ID: Q100835
The information in this article applies to:
Version Date System Requirements
97 10/96 To use Word 97, you need:
- A personal or multimedia computer with a 486 or
higher processor.
- Microsoft Windows 95 operating system, Windows NT
Workstation 3.51 with Service Pack 5 or later, or
Windows NT Workstation 4.0 with Service Pack 2 or
later. (Word will not run on earlier versions of
Windows NT Workstation.)
- 8 MB memory for Windows 95 or 16 MB memory for
Windows NT. 8 MB of additional memory required to run
WordMail.
- 20-60 MB hard disk space required; 46 MB required for
typical installation, depending on configuration (use
the Office Upgrade Wizard during Setup to maximize
free disk space).
- CD-ROM drive.
- VGA or higher-resolution video adapter (Super VGA,
256-color recommended).
- Microsoft Mouse, Microsoft IntelliMouse, or
compatible pointing device.
Additional items or services
required to use certain features
--------------------------------
- 9600 or higher-baud modem (14,400 baud recommended).
- Multimedia computer required to access sound and
other multimedia effects.
- Microsoft Exchange Client or Microsoft Outlook
required to run WordMail. If you are using Microsoft
Exchange Server, Exchange Service Pack 3 is required.
- Internet functionality may require Internet access
and payment of a separate fee to a service provider.
Changes in Word 97
------------------
- Improved AutoCorrect.
- Improved AutoFormat As You Type.
- AutoComplete: Word can automatically offer
suggestions for the rest of the word or phrase you are
typing.
- An AutoSummarize feature to automatically summarize
the key points in a document.
- Automatic style creation and style preview.
- A Letter Wizard that can help you write a new letter
quickly and easily.
- An Office Assistant (replaces the Word 95 Answer
Wizard) that uses IntelliSense natural-language
technology.
- Check grammar as you type.
- Smart Spelling.
- Natural-language grammar checker.
- Spelling/grammar checking combination.
- Find (and replace) all word forms.
- New table tools: Draw Table, Eraser tool, Vertical
alignment, and In table row resizer.
- Over 150 new border styles to customize the look of
your documents.
- Page Borders: Lets you put a border around each page.
- Text Borders: Lets you apply borders to words or
characters within a paragraph.
- Text Shading: Lets you call out parts of your
document with shading within a paragraph.
- Office Art: Gives you many new drawing tools and
capabilities that can be easily accessed through the
new Drawing toolbar.
- "Float over text" gives you all the flexibility
required for easy placement of pictures and objects.
- Linked Text Boxes.
- Wrapping around irregular objects.
- Hyperlinks.
- The Web toolbar.
- Compressed graphics: Compress pictures or graphics in
documents automatically.
- Web Page Authoring features that include a Web Page
Wizard, Sounds, Videos, Pictures, Scrolling Text,
Bullets, Horizontal lines, HTML forms, and HTML tags.
- Web Authoring items available on the Microsoft Web
site.
- Enhanced Online Documents: Features include an Online
layout view, Document Map, Hyperlinks, Hyperlinked
Cross-References, Document Backgrounds, Animated Text,
Navigation Tools, and Microsoft IntelliMouse
compatibility.
- Enhanced WordMail features: Automatic creation of
hyperlinks, message authors in Document Map, Address
book information access for names in messages,
Automatic formatting of plain text WordMail messages,
and WordMail templates.
- Versioning to maintain a working history of your
document.
- Improved Document Merging.
- Improved Comments and ScreenTips.
- Reviewing Toolbar that provides quick access to all
common reviewing tools.
- Improved Multilingual Support.
7.0 11/95 To use Microsoft Word for Windows 95, you need the
following:
- An industry-standard computer with a 386DX or higher
processor.
- Microsoft Windows 95 operating system or Microsoft
Windows NT Workstation operating system version 3.51
or later (will not run on earlier versions of
Microsoft Windows).
- 6 MB of memory for use on Windows 95; 12 MB of memory
for use on Windows NT Workstation; additional memory
needed for WordMail.
