How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013

This article details how to insert icons, assign or change shortcuts with icons and how to use special icons . in Microsoft Word 2013 documents.

Microsoft Word provides hundreds of icons that are not on the keyboard for you to insert into the document. For example, you can insert decimals (½), degree symbol (°), pi (π), or currency symbols, such as pounds (£). There are many symbols and characters for each font set.

To insert an icon into a Word 2013 document, place the cursor where you want to insert the icon and press the 'Insert' tab on the Ribbon.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 1

Click the 'Symbol' button in the 'Symbols' section of the 'Insert' tab and select 'More Symbols'.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 2

In the 'Symbol' dialog box, select the font set with the icon you want to insert from the 'Font' drop-down list.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 3

You can group icons by selecting an option from the 'Subset' drop-down list.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 4

Select the icon to use by clicking on it and clicking 'Insert'.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 5

Note : The ' Symbol' dialog box does not close automatically when you insert an icon. This allows you to insert multiple icons at once. If you have finished inserting, click the 'Close' button .

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 6

The icons you just inserted into your Word document are listed in 'Recently used symbols' section , which is especially convenient when you want to insert an icon multiple times.

Microsoft Word assigns each icon a shortcut (shortcut). However, it is not easy to remember all these shortcuts. You can assign icons you often use easy-to-remember shortcuts.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 7

There are two ways to assign shortcuts to icons:

Method 1: Right-click a section title on any tab in the Ribbon and select 'Customize the Ribbon' from the menu that appears.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 8

On the 'Customize Ribbon' screen on the 'Word Options' dialog box, click the 'Customize' button near 'Keyboard shortcuts' under the list of commands on the left.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 9

On the 'Customize Keyboard' dialog box, scroll down to the bottom of the ' Categories' list and select 'Common Symbols'. Then, select the icon you want to assign the shortcut to the 'Common Symbols' list. Click on the edit box for 'Press new shortcut key' and enter the shortcut you want to assign. Click the 'Assign' button , so the shortcut has been added to the 'Current keys' box. Click 'Close' to close the dialog box.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 10

Click 'OK' on the Word Options dialog box to close.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 11

Method 2: You can also assign a shortcut to an icon from the 'Symbol' dialog box by clicking the 'Shortcut Key' button .

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 12

This gives you direct access to the ' Customize Keyboard' dialog box, where you can assign a shortcut to the selected icon in the above manner. For this way, the only icon in the 'Customize Keyboard' dialog box is the selected icon in the 'Symbol' dialog box .

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 13

When you have assigned the shortcut to the icon, click 'Close'.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 14

The " Symbol" dialog box also allows you to insert many other characters and symbols using the 'Special Characters' tab , such as dashes. To insert a special character, select the character you want to insert and click 'Insert'.

You can also assign or change shortcuts that come with special characters by using the 'Shortcut Key' button .

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 15

And assign the shortcut in the ' Customize Keyboard ' dialog box as described above.

How to use icons in Microsoft Word 2013 Picture 16