Tip of the Week: Retrace Your Steps in Microsoft Word with Go Back

Have you ever been working in Microsoft Word and needed to go back and check an edit you made, but you didn’t remember what you did, or where in the document you did it? Going back and reviewing your edits in Word is easy using the little-known Go Back command.

To take advantage of this useful Go Back command in Word, you only need to remember one, simple keystroke: [Shift]+[F5].

Use Go Back to Find Where You Last Left Off
The Go Back command is handy in more ways than one. Go Back will save you time when opening up a rather large document that you regularly work on. As soon as you open your document, simply select [Shift]+[F5] and your cursor will automatically move to where you last left off. This will save you time from having to sift through the entire document in an effort to locate your last spot from memory.

Go Back is Different than Undo
One important thing to keep in mind is that Word’s Go Back command is different than its Undo command, [Ctrl]+[Z]. Whereas the Undo command can go as far back with the edits as your computer’s memory will allow, the Go Back command only goes as far back as four edits.

Another big difference between Undo and Go Back is how the two commands function. It’s important to remember that when you hit Undo, it will take you back to the previous edits and change your work accordingly (which we’re all extremely grateful for), and with Go Back, it will simply move the cursor to where your last edit was made.

Heavy users of Word will especially appreciate the differences between these two features, considering that you may find yourself in a situation where you need to take a few steps back in your document without actually changing your work.

The Go Back command is just one of the many features in Microsoft Word that is both helpful and overlooked. Will Go Back help you better navigate your Word document? What are your favorite Microsoft Office features that help you improve productivity? Share your thoughts with us in the comments and contact Computerware at (703) 821-8200 to learn about more ways that technology can improve the efficiency of your workplace.