Don’t we all like a relaxed word search session? This activity has transcended from being a just-for-kids game to an all-age entertainment. If you are looking for DIY word searches, how do I make a word search online? This tutorial will take you through it all.
Making a word search on word online
Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can make a word search on word online.
- Go to wordonline.com and open a new Word document to work on. You can also go to onedrive or office.com to create a new document.
- Once you have the document, it helps list the words you want to add to your search. This can be done on the same document or separately. Having a list of words ready is helpful to navigate the size of the maze.
- Start by clicking on the Home tab. You have various options at the bottom
- From among them, click on Table. You will now have a grid-like structure. Move your mouse across the table to select the number of rows and columns you want to add.
- If you need more columns, rows, or both, you can go to the Insert Table option. Here, you can specify the number of rows and columns you require.
The table inserted will be like this. But this does not look quite like a word search grid.
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Customizing a table to form a word search grid
Follow the steps mentioned below to customize the table inserted in a way that looks like a word search grid.
- Start by typing a letter in the first block of the table. This will serve as a reference for the size of the cells.
- Select the letter you have put in.
- Go to the Home section and change the Font and Font size as desired
- Once you are satisfied with how the letter looks, you can move on to the next step.
As the word search grid is full of letters it is important to have uniformity, here is how to achieve it.
- Select the letter in the first cell.
- Click on Home and select the Format Painter option. By doing this, you will select all the formatting applied to the selected text.
- Now come back to the table > click on the first cell and drag the mouse through the table without releasing the click.
- The step above will ensure that the entire table is formatted similarly.
- Check the formatting by adding a random letter or two.
Check out this article on How to add fonts to word online?
Resizing a table to form a word search grid
Once you have the table in place and the first cell formatted, all you need to do is format the table to look more like a word search grid. Here is how it is done.
- Select the table by clicking on the + sign near the first cell.
- Once the table is selected, take your mouse to the first column line.
- The shape of the cursor will turn to a standing = sign
- Now click and move the line without lifting the click.
- Move the line enough to leave space between both sides of the letter
- Do the same for the bottom to form a square in the first cell.
- Now move the other column and row borders closer. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just closer together.
- You should have an uneven grid that looks somewhat like a square.
- While the table is still selected go to the Table Layout section
- Click on Distribute Columns
- Doing this will even out the space between the columns
- Repeat the process for the rows, but this time select Distribute Rows.
You should now have a perfect grid. Once the grid is done, you can start filling in the words to search.
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How to add words in a word search grid?
When it comes to adding words to a word search grid, follow the following steps.
- Start with arranging the words from the list you have already prepared.
- The words need to be arranged in one letter per box in any direction, from left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, or diagonal.
- Now, fill in the blank cells with random letters.
Note: It is a good idea to take a picture or save a copy before adding random letters.
Once you are done with creating the word search,h it should look something like this. You can then leave the gridlines or remove them if you choose to remove the gridlines here is how it is done.
- After the word search grid is complete, select the entire table.
- Go to Table Design
- Now click on the Border Selection section
- You can choose from the various border styles available or click on No Border to remove all the borders.
The final word search grid will look something like this. You can choose to download the document from one drive. If you are unsure about how to download a file, check out our tutorial article on How to save a Microsoft Word document online?
How do I make a word search online on my phone?
Making a word search on the phone is not as difficult as it sounds. Here is how you can do it on your Android device.
- Open a new document in Word online. You can do this by using the application or by logging in to the office online from the browser.
- You can now choose the editing options by tapig on the edit sign on the top right portion of the screen.
- The editing menu will open at the bottom of the screen
- Tap the Home key, and you will have an extended menu
- Choose Insert
- Under the insert tab, click on table.
- A default table will pop up on the screen.
- More rows and columns can be added to the table by selecting the Insert option in the Table menu.
To create a word search,the default table will need to be formatted. The following section takes you through the formatting process.
Before formatting the table,e it is important to list all the words you would like to add to the word search. This will give you a fair idea of the number of boxes required.
Read How to convert a word file to PDF for free online
Formatting a table on Android devices
Follow these steps to format tables on your Android device to make a word search grid.
- The first step towards formatting the table after adding the required rows and columns is adjusting the cell size. For this, select the Cell size option under Table.
- Once you select Cell Size, you will get an option to type in the desired size.
- The text alignment in the cells can be changed by selecting the Alignment option under the Table menu. For Word searches, it is better to have the text aligned in the center.
Once the table is ready, the desired cell size, alignment, and font size and type are in place. You are ready to add the data or the words to your word search.
Read How to set default font in word online
Adding words to a word search table on an Android device
When adding words in a worse search grid on the phone follow these steps. It is better to have a list of words you want to add to the grid ready beforehand.
- Start by typing one letter in each word per box. The words can be entered in almost any direction. Top to bottom, left to right, bottom to top, right to left, or across.
- Once all the words are entered, cross-check to ensure that all the words on your list are covered.
- Now, fill in the blank space with random letters to complete the grid.
- You can do this by going up and down the keyboard.
- Be careful not to put letters in boxes that are occupied.
- Select the entire table and align the text to the center if it’s not done already.
Most word search grids do not have gridlines. Here is how you can edit the table so you do not see gridlines running across the table.
- Select the entire table by clicking on the first cell and moving the blue tabs across the table.
- Go to the Table in your editing menu and select Table Styles.
- The Table Styles option will give you various options. You can choose one entirely free of gridlines or one with just the borders. You could also choose one that has different colors and shading options.
Once you add the words and format the table, you can save it to drive. This can then be either printed or sent out using the link.
Read How to sign a document in Word Online?
How to add a word search grid to word online on iOS device?
Follow these steps to create a word search grid on your iOS in Word online.
- Open a new document and select the edit option
- Now insert a Table from the insert section. Home > Insert > Table
- You can then add or subtract the number of rows and columns to fit the words you want to add.
- Format the table using the formatting tools
- You can now add the words to the table one letter a cell
- Fill in the blank cells with random letters
- Format the table to center align the content
- You can also remove the gridlines or add shading and colors to the table
Read How to insert a table of content in word online
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you do not want to go through the trouble of creating and editing a table, you can create the grid in Excel. Once you have everything on an Excel sheet, copy the content and paste it onto your Word online document.
To add a word search guide to a word online document on a Mac OS device, open the document > insert a table from the home tab > customize the table as per your requirements > add the letters corresponding to the words you want to include > finally, fill in all the remaining cells with random letters.
Yes, after creating a word search on Word online, you can either print it or share it using the link. To print, go to File > Print. You can also save the word search as a PDF using the print option to convert the document. You can print the file later if required.
Be sure to print the solved version of the word search, and do not forget to include the words to be searched on the same page.
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My name is Carissa Gudino and I am an expert in word online, using Word Online in my day-to-day tasks. In this blog, I will share with you tips and tutorials on how to use word online to its fullest potential. I work for various clients in various countries like the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, etc. My tutorials are designed to help beginners, as well as more experienced users, learn new tricks and tips on Microsoft word online. Check out more.