Microsoft Publisher

Quick Start Guide

Microsoft Publisher 2013 looks different from previous versions, so we created this guide to help you minimize the learning curve.

Use the ribbon

A wide band called the ribbon spans the top of the publication window. Each tab on the ribbon has different buttons and commands organize into groups.

When you open a publication in Publisher 2013, the Home tab displays the most frequently used Publisher tasks and commands.

Hide or display the ribbon

You can give yourself more room on the screen by hiding the ribbon. Select the small arrow to the far right of the ribbon. To display the ribbon again later, select the tab title, and then select the pin icon that appears in place of the arrow.

Start with a template

Every publication can begin from the new visual templates gallery. Choose from a blank publication or from one of the appealing new publication templates.

While working in Publisher 2013, you can display the templates gallery again at any time by selecting File > New.

Things you might be looking for

Use the list below to find some of the more common tools and commands in Publisher 2013.

• To open, create, save, share, export, or print, select File and then look in the backstage view (select the commands in the left pane).
• To format painter, fonts and font formatting, paragraph formatting, alignment, select Home and then look in Clipboard, Font, Paragraph, and Page Background groups.
• To insert text boxes, pictures, tables, shapes, select Insert and then look in the Tables, Illustrations, and Text groups.
• To change templates, margins, orientation, or page size; set up layout guides; apply schemes, find a Master Page, select Page Design and then look in the Template, Page Setup, Layout, Schemes, and Page Background groups.
• To mail and email merge, select Mailings and then look in the Start, Write & Insert Fields, Preview Results, and Finish groups.
• To check spelling, do online research, translate text, set language, select Review and then look in the Proofing and Language groups.
• To Normal/Master Page view, layout view; show guides, rulers, graphics manager, select View and then look in the Views, Layout, and Show groups.

Add pictures

Publisher 2013 lets you easily insert pictures from anywhere -- whether they're on your computer, in the Office.com clip art gallery, or in another web location.

When you insert several pictures at one time, Publisher 2013 puts them in a column in the scratch area. From the scratch area you can drag a picture onto the publication page and drag it off again, or swap the picture for another if you don't like the way it looks.

Swap pictures

You can easily swap one picture in your layout with another, no matter if they're both on the same page or one is in the scratch area.

Select the first picture and then drag the mountain icon that appears to the second picture when you see the pink highlighted border around the picture, release the mouse button.

Add picture effects

Publisher 2013 offers several new picture effects. You can apply shadows, glows, soft edges, reflections, bevels, and 3-D rotations to your pictures.

To apply the effect you want, select the picture and then select Picture Effects on the Picture Tools - Format tab.

Add text effects

The new text effects in Publisher let you add visual appeal to your publications. Choose from shadows, glows, reflections, and bevels.

To apply the effect you want, select the text, and then select Text Effects on the Text Box Tools - Format tab.

Use pictures as page backgrounds

Your pictures can make stunning publication backgrounds. Right-click a picture, choose Apply to Background, and then either choose Fill so the picture fills the entire page, or choose Tile to add multiple copies of the picture to the background.

Photo center printing

Online photo printing has never been as convenient as with the built-in Pack and Go options in Publisher 2013.

You can now save your publications specifically for photo printing. Each page of your publication is exported as a JPEG picture, which you can then upload to a photo center web site for printing.