Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 26, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
When you are working Outline view, Word displays only the headings you want displayed. You control this by selecting a heading level on the Outline toolbar. Word will only show those heading levels equal to or higher than the level you specify. You might, however, want to selectively condense headings or body text under specific headings. You do this in the following manner:
Word allows you to quickly condense or expand all the information under a heading by double-clicking your mouse on the minus sign or plus sign to the left of a heading. This assumes, of course, that the information under the heading had been previously expanded.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1868) 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: Condensing and Expanding Headings.
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