Introduction
Table of Contents
Today we’ll explain how to create a certificate in word! Certificates aren’t just pieces of paper! They’re the most recent way to recognize success, celebrate achievements, and make people’s days brighter. Whether you’re awarding students who achieved extraordinary marks on their grades, honoring hardworking employees, or commemorating unforgettable moments, certificate templates created with Microsoft word are always good to go!
In this ultimate guide, we will be explaining how you can use Microosft Word to create certificate templates. We’ll also explain why you should send certificates & microcredentials to people attending to you rcourses/events or firms. We’ll also show you how to get the most from Microsoft Word’s enchanting tools to create certificates that don’t just impress but charm.
Microsoft Word provides ready-made certificate templates that you can easily access and use within seconds. Here’s how:
- Open a new document in Microsoft Word.
- In the search bar, type “certificate.”
- Browse through the available templates and choose the one that suits your needs.
- Customize the selected template with your organization’s information and the details of the recipients.
If you need certificate templates, here are some of our blogs where we pass on free templates!
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However, if you would like to learn how to create a certificate in word from scratch, here is how to do it!
How to Create a Certificate in Word [using pre-made Word templates]
We will be using Microsoft Word’s pre made certificate template to create our certificates. This is way easier than creating it from scratch, which we will also show you on the next section in case you prefer to do it that way!
1 – Open Microsoft Word, and pick your template
Open Microsoft Word. Under Create new, don’t press blank document. To create a certificate using Microsoft Word, follow these steps:
- Launch Microsoft Word from your Desktop or the taskbar. If you don’t see a blank document, click on “File,” and from the side menu, select “New” on the Home tab to open a new document.
- In the Search box on the New screen, type “certificate” and press Enter. This will display a selection of certificate templates for you to choose from, or it may direct you to Microsoft’s own website to choose the template.
2 – Press customize in word
After selecting the template you want to use, click on it. This will open another page. Press “Customize in Word” to transfer your chosen template to your Word document.
3 – Customize your Template
You can now start customizing your selected template. Go to the Design tab on the top menu, and under Page Borders, click on Page Border.
If you can’t find your preferred border, click on Custom under Setting, and choose your favorite border design. Then, click OK to apply it.
If your organization has specific brand colors, it’s a good idea to use them on your certificates. To do this, under the Design tab, select the Colors option.
Hover over a theme that matches your brand colors, and choose it. Save your changes. This will automatically update the default colors on your certificate template to match your chosen theme.
4 – Customize texts
Update the certificate title by clicking inside the title box.
In the Home tab, you’ll find the current font style and size. Click on the font name to see a drop-down menu. Scroll down and select your favorite font. You can also change the font size if you want.
Add your desired text, like “Certificate of appreciacion” or “Certificate of Achievement.” Include a message that highlights the recipient’s achievements and more.
Repeat these steps for the rest of the content on your template.
Now, you know how to create a certificate in word, go ahead and start designing now!
How to Create a Certificate in Word [without using pre-made Word templates]
We’ll guide you through creating a Word certificate step by step. You can perfectly make your certificate template in Word, but we want to ensure you that the process may take a little time.
1 – Open blank paper in Microsoft Word
Open Microsoft Word.
Select a blank document, and you’ll see a blank sheet on your screen.
If you want a vertical certificate, you’re ready to go. For a horizontal one, go to the layout tab and choose orientation > landscape.
2 – Choose and add borders
To add a border to your certificate in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:
- Select the “Design” tab in Microsoft Word.
- Click on “Page Borders.”
- A window will appear, choose the style, thickness, and color of your border.
- After making your selections, click “OK” to insert the border onto your certificate.
3 – Add text boxes for certificate content
To create a certificate text with various elements like title, message, participant name, date, and signature, follow these steps:
- Under the “Insert” tab in the main menu of Microsoft Word, click on “Text Box.”
- Choose “Simple Text Box.”
