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To make a reusable Word template, prepare a document with the layout and content you want to reuse, then save it as a template file: use File > Save As on Windows desktop or File > Save as Template on Mac. Choose .dotx for a standard template or .dotm if it contains macros. When you create a document from the template, Word makes a separate working copy, leaving the template available for next time.
Choose the right template format
A template is a reusable starting point for a particular kind of document, such as a report, letter, or form. Save it in Word’s template format rather than as a regular .docx if you want to select it when starting future documents. Microsoft lists .dotx for standard templates and .dotm for templates that contain macros; Windows guidance also lists the legacy .dot format. See Microsoft’s template-saving guidance and cross-platform template instructions.
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- No macros: choose Word Template (
.dotx). - Macros included: choose Word Macro-Enabled Template (
.dotm).
Create and save a template in Word for Windows
- Open the document you want to reuse. It can be a document you created, downloaded, or adapted from a Microsoft template.
- Select File > Save As.
- Enter a filename, then choose Word Template for a standard template. If the document includes macros, choose Word Macro-Enabled Template.
- Save the file. Word uses the Custom Office Templates folder by default.
To create a document from the saved template, select File > New > Personal and choose the template. Depending on your Word version, the tab may be labeled Custom.
Create and save a template in Word for Mac
- Open the document you want to use as your starting point.
- Choose File > Save as Template.
- Enter a name. You can choose a location in Where if you do not want the default.
- Select Microsoft Word template (.dotx) for a standard template or Microsoft Word Macro-Enabled template (.dotm) if it contains macros, then select Save.
Unless you choose another location, Microsoft lists the default as /Users/username/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Templates. To change where Word automatically saves templates, go to Word > Preferences > Personal Settings > File Locations, select User templates, and choose Modify. To start a document from one, choose File > New from Template. Details are in Microsoft’s Create a template article.
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Use or revise the template without overwriting it
When you create a document from a template, Word opens a copy. Save your work as a regular document—typically .docx, or .docm if the document contains macros—and the template stays separate. To change what future documents inherit, open the template file itself, edit it, and save it. Microsoft explains this distinction in its Save a Word document as a template and Create a template instructions.
Fix a template that does not appear in Word
If a custom template saved in an older Office version is missing from the Personal tab in Microsoft 365, Microsoft says older custom templates may not appear there by default. On Windows, locate the templates folder by entering %appdata%MicrosoftTemplates in File Explorer. Then in Word, open File > Options > Save and enter that folder address in Default personal templates location. See Microsoft’s custom-template visibility steps.
Custom template or Normal.dotm?
Use a named .dotx or .dotm template for a repeatable document type. Use Normal.dotm when you want to change defaults for future blank documents. Microsoft says Normal.dotm contains Word’s default styles and customizations, and changes saved there affect documents created in the future. See Microsoft’s instructions for changing new-document defaults.
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Add reusable fields or save only a visual theme
For a template that people fill in, Word supports content controls such as rich-text fields, pictures, drop-down lists, and date pickers. Template editing can also include instructional text, building blocks, and protection options; these are enhancements, not requirements for saving a basic template. See Microsoft’s template editing guidance.
If you only need to reuse colors, fonts, and other visual design elements—not a document structure with reusable content—save a theme instead. In Word for Mac, choose Design > Themes > Save Current Theme; reapply it from Themes > Custom. Microsoft documents this in Customize, save, and apply a theme in Word for Mac.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to know about Word for the web
Microsoft notes that its template-saving steps may differ in Word for the web. The desktop menu paths above should not be assumed to match the web app, and Microsoft’s cited guidance does not establish a complete web-specific workflow. Check the current web app interface for its available template options.
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