![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Making-Microsoft-Word-Better-Laptop.jpg?resize=770%2C495&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
Table of contents<\/h2>\n\n- Microsoft Word Tips for Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n
- First Up: Word\u2019s Navigation Pane<\/a><\/li>\n
- Speaking of Word Styles, Our Second Tip \u2026<\/a><\/li>\n
- My Third Tip: Get \u2018Zoomy\u2019 With It<\/a><\/li>\n
- Take a Few Clicks to Make Word Work for Your Law Practice<\/a><\/li>\n
- About Affinity Consulting Group<\/a><\/li>\n
- More Microsoft Word Tips for Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n
- Office 365 Training Manuals for Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Microsoft Word Tips for Lawyers<\/h2>\n
These days in legal tech, it\u2019s hard to get a word in (pun intended), unless it\u2019s about AI. But the fact is, you\u2019re probably still spending a lot of time every day in the tried-and-trusted tools you\u2019ve been using for years. Especially Microsoft Word. Let me give you three quick tips to help make Word work better for you, especially on long documents.<\/p>\n
First Up: Word\u2019s Navigation Pane<\/h2>\n
If you\u2019ve got a big document, getting from place to place in that document can be a challenge. The Navigation Pane is your solution. You\u2019ll find it on the View tab of the ribbon.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Microsoft](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Figure-1-Microsoft-Word-Navigation-Pane.jpg?resize=660%2C1102&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\nWhen you turn it on, a panel will open on the left side of your document showing you a dynamic table of contents for the document. You can click on any heading in the list, and Word will immediately take you to that part of the document. That\u2019s pretty nice.<\/p>\n
An unexpected bonus<\/strong>: You can also reorganize your document with the Navigation Pane. Want Section 4 to move above Section 3? Just drag and drop it in the Navigation Pane, and the entire section \u2014 text and all \u2014 will move to the new location. <\/p>\nAlso, if you used automatic numbering, the document will immediately renumber itself to reflect its new order. Awesome.<\/p>\n
Also to note: At the top of the Navigation Pane, you\u2019ll find a search box that lets you find (and navigate to) any word or phrase in the document.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
I use the Navigation Pane so often that I added it to my Quick Access Toolbar so I can quickly turn it on in any document.<\/p>\n
Is your Navigation Pane empty?<\/h3>\n
That\u2019s probably because you didn\u2019t use Microsoft\u2019s Styles<\/a> to format your document\u2019s headings. Word builds the Navigation Pane with Heading styles. If you just formatted your headings with direct formatting \u2026 well, now you have another reason to do it properly using styles.<\/p>\nSpeaking of Word Styles, Our Second Tip \u2026<\/h2>\n
The Styles Gallery is on the Word ribbon because that\u2019s how Microsoft thinks you\u2019ll work with styles. But there\u2019s a much better way. At the bottom right corner of the Styles Gallery, there\u2019s an almost imperceptible button that most people never notice. Microsoft calls those little buttons \u201cDialog Launchers.\u201d <\/p>\n
When you click the launcher in the Styles Gallery, something almost magical happens.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-1-770x125.png?resize=770%2C125&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Styles pane opens that gives you immediate access to your styles in a much easier way. By default, the pane is floating over your document, and you can drag it or resize it as you like.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Microsoft](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Microsoft-Word-Style-Pane.jpg?resize=875%2C1333&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\nI recommend dragging the pane over to the right side of the Word window. Then you\u2019ll find that when you get close to the edge, it will automatically \u201csnap\u201d to the side of the window.<\/p>\n
Now you can quickly apply or change styles in your document with just a flick of your mouse. And, you can quickly see which style is applied to the text you\u2019re working on right now (it\u2019s the one in the rectangle).<\/p>\n
Bonus tip<\/strong>: Find the checkbox near the bottom of the Styles pane that says \u201cShow Preview.\u201d Check it, and the Style names will be formatted with the same settings as the style itself. Not only is that nicer to look at, but it gives you a clearer idea of how the text should look after you apply a given style. <\/p>\nIf you want to do more advanced things with Styles, like manage which ones appear or save custom styles to your Normal template, buttons at the bottom of the Styles pane let you quickly do so.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
My Third Tip: Get \u2018Zoomy\u2019 With It<\/h2>\n
