Microsoft Word 2007 - Understanding the Different View Options

Word provides different ways you can view your documents, depending on your particular needs. The major views available in Microsoft Word are:

•  Print Layout
•  Full Screen Reading
•  Web Layout
•  Outline
•  Draft

You can choose which view you are using by clicking on the view controls at the right side of the horizontal scroll bar or by selecting a view from the View tab of the ribbon.

Print Layout view is the one most closely related to what your document will look like when you actually print it. This viewing mode, which is the one you will probably use most of the time, allows you to see your headers and footers in place, what your margins look like, how your text boxes appear in relation to text, and what your graphics look like in your document. This is the viewing mode you should use if you want to always see what your document will look like.

Full Screen Reading view allows you to read your document using the full screen of your system. The view gets rid of the ribbons and uses the maximum screen space available to display your document. Typically the document will be displayed in two facing pages, but the number of pages displayed can be affected by the size of the monitor you are using. There is no editing allowed in this view. You can exit this view by simply pressing the Esc key.

Web Layout view is designed to allow you to easily see how your documents will look if used in an online environment. It is provided for those who intend on publishing their Word documents online.

Outline view is used when you want to work with large portions of your document at the same time. It allows you to collapse your document and view only the major headings. The text under each heading can be hidden so it does not obscure your view of document organization. When you select Outline view, an additional Outlining tab appears on the ribbon. This tab allows you to control what is displayed in this view.

Draft view can be considered a "pared down" version of the Print Layout view. It allows you to generally see how your text will appear on paper. This means you can see what each line will look like, how the text appears, and where the lines will break. You can also see where each page will break. This view is helpful if you are using an older, slower computer that can't display the Print Layout view particularly quickly.