Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Creating a Document Clone.

Creating a Document Clone

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 16, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365


1

There may be times when you want to make a copy of a Word document, without affecting the original document at all. Word provides an easy way to do this; simply follow these steps if you are using Word 2007 or Word 2010:

  1. Press Ctrl+O. Word displays the standard Open dialog box.
  2. Select the document file you want to make a copy of.
  3. Click on the down-arrow at the right side of the Open button. Word displays a menu of choices.
  4. Choose the Open As Copy option. Word opens a copy of the document.

If you are using Word 2013 or a later version, follow these steps instead:

  1. Press Ctrl+O. Word displays Open options on the File tab of the ribbon.
  2. Click the source of where you want to find the document. (For the purposes of this example, click Computer or This PC [depending on which version of Word you are using]).
  3. Click Browse. Word displays the standard Open dialog box. (Depending on which version of Word you are using, you may have the option to click Browse in Step 2).
  4. Select the document file you want to make a copy of.
  5. Click on the down-arrow at the right side of the Open button. Word displays a menu of choices.
  6. Choose the Open as Copy option. Word opens a copy of the document.

The document that is opened uses the same file name, but Word attaches some sort of prefix to the file name, such as "Copy of" or "Copy (1)". Thus, if the original document you selected in step 2 is named "My Document.docx," what Word creates is a document named "Copy of My Document.docx" or "Copy (1)My Document.docx." If you want to rename the file, you will need to either use the Save As command or rename the document after closing it.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (7841) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Creating a Document Clone.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Underlining Text in Cells

Want a quick way to add some underlines to your cell values? It's easy using the shortcuts provided in this tip.

Discover More

Increasing the Size of the Draft Font

When looking at your document in Draft view, you may want Word to use a larger font than what it normally does. Here's ...

Discover More

Performing Integer Divisions

If you need to do a lot of work with whole numbers (integers), then you may wonder which of three functions you should ...

Discover More

The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Inserting a File

Need to combine several files into a single document? You can do it by inserting one file into another, as outlined in ...

Discover More

Using Seek In a Macro

When processing non-document text files in a macro, you have a wide range of commands available for your use. One of ...

Discover More

Removing All File Properties

Want to get rid of any properties you've created for a document? You can do so by using the short macro described in this ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 2 + 2?

2019-03-16 15:05:23

Allan

When I do step 3, "Click on the down-arrow at the right side of the Open button. Word displays a menu of choices." here is what I get--no menu. (see Figure 1 below)

Figure 1. 


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.