- Begin adding text boxes to your blank canvas.
- Customize the content within the text boxes using your preferred font styles, sizes, colors, and other formatting options.
- Once your certificate design is complete, save it and preview it.
- When you’re satisfied with the design, download the file to print your certificate.
Hurray! Now you know how to create a certificate in word, without using pre-made templates. Now lets hop into some additional information on these Word certificates!
Additional Information
How to Save and Use Your Certificate Template?
To save the template, go to the ‘File’ tab and click on ‘Save As’. Pick the folder or location where you want to save the certificate template, give it a name, and hit ‘Save’.
To check how the certificate looks before printing, click on the ‘Print’ menu and select ‘Print Preview’. This preview helps prevent mistakes like printing a participant’s certificate twice. When everything looks good, print your certificates.
Why use Microsoft Word templates?
Using Microsoft Word templates is among the fastest methods to generate certificates for various occasions. It’s cost-free, adaptable, and provides numerous ready-made templates to choose from.
In summary, Microsoft Word templates are a practical and versatile choice for creating certificates due to their ease of use, customization options, and cost-effectiveness.
Some Tips and Tricks
We got you covered! As we progress through the article, we have taught how to create a certificate in word. We covered both two different methods you can use. Now, we’ll mention some of the best tips we can suggest to you when creating certificate templates.
- Incorporate Your Organization’s Logo: This is critical for branding purposes. Adding your organization’s logo to your certificates enhance their authority. This may sound like a subtle touch, but it creates credibility and promotes your brand at the same time.
- Personalize with Attendee Photos: While not suitable for all professional certificates, consider adding attendee pictures for a personalized touch. This works well for more casual certificates and helps recipients connect on a more personal level.
- Perfect Formatting: The design matters, and formatting is an important part of it! Before printing, review the template a few tmes, maybe ask a friend or college to comment on it. Stuff like font alignment, size consistency, and overall visual appeal seems like little details, but its important for an overall formal look.
- Comprehensive Checklist: Creating a checklist of essential components for your certificates make sense. You should include participant names, company logos, dates, signatures, and other relevant details. You should also customize this checklist based on the specific type of certificate you’re designing.
Considerations Before Creating Certificate Templates in Microsoft Word
As we mentioned some tips and tricks on how to design the template, now let’s carefully dive into what you must think before creating the certificate, and remember, now you can brag your friends that you know how to create a certificate in word with no ease 😉
- Define Your Goal: Determine your primary objective for creating the certificate. Are you providing certificates to validate skills acquired through a course, or are you issuing membership certificates for a webinar? Your goal must all,gn with the certificate design.
- Creativity and Flexibility: Understand that Microsoft Word, while user-friendly, may not offer advanced features tailored for certificate creation. You’ll need creativity and determination to work within its limitations and craft appealing certificates.
- Time Allocation: While we mentioned two methods, if you work with templates than you’ll be able to produce faster. However, designing and issuing certificates in Microsoft Word may consume some time tif you’re not using templates. Keep in mind that time is valuable, so consider the type of certificate you’re creating and the available design elements accordingly.
- Diverse Certificate Types: Depending on the certificate type (e.g., gift certificates, certificates of achievement, completion, or awards), your design approach, elements used, and time investment may vary. Be mindful of these differences and plan accordingly.
By following these tips and considering these factors, you can effectively use Microsoft Word to create impressive certificates that align with your goals and requirements, all while making the most of the available features and resources.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this guide has provided comprehensive instructions on how to create a certificate in Word, both using pre-made templates and starting from scratch. Whether you choose to utilize pre-made templates for convenience or create custom certificates, Microsoft Word offers a versatile platform for designing certificates to recognize achievements, celebrate successes, and enhance branding.
Overall, Microsoft Word’s capabilities, when combined with creative design and careful planning, enable you to craft appealing and meaningful certificates for various occasions and purposes.