Do you know you don\u2019t have to squint at Word on your 36-inch monitor? The View tab has zoom controls that let you fit the text to whatever size you find most comfortable. So does the status bar at the bottom of the window, for that matter. <\/p>\n![\"Microsoft](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-3.png?resize=421%2C156&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIn fact, when I use Word, I have my ribbon collapsed, the Navigation pane (see Tip No. 1) and Styles pane (see Tip No. 2) turned on, and my zoom level set to \u201cPage Width.\u201d That zooms the text in so that it perfectly fits the screen between the two powerful panes on the sides. It\u2019s 20% to 45% larger, comfortable to read, and pleasant to work with.<\/p>\n
Take a Few Clicks to Make Word Work for Your Law Practice<\/h2>\n
You can do a lot to customize how Word looks and feels. You can change things about the layout, turn off things you don\u2019t use and even change the colors. Don\u2019t resign yourself to living with the default experience when, with just a few clicks, you can make it a much more powerful and enjoyable tool.<\/p>\n
\nAbout Affinity Consulting Group<\/h2>\n
Affinity Consulting Group inspires, enables and empowers legal teams of all sizes to work smarter, from anywhere. The company\u2019s holistic approach incorporates people, process and technology. Affinity\u2019s passionate, well-connected industry experts work hand in hand with you to help you better understand and optimize your business \u2014 from software to growth strategy, and everything in between.<\/p>\n
\nMore Microsoft Word Tips for Lawyers<\/h2>\n\n- Build Your Own Copilot Legal Assistant \u2014 No Tech Skills Required<\/a><\/li>\n
- Microsoft Bookings for Lawyers: Make a Date With Personal Booking Pages<\/a><\/li>\n
- 6 Ways Microsoft Word Speech-to-Text AI Can Help You Write Faster and Better<\/a><\/li>\n
- Templates to Create Model Documents That Save Your Law Firm Tons of Time<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to Master Page Numbers in MS Word<\/a><\/li>\n
- 6 Ways Microsoft Word Speech-to-Text AI Can Help You Write Faster and Better<\/a><\/li>\n
- Using Microsoft Word Templates to Create Model Documents That Save Your Law Firm Tons of Time<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to Master Paragraph Numbering in Word for Multilevel Lists on Mac<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to Use Microsoft Word Section Breaks to Change Margins, Page Orientation and More in the Middle of a Document<\/a><\/li>\n
- Take Your Practice to the Next Level With Document Automation Tools<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to Master Page Numbers in MS Word<\/a><\/li>\n
- 10 Easy Ways for Setting Word to Make Microsoft Word Less Annoying<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nOffice 365 Training Manuals for Lawyers<\/h2>\n
Check out Affinity Consulting Group<\/a>\u2019s \u201cExcel for Legal Professionals,\u201d \u201cOutlook for Legal Professionals\u201d and \u201cPowerPoint for Legal Professionals.\u201d Each manual zeros in on your practice\u2019s needs with in-depth instructions from Affinity experts on getting the most out of your tech.<\/p>\nFeatured Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com M<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tech Tips: Ben Schorr has three quick tips to help make Microsoft Word work better for you, especially on long documents. The post Microsoft Word Tips for Lawyers: Three Ways to Make Word Work Better appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms and Lawyers. Microsoft Word tips for lawyers who spend time […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-152690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal_matters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152690\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Microsoft Word Tips for Lawyers<\/h2>\n
These days in legal tech, it\u2019s hard to get a word in (pun intended), unless it\u2019s about AI. But the fact is, you\u2019re probably still spending a lot of time every day in the tried-and-trusted tools you\u2019ve been using for years. Especially Microsoft Word. Let me give you three quick tips to help make Word work better for you, especially on long documents.<\/p>\n
First Up: Word\u2019s Navigation Pane<\/h2>\n
If you\u2019ve got a big document, getting from place to place in that document can be a challenge. The Navigation Pane is your solution. You\u2019ll find it on the View tab of the ribbon.<\/p>\n
<\/figure>\nWhen you turn it on, a panel will open on the left side of your document showing you a dynamic table of contents for the document. You can click on any heading in the list, and Word will immediately take you to that part of the document. That\u2019s pretty nice.<\/p>\n
