How to Use Microsoft Office on PC or Mac

This wikiHow teaches you how to open Microsoft Office applications in Windows or macOS. If you haven’t yet installed Office, see Install Microsoft Office.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Windows

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    1
    Click the
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    menu.     It’s in the task bar, which is usually at the bottom of the screen.
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    2
    Click All Apps. A list of applications on your Windows PC will appear.
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    3
    Scroll down and click Microsoft Office. A list of installed Microsoft Office applications will expand. A typical office installation includes Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Outlook.
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    4
    Click an application. The selected application will open.
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    5
    Open a document. If you opened an application that edits files, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, or Access, you can open on existing document or create a new one.
    • Create a new document or spreadsheet: Click Blank document (Word), Blank workbook (Excel), or Blank database (Access).
    • To open an existing file, click Open Other Files in the left column, select the file, then click Open.
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    6
    Save your file. To save your progress in nearly any file, click the File menu at the top-left corner of the application, then click Save.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

macOS

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    Click the Go menu. It’s in the menu bar at the top of the screen.[1]
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    2
    Click Applications. A folder containing applications installed on your Mac will appear.
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    Double-click the Microsoft Office folder. A list of installed Office applications will appear.
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    4
    Click an application. The selected application will open.
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    5
    Open a document. If you opened an application that edits files, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, or Access, you can open on existing document or create a new one.
    • Create a new document or spreadsheet: Click Blank document (Word), Blank workbook (Excel), or Blank database (Access).
    • To open an existing file, click Open Other Files in the left column, select the file, then click Open.
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    6
    Save your file. To save your progress in nearly any file, click the File menu at the top-left corner of the application, then click Save.
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References

  1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3016338/microsoft-office-for-mac-2011-14-4-6-update

About This Article

Nicole Levine, MFA
Written by:
Nicole Levine, MFA
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 13,858 times.
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Co-authors: 1
Updated: December 7, 2020
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Categories: Microsoft Office
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