Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Creating a Document Clone.

Creating a Document Clone

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 2, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


2

There may be times when you want to make a copy of a Word document, without affecting the original document at all. Word 2000 through Word 2003 provide an easy way to do this. Simply follow these steps:

  1. Click on the Open tool, or choose Open from the File menu. 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 97 then you need to follow these steps, instead:

  1. Click on the Open tool, or choose Open from the File menu. Word displays the standard Open dialog box.
  2. Select the document file you want to make a copy of.
  3. Click on the Commands and Settings button, at the right side of the toolbar in the Open dialog box. Word displays a menu of choices.
  4. Choose the Open As Copy option. Word opens a copy of the document.

The document that is opened use the same file name, but Word attaches the phrase "Copy of" to it as a prefix. Thus, if the original document you selected in step 2 is named "My Document.doc," what Word creates is a document named "Copy of My Document.doc." 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 (1086) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) 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

Changing a Toolbar Button Image

Excel allows you to modify virtually all aspects of its user interface. One of the things you can change is the images ...

Discover More

Setting Up Multi-page Columns

Do you need a page layout that features columns that progress vertically across pages instead of horizontally across a ...

Discover More

Empty Cells Triggers Error

By default, Excel provides some feedback on your formulas so that you can easily locate potential errors. If you get ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More WordTips (menu)

Combining Word Documents

At some point you may want to insert one Word document inside another Word document. An easy way to do this is to use the ...

Discover More

Inserting Only Part of a File

You can easily insert one document within another document. What you may not know is that you can limit which part of a ...

Discover More

Saving in MS-DOS Text Mode

Over the years Microsoft has made changes in Word. One change is to the import and export filters provided with the ...

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 five more than 0?

2024-03-04 06:27:30

Paul Hanson

Lots of ways to do it so yes, you could use Save as. I tend to have Windows Explorer open to the directory I am wanting to create the copy in so, in WE, I select the file, right-click, select copy, right-click, select paste.


2024-03-03 10:43:17

Joel Hornstein

Instead of open a copy, couldn't you also use save as?


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.

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.