How to Create a Poster in Microsoft Word

Today, Mytour will show you how to create a poster-sized document in Microsoft Word on both Windows and macOS. Before starting, make sure you have paper with the desired size and that your printer supports large-format printing. If printing at home is not possible (or preferred), you can send or take your file to a professional printing service.

Open Microsoft Word. If you haven't opened it yet, launch Microsoft Word from the Start menu (Windows) or the Applications folder (macOS). The app will open to a "New" page.

Click on the Blank Document option. This is the first choice in the list of new file types.

Click on the Layout or Page Layout tab. The tab name may vary depending on the version, but one of these options will always be at the top of the application.

Click on the Size button on the toolbar. This option is located near the top-left corner of the application. Different size options for the document will appear.

Select the size for your poster. Note: Home printers may not support large formats. To customize the size, click on More Paper Sizes at the bottom of the menu and choose the appropriate settings.

• If you need to print a large poster, you can create the file, save it to a USB drive, and take it to a professional print shop.
• The most common poster size supported by most home printers is 11x17 inches (279 x 432mm). You can find 279 x 432mm paper at any office supply store.

Choose the orientation for your poster. If you want to print the poster in landscape mode, click the Orientation menu under the Page Layout tab and select Landscape. If you're satisfied with the portrait (vertical) orientation, you can skip this step.

Create a title. Many posters feature a large header at the top. If you'd like to add a title, follow these steps:

• Click on the Insert tab at the top.
• Click on Text Box in the upper-right corner of Word.
• Select Simple Text Box to insert a text box.
• Type the text you want to display in large font on the poster.
• Highlight the title text.
• Click on the Home tab to access font options, and choose a readable font in a large size. You can also select a color if you want a colorful poster.
• Resize the text box by dragging its borders to your desired size. You can also move the text box by clicking and dragging it to another location.
• Alternatively, you can add a title by clicking on Word Art in the Insert tab and selecting a style. This is a quick way to create artistic text without setting font size and color. Search online for tutorials on how to create Word Art to learn more about this feature.

Insert graphics into your poster. If you have specific images or illustrations to include in your poster, click the Insert tab and select Pictures. To place the image below the title, simply drag the title text box above the image.

• You can also insert and customize shapes. To add a shape, click on the Insert tab and choose Shapes. Then select a shape and use your mouse to draw it where you want. You can add text to the shape by double-clicking it to activate the cursor.

Add regular text. To add text to your poster, insert another text box just like you did for the title using the Insert tab, then type in your content. Afterward, you can format the text with your desired font and orientation by returning to the Home tab.

• If you want to add text in multiple locations on the poster, insert separate text boxes for each block. This way, you can easily format each text area independently and move them around if needed.
• To change the direction of the text, click one of the orientation options in the "Paragraph" section of the Home tab.
• Learn more about wrapping text in a single line by using the Wrap Text option.
• See the article Change the Direction of Text in Microsoft Word for more tips on text orientation in your poster.

Save your completed poster. To do so, click the File menu in the top-left corner, choose Save As, and save the file in your desired location.

Print your poster. If you plan to print the poster at home, follow these steps:

• Load the correct size paper into the printer. Ensure that the paper matches the poster size you’ve set up.
• Click on the File menu in the top-left corner.
• Click on Print.
• Select the printer, adjust colors, and other settings as needed.
• Click Print to start printing your poster.

• To add a border around your poster, click the Design tab and select Page Borders.