An unexpected bonus<\/strong>: You can also reorganize your document with the Navigation Pane. Want Section 4 to move above Section 3? Just drag and drop it in the Navigation Pane, and the entire section \u2014 text and all \u2014 will move to the new location. <\/p>\n Also, if you used automatic numbering, the document will immediately renumber itself to reflect its new order. Awesome.<\/p>\n Also to note: At the top of the Navigation Pane, you\u2019ll find a search box that lets you find (and navigate to) any word or phrase in the document.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I use the Navigation Pane so often that I added it to my Quick Access Toolbar so I can quickly turn it on in any document.<\/p>\n That\u2019s probably because you didn\u2019t use Microsoft\u2019s Styles<\/a> to format your document\u2019s headings. Word builds the Navigation Pane with Heading styles. If you just formatted your headings with direct formatting \u2026 well, now you have another reason to do it properly using styles.<\/p>\n The Styles Gallery is on the Word ribbon because that\u2019s how Microsoft thinks you\u2019ll work with styles. But there\u2019s a much better way. At the bottom right corner of the Styles Gallery, there\u2019s an almost imperceptible button that most people never notice. Microsoft calls those little buttons \u201cDialog Launchers.\u201d <\/p>\n When you click the launcher in the Styles Gallery, something almost magical happens.<\/p>\n A Styles pane opens that gives you immediate access to your styles in a much easier way. By default, the pane is floating over your document, and you can drag it or resize it as you like.<\/p>\n I recommend dragging the pane over to the right side of the Word window. Then you\u2019ll find that when you get close to the edge, it will automatically \u201csnap\u201d to the side of the window.<\/p>\n Now you can quickly apply or change styles in your document with just a flick of your mouse. And, you can quickly see which style is applied to the text you\u2019re working on right now (it\u2019s the one in the rectangle).<\/p>\n Bonus tip<\/strong>: Find the checkbox near the bottom of the Styles pane that says \u201cShow Preview.\u201d Check it, and the Style names will be formatted with the same settings as the style itself. Not only is that nicer to look at, but it gives you a clearer idea of how the text should look after you apply a given style. <\/p>\n If you want to do more advanced things with Styles, like manage which ones appear or save custom styles to your Normal template, buttons at the bottom of the Styles pane let you quickly do so.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Do you know you don\u2019t have to squint at Word on your 36-inch monitor? The View tab has zoom controls that let you fit the text to whatever size you find most comfortable. So does the status bar at the bottom of the window, for that matter. <\/p>\n In fact, when I use Word, I have my ribbon collapsed, the Navigation pane (see Tip No. 1) and Styles pane (see Tip No. 2) turned on, and my zoom level set to \u201cPage Width.\u201d That zooms the text in so that it perfectly fits the screen between the two powerful panes on the sides. It\u2019s 20% to 45% larger, comfortable to read, and pleasant to work with.<\/p>\n You can do a lot to customize how Word looks and feels. You can change things about the layout, turn off things you don\u2019t use and even change the colors. Don\u2019t resign yourself to living with the default experience when, with just a few clicks, you can make it a much more powerful and enjoyable tool.<\/p>\n Affinity Consulting Group inspires, enables and empowers legal teams of all sizes to work smarter, from anywhere. The company\u2019s holistic approach incorporates people, process and technology. Affinity\u2019s passionate, well-connected industry experts work hand in hand with you to help you better understand and optimize your business \u2014 from software to growth strategy, and everything in between.<\/p>\n Check out Affinity Consulting Group<\/a>\u2019s \u201cExcel for Legal Professionals,\u201d \u201cOutlook for Legal Professionals\u201d and \u201cPowerPoint for Legal Professionals.\u201d Each manual zeros in on your practice\u2019s needs with in-depth instructions from Affinity experts on getting the most out of your tech.<\/p>\n Featured Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com M<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tech Tips: Ben Schorr has three quick tips to help make Microsoft Word work better for you, especially on long documents. The post Microsoft Word Tips for Lawyers: Three Ways to Make Word Work Better appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms and Lawyers. Microsoft Word tips for lawyers who spend time […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-152690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal_matters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152690\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Is your Navigation Pane empty?<\/h3>\n
Speaking of Word Styles, Our Second Tip \u2026<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\nMy Third Tip: Get \u2018Zoomy\u2019 With It<\/h2>\n
Take a Few Clicks to Make Word Work for Your Law Practice<\/h2>\n
\nAbout Affinity Consulting Group<\/h2>\n
\nMore Microsoft Word Tips for Lawyers<\/h2>\n
\n
\nOffice 365 Training Manuals for Lawyers<\/h2>\n