Page formatting in MS Word refers to the settings and layout adjustments applied to the pages of a document.

This includes aspects like:

  1. Paper Size
  2. Orientation
  3. Margins
  4. Headers and Footers etc.


Setting Page Size:

People normally print on standard Letter-sized paper, but Word can also print on other paper sizes, such as Legal-sized and other custom-sized paper. This means that you can use Word not only to print letters, but also postcards, tickets, flyers, and any other documents that use a non-standard paper size.


Steps to set page size include: -

  1. Click the Page Layout tab on the Ribbon and click the Size button in the Page Setup group. A list of common page sizes appears.
  2. Select the page size you want to use. The document on the screen adjusts to the selected size.

If the size you want to use doesn’t appear in the list, select More Paper Sizes. The Paper tab of the Page Setup dialog box appears, where there are more page size options, and where you can enter a custom paper size if you wish.


Page Orientation:

Every document you print uses one of two different types of page orientations: Portrait and Landscape.


Steps to set page orientation include: -

1. Click the Page Layout tab on the Ribbon and click the Orientation button in the Page Setup group.

A list of two options appears:

  1. Portrait: In Portrait orientation, the paper is taller than it is wide—like a portrait painting.
  2. Landscape: In Landscape orientation, the paper is wider than it is tall—like a landscape painting.

2. Select the page orientation you want to use. The page layout is changed accordingly.


Other Ways to Change Page Orientation include:

Click the Dialog Box Launcher in the Page Setup Group. On the Margins tab, click the orientation you want to use.


Page Margins:

A margin is the empty space between a document’s contents and the edges of the page. Word’s default margins are 1inch on each side of the page, but you can easily change the margins to accommodate the needs of your document.


Steps to set page margins include: -

  1. Click the Page Layout tab on the Ribbon and click the Margins button in the Page Setup group. A list of common page margins appears.
  2. Select a margin setting.
  3. Click OK. The margin setting is applied to the document.


Other Ways to Adjust Margins include:

Click the Margins button in the Page Setup group and select Custom Margins. Then change the document’s margins on the Margins tab of the Page Setup dialog box.

Alternatively, click and drag the Left Margin, Right Margin, Top Margin, or Bottom Margin line on the ruler.


Setting Header and Footer:

A header is a section at the top margin of a document page, and a footer is a section at the bottom margin. Headers and footers are used to display consistent information like page numbers, document titles, dates, or author names on every page, ensuring uniformity and organization in documents. 


Steps to set header and footer include: -

  1. Go to Insert Tab.
  2. Click on Header or Footer, in ‘Header and Footer’ Section.
  3. Choose a style or Select ‘Edit Header/Footer.’
  4. After editing, close the Header/Footer Pane.

Alternatively,

You can access and edit them by double-clicking in the header or footer area.


Inserting Page Number and Date:


Steps to inset page number include: -

  1. Go to the insert tab.
  2. Click Page Number in the Header and Footer Section.
  3. Choose your preferred location (top, bottom, or margin) and style.

Word automatically numbers all the pages, and you can customize the format, starting page, and whether the first page has a number by using the Format options.


Steps to insert date include: -

  1. Go to the Insert Tab.
  2. Click Date and Time in the Text Group.
  3. In the dialog box, select your desired date format and check update automatically if you want it to change.
  4. Click OK.

Alternatively,

use the keyboard shortcut Alt + Shift + D to insert the current date.


Page Break:

Steps to insert page break include: -

  1. Go to insert tab.
  2. Click on Page Break in the Pages Section.

Alternatively,

You can use shortcut key: Ctrl+Enter.


Text Alignment and Indentation:

You can align and indent paragraphs using the Home Tab’s Paragraph group, which offers options for left, centre, right, and justify alignment, and the ability to set different indentation levels for a paragraph.

Alternatively, you can use keyboard shortcuts such as: -

  1. Ctrl+L (Left)
  2. Ctrl+E (Centre)
  3. Ctrl+R (Right)
  4. Ctrl+J (Justify)


Setting Tabs:

To set a tab in Microsoft Word, use the ruler by clicking on it to set a tab stop, or open the Paragraph dialog box by clicking the launcher in the Home tab, then select Tabs. You can choose between different tab types (Left, Centre, Right, Decimal) and add leaders (like dots) to the tabs, which then apply to the currently selected paragraph.