the control.
  
  Use this setting when yous desire to protect text if it is included. For instance, if you ofttimes include a disclaimer, yous can help ensure that the text stays the same, and you can delete the disclaimer for documents that don't crave it.

Add protection to all of the contents of a template

Open up the template that yous want to help protect from changes.
On the Developer tab, in the Protect group, click Protect Document, and then click Restrict Formatting and Editing.
In the Protect Document chore pane, nether Editing restrictions, select the Allow merely this type of editing in the document check box.
In the list of editing restrictions, click the restrictions that you want.
To choose additional restriction options, such as who can read or change the document, click Restrict permission.

Restriction options include setting an expiration appointment for the document and assuasive users to re-create content.
Nether Get-go enforcement, click Yes, Kickoff Enforcing Protection.
To assign a password to the document so that only reviewers who know the password can remove the protection, type a countersign in the Enter new password (optional) box, and then confirm the password.

Important:If you choose not to employ a password, anyone can alter your editing restrictions.

For example, a business programme is a mutual certificate written in Discussion. Instead of creating the structure of the business program from scratch, you can use a template with predefined page layout, fonts, margins, and styles. All you have to do is open a template and fill in the text and the information that is specific to your document. When you salvage the document as a .docx or .docm file, you save your document separately from the template on which it is based.

Templates are exactly like documents in that you can provide recommended sections or required text for others to use, equally well as content controls such as a predefined drop-down list or a special logo. You can add protection to a section of a template, or you lot can employ a password to the template to help protect the contents of the template from changes.

Y'all can find Word templates for most kinds of documents on Microsoft Office Online. If you have an Internet connexion, click the Microsoft Office Button Office button image , click New, and then click the template category that you want. Alternatively, you lot can create your own templates.