Word Panes and Contextual Tabs

As you use Word, you will encounter panes and contextual tabs. In this section, I introduce you to them.

Panes

Panes are boxes that contain options. Panes provide a convenient way to select options. Two popular panes are the Styles pane and the Navigation pane. Use the Styles pane to apply styles. Use the Navigation pane to move around your document quickly.

You can dock panes along the sides of the Word window. When you place your mouse pointer at the top of a pane, the mouse pointer turns into a four-sided arrow. When you see the four-sided arrow, use it to drag the pane to another location. If you drag the pane to the left or right edge of the Word window, it will lock—or dock—in place.

Contextual Tabs

In Microsoft Word, some tabs, called contextual tabs, only appear when you need them. For example, the tabs you need to modify a table only appear when your insertion point is located within a table.

How do I open the Styles pane?

Click the dialog box launcher in the Styles group. You can use the Styles pane to apply styles to your document.

How do I open the Navigation pane?

Click the View tab and then click Navigation Pane in the Show group. You can use the Navigation pane to move around your document quickly.