Getting Help in Dialog Boxes

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 20, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

As is the same with most Windows programs, Word uses dialog boxes to present information and allow you to make changes to various settings. Sometimes the plethora of options in a dialog box can be rather confusing. If you need help on a particular option within a dialog box, then you can use a built-in feature of Windows. Examine the dialog box; in the upper-right corner you'll see some controls. The most common control is the Close button. In many dialog boxes there may also be a button with a question mark on it. If so, then you can click on the question mark and then click on the option for which you want information. Depending on your version of Word, you'll either see a small information box containing a limited amount of help for that option, or you may see a page from the online help system that contains information about the option.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (669) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

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

Protecting an Entire Folder of Workbooks

Want to protect the Excel information stored in a particular folder on your system? There are a number of ways you can ...

Discover More

Adding Addresses To a Set of Address Labels

Got a bunch of pages of labels and you need to insert a label into the middle of the bunch? This isn't easy to do in ...

Discover More

Limiting How Many Times a Worksheet Can Be Calculated

Excel, by default, recalculates your worksheets as you make changes in those worksheets. If you want to limit the number ...

Discover More

Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!

More WordTips (menu)

Keeping Word Open after Closing Documents

Usually when you are done working on a document, you want to close Word completely and move on to something else. There ...

Discover More

Permanently Getting Rid of 'My Pictures' and 'My Music'

Getting rid of unwanted folders in Windows.

Discover More

Notification when Caps Lock is Active

You're typing along, look up at your screen, and notice that everything is in ALL CAPS. Drat! You activated the Caps Lock ...

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 nine minus 5?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.