Word Page Margins
Word has a default setting of "1" for the top, bottom, left and right margins of the page. You may need to change some or all of these settings for a report or research paper you are writing for a class, or a job. You can use either the "ribbon" method, or the "key command" method for changing the default "1" margins for a Word document. There are headings on this page. Press the letter h to move forward through the headings, or Shift h to move backward through the headings. When you hear the heading you want to work through, down arrow through the steps of that heading. When you are finished, move to the link at the bottom of this page titled "BACK" to go to the "Word Processor Lessons" web page.
NOTE: There is a difference between page and paragraph margins. The following activities work with the page margins.
1. Open Word. If you are using Word 2013, hit the Escape key or Enter key one time to open a blank document.
2. Hit the Alt key one time.
3. Right arrow until you are on the "Page Layout" ribbon.
4. Down arrow one time and you are on the "Margins" item.
5. Hit the Enter key one time only and you will be on a list of pre-made margin settings. At the bottom of this list is a link for "Custom Margins."
6. Down arrow through the options, and hit the Enter key on any that you want to try.
7. Do steps "2" through "5" above.
8, Down arrow to the "Custom Margins" item.
9. Hit the Enter key one time only and you will be in a "Top" combo box where you can up or down arrow, or type in the number you want for the top margin of the document.
10. Tab your way through this box, changing numbers as you go. DO NOT HIT ENTER AT ANY TIME!!!
11. As you hit the Tab key you will also hear the category of "Portrait" or "Landscape." Next, you will hear a combo box for "Multiple Pages" which you can arrow through. Next, you will hear a combo box for "Apply to" and will be on the "Whole Document" item. Down arrow one time and you will hear "This point forward," meaning that any changes will take place from this point forward, leaving the pages before this point as they are.
12. Tab past the "Set as Default" button to the "OK" button.
13. Hit the Spacebar on the "OK" button and the page margins are set for this document.
14. Practice the above again-and-again until you understand, and are quick and accurate.
15. Press Alt F4 to close Word. Do not save the document unless you want to practice with it later.
1. Open Word. If you are using Word 2013, hit the Escape or Enter key one time to open a blank document.
2. Hit the Alt key one time.
3. Hit the letter p one time to go to the "Page Layout" ribbon.
4. Hit the letter m one time to go to the "Margins" item on the "Page Layout" ribbon. The list of options for page margins will automatically drop down.
5. Down arrow to the item for the margins you want to use, or go to the "Custom Margins" item.
6. Hit the Enter key one time only on the item you selected in "5" above. If you selected the "Custom Margins" item, Tab through and change settings as you go, then move to the "OK" button and hit the Spacebar one time.
7. Practice steps "2" through "6" above until you are quick and accurate.
8. Press Alt F4 to close Word. Do not save the document unless you want to practice with it later.