Saving Portions of Files

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 11, 2017)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Some word processing programs contain an option that allows you to save a selected portion of a document to a new document automatically. Word does not, unfortunately, allow you to do this. You can, however, use a couple of workarounds. The first quick workaround is as follows:

  1. Highlight the text you want to save to a new file.
  2. Copy it to the Clipboard by pressing Ctrl+C.
  3. Click on the New button on the toolbar. This opens a new Word document.
  4. Press Ctrl+V. This pastes the text into the new document

At this point you can do anything with the new document you desire. The following method of dealing with this problem is also a unique way to approach the situation:

  1. Highlight the text you want to save to a new file.
  2. Copy it to the Clipboard by pressing Ctrl+C.
  3. Minimize Word.
  4. Right-click on the desktop. This displays a Context menu.
  5. Choose Paste from the Context menu. This causes a scrap to appear on the desktop.
  6. Double-click on the desktop scrap. Word opens a new document containing the scrap.

At this point you can save the new document under any name you want.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1177) 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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Reference to a Range of Endnotes

When multiple endnote references are used at a given point in your document, you may wonder if there is a way to compress ...

Discover More

Endnotes by Chapter

Word allows you to easily add endnotes to your document. It even allows you to specify where those endnotes should appear ...

Discover More

Formatting for Hundredths of Seconds

When you display a time in a cell, Excel normally displays just the hours, minutes, and seconds. If you want to display ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (menu)

Document Size Changes

When you last upgraded Word, did you notice a change in the size of your document files?

Discover More

Changing Information in Multiple Documents

If you need to change text in many documents at the same time, Word isn't the best tool to use. Here's some ideas on ways ...

Discover More

Opening Only a Merge Document

After merging the information from a data source into a document, you may decide that you only want to open the merge ...

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 8 + 1?

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.

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.