Microsoft Word on Mac: how do I close a window in Word while leaving Word open on the screen in order to open or create a new document?

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Level 1

4 points

Microsoft Word on Mac: how do I close a window in Word while leaving Word open on the screen in order to open or create a new document?

Using Microsoft Office 365 on a Mac mini. When I close a document, the whole program closes to the Dock, and I then have to reopen the program. How do I simply close a window/document such that the program remains open on the screen, allowing me to open or create a new document. I have tried Command + W and also Command + F4, but neither works. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Mac mini, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jun 10, 2023 2:15 PM

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Answer 1

Kurt Lang

Level 9

58,458 points

Jun 10, 2023 2:20 PM in response to Obiedo32

It shouldn't do that. When I close the last open document, Word is still open. Unless you click somewhere else after closing the last open document, Word should still be the foreground app name at the top left of the screen.

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Answer 2

Jun 10, 2023 2:45 PM in response to Obiedo32

MS Word continues to run with a Dock icon after you either File menu : Close, or click the red document titlebar icon to close the document in that manner. Unless you click on an existing other application window, or launch a different application, then the Word application remains on the menu bar where you can still File menu : New From Template… to create a new document.

Tested: Word 16.73 on macOS 13.4.

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Answer 3

Obiedo32 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 10, 2023 2:51 PM in response to Kurt Lang

I agree that it should not do that. But it does. All I do is go to FILE>CLOSE, and both the document window AND the Word program disappear. The Word app is still available on the dock, so I click on it, and I have to start over by finding a new document to open, or to create a new one. I do nothing else during the "close" process.

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Answer 4

Obiedo32 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 11, 2023 5:54 PM in response to Obiedo32

It worked as you described. Thank you kindly for your assistance. Funny I could not find that in any Word support site that I visited. Perhaps it is supposed to intuitive, but they weren’t counting on me, I guess.

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Answer 5

Kurt Lang

Level 9

58,458 points

Jun 11, 2023 6:07 PM in response to Obiedo32

Glad you got it sorted.

It is a bit confusing since it's the document window that has the ribbon. When you close the last one, there doesn't seem to be anything left. But if you haven't clicked anywhere else and you look to the top left of the screen, you'll see Word as the active foreground app next to the Apple logo.

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Answer 6

Kurt Lang

Level 9

58,458 points

Jun 10, 2023 4:33 PM in response to Obiedo32

That means Word didn't close, which is normal for most apps on a Mac. When you close the last open document, you should be able to go directly to Command+N to start a new doc.

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