- Hard disk space required: 8 MB for compact
installation; 16 MB for typical installation; 35 MB
for custom (maximum) installation.
- One 3.5-inch high-density disk drive.
- VGA or higher-resolution video adapter (SVGA 256-
color recommended).
- Microsoft Mouse or compatibility pointing device.
Optional items you can use with Word
------------------------------------
- Windows-compatible network.
- Microsoft Exchange client required to run WordMail on
Windows NT Workstation.
- Windows-compatible printer.
- 2400 or higher baud modem (9600 baud modem
recommended).
- Audio board with headphones or speakers.
Changes in Word version 7.0
---------------------------
- An Answer Wizard that provides step-by-step answers,
explanations, examples and a programming reference.
- Automatic borders that are added as you type.
- Automatic text correction that can replace text with
symbols, correct CAPS LOCK key errors, correct plural
and possessive words, and add words you don't want
Word to change.
- Automatic Headings that apply a Heading Style as you
type.
- Automatic numbering and bullets as you type.
- Automatic ordinal numbers and fractions.
- Easier document retrieval and management to open,
find, preview, manage, and to search for documents.
- More IntelliSense that will format text as you type,
find and replace word forms, check spelling and
correct text as you type.
- New Word templates.
- TipWizard that suggests better ways to complete your
tasks.
- Use Word as your e-mail editor.
6.0 10/27/93 The hard disk and memory requirements vary depending on
how Word is installed and how many Windows applications
you run simultaneously. The following are the minimum
requirements for installing and running Word:
- 286 or higher processor.
- Microsoft Windows graphical environment version 3.1
or later.
- One hard disk and a 1.2 MB or greater capacity floppy
disk drive.
- To install Word, you need at least 5 MB of space
available on your hard disk. To install the complete
Word package, you need at least 24 MB of disk space.
- 4 MB memory to run the WORD program.
- EGA or higher resolution monitor compatible
- A Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device is
recommended, but not required.
- A printer is optional.
Changes in Word version 6.0
---------------------------
- Wizards: An interactive Word feature that asks
questions and then uses your answers to automatically
lay out and format certain types of documents.
- An AutoCorrect feature that automatically corrects
common typing mistakes.
- An AutoFormat feature that formats a document by
applying styles to each paragraph in a document.
- Heading numbering that automatically updates when you
move, add, or delete a heading.
- Multiple level Undo and Redo.
- Drag and Drop text and graphics across windows and
applications.
- Use the Format Painter to copy the formatting and
then "paint" onto the text you want to format.
- Use Drop Caps to automatically add a dropped capital
letter to a paragraph.
- Save character formatting as a character style and
apply it in one step.
- Organizer feature that helps you to copy and manage
Styles, Macros, AutoText entries and Toolbars.
- Use the Help button to display all the formatting
information about selected text.
- Create newspaper-style columns of unequal width.
- Print preview can now show more than one page so you
can get an overview of your document.
- Use the Zoom control to display and edit multiple
pages in page layout view.
- Table Heading that can automatically repeat on each
page.
- A Mail Merge Helper that simplifies the creation of
form letters, envelopes and labels.
- Specialized Toolbars that you can use for tasks that
range from formatting to adding line drawings.
- ToolTips help you identify toolbar buttons by
displaying the name of the button when you point to
them.
- Context-sensitive shortcut menus and an improved
status bar.
- Full Screen View hides menus, toolbars, rulers, and
other elements to maximize the text area of your
screen.
- A drawing layer that will allow drawing objects to
appear behind or in front of text.
- Customize Word by adding top-level menus to the menu
bar, placing menu items in any order on a menu,
creating custom toolbars, and modifying default
toolbars.
- Master Documents that allow you to organize large and
complex documents which can contain many subdocuments.
- Send documents to reviewers through electronic mail
with the Add Routing Slip command.
- New Annotation features speed up reviews.
- Revision Tracking shows you who did what when.
