Closing a Document and Creating a New One

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 28, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365

When Glenn is done working with a document in Word, he often wants to close it and open a brand-new blank document. These are obviously two separate steps (close the open document and then create a new document). Since Glenn does this so often, he's wondering if there is a way that he can combine the two steps into a single step.

An easy way to do this is to simply use keyboard shortcuts. To close the current document and then create a blank document, first press Ctrl+W followed by Ctrl+N. This can still be considered two steps, however. And, if you need to save the document first (by pressing Ctrl+S), then it is three steps.

If you truly want it to be a single step, then the best solution is to create a macro to do the tasks. Here's a simple example:

Sub MyCloseCreate()
    ActiveWindow.Close SaveChanges:=False
    Documents.Add DocumentType:=wdNewBlankDocument
End Sub

The first line in the document closes whatever document is active, and then the second creates the brand-new document. Note the use of the SaveChanges parameter on the first line. This causes Word to close the document without saving any changes; if you want to save your changes by default, change the "False" to "True."

You should save the macro in your Normal template and then you can assign it to a shortcut key or add it to your Quick Access Toolbar. That way you can perform both steps with a single action.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the WordTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13006) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365.

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. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Adding Tabs at the Beginning of a Line

Press a tab at the beginning of a paragraph, and Word normally assumes you want to indent the paragraph. If you don't ...

Discover More

Determining a Random Value

Random values are often needed when working with certain types of data. When you need to generate a random value in a ...

Discover More

Quickly Transposing Cells

If you want to turn a range of cells by 90 degrees within a worksheet, you need to understand how Excel can handle the ...

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)

Changing the Default Document Format

f you don't want Word to store documents using its default document format, it is an easy task to specify a different ...

Discover More

Read-Only Embedded Fonts

If you receive a document from somebody else, you might not be able to edit it if the document contains fonts that you ...

Discover More

Setting a Default Document Format

Word allows you to save your documents in a variety of different formats. You can specify the format when you actually ...

Discover More

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.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is 0 + 7?

2023-01-28 05:10:48

KENT HANSEN

A special case that I have is closing a document and reopening the SAME document 4 times a day. (Document has a number of links that may opened and then processed via another macro).
Lots of code choices on the internet. I use the one below. (One QAT click vs File|Close|Don'tSave|File|Open|Select)

Sub Reopen()
'UpdatebyExtendoffice20171128
ThisWorkbook.Saved = True
ThisWorkbook.ChangeFileAccess xlReadOnly, , False
Application.Wait Now + TimeValue("00:00:01")
ThisWorkbook.ChangeFileAccess xlReadWrite, , True
End Sub

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.