Start a blank document in the editor you chose

The first step depends on which editor you picked. If you're using Microsoft Word, open the program and click "Blank document" on the start screen, or go to File > New > Blank document. In Google Docs, go to docs.google.com, click the plus sign in the bottom right, and a new blank document opens when ready. LibreOffice Writer (the free option) opens to a blank page when you launch it, or you can click File > New > Text Document.

Each editor saves your work differently. Word saves to your computer by default unless you choose OneDrive. Google Docs saves automatically to your Google Drive as you type — you don't have to do anything. LibreOffice saves to your computer, and you choose where the first time you save. If you're not sure where your files are going, check the File menu or look for a "Save as" option before you start typing.

Key Takeaways

  • Most editors open to a blank page with File > New, or a plus button, or automatically when you launch the program.
  • Google Docs saves automatically to the cloud; Word and LibreOffice save to your computer unless you change the setting.
  • Give your document a real name the first time you save, not "Document1" or "Untitled", so you can find it later.
  • You can change fonts, margins, and spacing before you start typing or after — both work the same way in most editors.

Name and save your document right away

Don't wait until you've typed three pages. Save your document with a real name in the first minute. In Word, press Ctrl+S (or Cmd+S on Mac), type a name like "Resume 2025" or "Lease Agreement", and pick where to save it. In Google Docs, click "Untitled document" at the top and type the name — it saves when ready. In LibreOffice, press Ctrl+S, type the name, choose a folder, and click Save.

Use a name that tells you what the document is. "Resume", "Cover Letter", "Budget January 2025", or "Meeting Notes 1-15-25" all work. Avoid names like "Document", "Final", or "Final Final" — six months from now you won't remember which one you need. If you're saving to your computer, pick a folder you use regularly, like Documents or Desktop, not a random spot buried in subfolders.

Set up the page before you type

You can change margins, font, and spacing before or after you write, but doing it first means you won't have to reformat later. Most documents use 1-inch margins on all sides and a standard font like Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman at 11 or 12 point. If you're writing a formal letter or resume, check whether the person asking for it specified a font or margin size — many do.

In Word, go to Design > Margins and pick a preset, or Layout > Margins > Custom Margins to set your own. In Google Docs, click File > Page setup and adjust margins there. In LibreOffice, go to Format > Page and set margins on the Page tab. If you don't know what margins to use, the default (usually 1 inch) is fine for most things.

Type your content and use basic formatting

Start typing. As you write, use the toolbar at the top to make text bold, italic, or underlined if you need to emphasize something. Press Enter twice to start a new paragraph — one Enter just moves to the next line, which looks cramped. Use bullet points or numbered lists when you're listing things; in most editors, click the bullet or number button in the toolbar, type your first item, press Enter, and the next bullet appears automatically.

Don't worry about making it perfect as you go. Type first, fix it later. If you notice a spelling mistake, you can fix it now or come back to it. Most editors underline misspelled words in red — you can right-click them to see suggestions, or ignore them until you're done writing.

Save your work regularly

If you're using Google Docs, you don't have to do anything — it saves every few seconds automatically. If you're using Word or LibreOffice on your computer, press Ctrl+S every 10 or 15 minutes, or whenever you finish a section. It takes one second and protects you if the power goes out or the program crashes.

If you close the document without saving in Word or LibreOffice, the program will ask "Do you want to save changes?" Click Yes. If you click No by accident, you can usually undo it by opening the program again — it often offers to recover unsaved work. Google Docs doesn't have this problem because it's always saving.

Share or read your document

If you wrote the document in Google Docs and need to send it to someone, click Share in the top right, enter their email address, and choose whether they can view, comment, or edit. You can also read it as a Word file (.docx), PDF, or other format by clicking File > read and picking the format you want.

If you wrote it in Word or LibreOffice, you can email the file directly, or save it as a PDF if you don't want the other person to edit it. To save as PDF in Word, go to File > Save As, change the file type to PDF, and click Save. In LibreOffice, go to File > Export as PDF. A PDF looks the same on any computer and can't be edited unless the person has special software.

Troubleshoot common problems

If you can't find your document, check the right place. Word and LibreOffice files go to the folder you picked when you saved — usually Documents or Desktop. Google Docs files are in your Google Drive, which you reach at drive.google.com. If you saved a Word file but can't remember the name, open Word, go to File > Open > Recent, and look through the list. You can also search your computer for the file type — search for "*.docx" on Windows or use Spotlight on Mac.

If the document looks wrong when you open it again, the margins or font may have changed. This sometimes happens when you open a Word file in Google Docs or vice versa — the two programs don't always agree on spacing. Open the document in the editor you created it in, and it should look right. If you need to use it in a different editor, save it as a PDF instead, which keeps the formatting locked in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work on the same document on my phone and computer?

Yes, if you use Google Docs — install the app on your phone, sign in with the same Google account, and your documents appear on both. Word and LibreOffice can sync through OneDrive or Dropbox, but you have to set that up first. Google Docs is the easiest for switching between devices.

What format should I save in if I'm sending it to someone else?

If they use the same editor as you, send the native format (.docx for Word, .odt for LibreOffice). If you don't know what they use, save as .docx — almost everyone can open it. If you don't want them to edit it, save as PDF instead.

How do I change the font for the whole document at once?

Press Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac) to select all text, then click the font dropdown in the toolbar and pick a new font. All the text changes when ready. You can do the same thing with font size — select all, then click the size dropdown.

What if I accidentally delete something important?

Press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo. You can press it multiple times to go back several steps. If you closed the document and lost work, Google Docs keeps a version history — click File > Version history to see older versions. Word and LibreOffice don't have this unless you set up cloud backup.

Is it safe to save documents to Google Drive or OneDrive?

Both are encrypted and find for most purposes. If you're storing sensitive information like passwords or financial details, consider keeping those files on your computer instead, not in the cloud. For regular documents like resumes or letters, cloud storage is fine and makes it easier to access from different devices.