- Create Forms to fill in on-screen.
- Improved help files.
2.0 10/21/91 The following are the minimum requirements for installing
and running Word:
- 286 or higher processor.
- 1 MB memory for the basic Word program; 2 MB memory
to use all features, including Graph, Draw, Equation
Editor, WordArt and grammar checking.
- Hercules Graphic, IBM EGA or higher resolution
monitor compatible.
- Microsoft Windows graphical environment version 3.0
or later.
- One hard disk and one double-sided disk drive.
- Same as above with 1 MB RAM memory required.
Changes in Word version 2.0
---------------------------
- New, customizable toolbar so you can quickly select
commonly used commands
- New OLE server applications (applets): Draw, Graph,
Equation Editor, WordArt
- New grammar checker
- Format text in different languages so you can use
available spelling and proofing tools
- New automatic bulleted list and numbering features
- Preview formatting changes before you apply them to
your document
- New Zoom command so you can display your document at
any magnification from 1 to 200 percent
- New drag-and-drop feature so you can move text and
graphics using a mouse
- New Frames command so you can position, crop, scale,
or frame text and/or graphics and wrap text around the
frame.
- Create envelopes automatically
- New Print Merge Helper with step-by-step dialog boxes
to assist with form letters and labels
- Apply multiple page layouts (page size, orientation,
margins, paper source) within a single document
- New Find File command so you can view the text and
graphics in a file before you open or print the file.
- OLE compatibility so you can link and embed objects
from other applications
- Password protection feature so you can control access
to your documents
- Online Help for WordBasic macro language
- Dialog Editor utility so you can create dialog boxes
for use with WordBasic macros
- Help for switching from WordPerfect to Word
1.1 7/18/90 The following are the minimum requirements for installing
and running Word:
- 286 or higher processor
- 1 MB memory
- Hercules Graphic, IBM EGA or higher resolution
monitor compatible with Microsoft Windows graphical
environment version 2.11 or later.
- One hard disk and one double-sided disk drive.
- 1 to 2 MB EMS memory recommended with networks or
with other applications.
- Same as above with 1 MB RAM memory required.
- 2 to 3 MB EMS memory recommended.
Changes in Word version 1.1
---------------------------
- Two sets of visuals
- 3-D visuals (NewLook=1) added to enhance the look
under Windows 3.0 on VGA monitors
- 2-D visuals (NewLook=0)
- 64K metafile import limit was removed
- New PCX (black and white only) filter
- Improved Word for the Macintosh converter
- Run-time version of Windows not included; requires
full version of Windows
- New version of HIMEM.SYS (2.60)
- AS400 switch added for use with AS400 file server
- New manuals, part #14328
- Two Turabian templates, DISSERT.DOT and TERM.DOT,
included (previously available under the Academic
Edition version 1.0)
- Macros (that is, PostScript gray shading)
- New installation guide
- New 8514/A driver (for use with Windows version 3.0)
- Setup aware of Windows version 3.0; will NOT
overwrite the NORMAL.DOT file if one exists
- 1.2 MB 5.25-inch, 1.44 MB 3.5-inch disks have
compressed files; standard except in A&E 720K and 360K
1.0 11/15/89 The following are the minimum requirements for installing
and running Word:
- 286 or higher processor with 640K memory
- EGA or higher resolution monitor compatible
with Microsoft Windows graphical environment
version 2.11 or later.
- One hard disk and one double-sided disk drive.
- 1 to 2 MB EMS memory recommended with networks or
with other applications.
- Same as above with 1 MB RAM memory required.
- 2 to 3 MB EMS memory recommended.
Word for Windows "Installation Guide," version 1.x, (Document Number OB- 14380-0690) pages 2, 10-13
Word for Windows "Getting Started," version 2.0, pages 1-3, 7 Additional Query Words: history
Keywords : word8 winword word97 word6 winword2 word7 word95
Version : 1.x 2.x 6.x 7.x 97
Platform : WINDOWS
Last Reviewed: December 8, 1998