The way that you navigate the Help window is much the same way that you navigate the Web in a Web browser, such as Windows Internet Explorer. However, the Help window has additional features that a Web browser lacks. This topic describes how you can use some of these features to get the Help you need to accomplish your tasks.

You can find Help for Microsoft Office programs in more than one place. Help is installed on your computer when you install an Office program, and you can get additional Help content from Microsoft Office Online. You can specify where you want to search for Help, and you can restrict the scope of your search to online or offline or to a specific category within a program.

If Connected to Office Online appears in the lower-right corner of the Help window, you are searching and getting Help from Office Online. If Offline appears in the lower-right corner, you are searching and getting Help from the files stored on your computer.

• Search Microsoft Office Online

• Restrict a search to a specific feature area

• Search the Help content on your computer

• Switch between online and offline Help

• Search for updates, templates, or training

Search Microsoft Office Online

If you are connected to the Internet, you can search for up-to-date Help, templates, training, or additional online content on Microsoft Office Online.

• Access

• Excel

• InfoPath

• OneNote

• Outlook

• PowerPoint

• Project

• Publisher

• SharePoint Designer

• Visio

• Word

Access

1. Click the Microsoft Office Access Help button .

   Keyboard shortcut  To open Help, press F1.

2. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from Office Online.
3. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

Excel

1. Click the Microsoft Office Excel Help button .

   Keyboard shortcut  To open Help, press F1.

2. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from Office Online.
3. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

InfoPath

1. On the Help menu, click Microsoft Office InfoPath Help.

   Keyboard shortcut  To open Help, press F1.

2. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from Office Online.
3. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

OneNote

1. On the Help menu, click Microsoft Office OneNote Help.

   Keyboard shortcut  To open Help, press F1.

2. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from Office Online.
3. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

Outlook

1. On the Help menu, click Microsoft Office Outlook Help.

   Keyboard shortcut  To open Help, press F1.

2. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from Office Online.
3. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

PowerPoint

1. Click the Microsoft Office PowerPoint Help button .

   Keyboard shortcut  To open Help, press F1.

2. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from Office Online.
3. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

Project

1. On the Help menu, click Microsoft Office Project Help.

   Keyboard shortcut  To open Help, press F1.

2. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from Office Online.
3. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

Publisher

1. On the Help menu, click Microsoft Office Publisher Help.

   Keyboard shortcut  To open Help, press F1.

2. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from Office Online.
3. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

SharePoint Designer

1. On the Help menu, click Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer Help.

   Keyboard shortcut  To open Help, press F1.

2. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from Office Online.
3. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

Visio

1. On the Help menu, click Microsoft Office Visio Help.

   Keyboard shortcut  To open Help, press F1.

2. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from Office Online.
3. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

Word

1. Click the Microsoft Office Word Help button .

   Keyboard shortcut  To open Help, press F1.

2. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from Office Online.
3. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

Restrict a search to a specific feature area

1. In the Help window, in the Search list , click a feature area to which you want to restrict the search.
2. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

   When you view the results of this search, you see that all of the results are Office Online topics that relate to the feature area you selected.

    Tip   If you want to search by using the same keyword or keywords that you already recently used, you can click the arrow next to the Type words to search for list, and then click the search term that you want in the list.

 Top of Page

Search the Help content on your computer

Office Online is a great resource, but sometimes you are not connected to the Internet and need offline Help. When you are offline, you can search your local files and see the search results that Help finds there. When you search offline Help, additional online content is not available.

1. In the Help window, in the Search list , click an option under Content from this computer.
2. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

Switch between online and offline Help

The Connection Status menu in the lower-right corner of the Help window indicates whether you are looking at Help online or offline.

1. Do one of the following, depending on whether you are currently connected to the Internet or offline:
   • To see Help on Office Online, on the Connection Status menu in the lower-right corner of the Help window, click Show content from Office Online.
   • To see Help on your computer, on the Connection Status menu in the lower-right corner, click Show content only from this computer.

   This setting is retained after you close the Help window. The next time you open Help, the offline or connected status is the same as you left it.

2. Type keywords in the search criteria list, and then click Search .

 Top of Page

Search for updates, templates, or training

To locate updates, templates, or training, you must be connected to the Internet.

• In the Help window, under More on Office Online, click the option you want.

 Top of Page

Tips

• A specific search with only 2 to 7 words returns the most accurate results. For example, instead of typing templates, type resume for a pilot.
• To narrow your search results in Search Results, select a scope in the Search list . For example, to search for templates only, click Templates in the Search scope list.
• If you see a topic in the search results that is close to what you are looking for, you can click a category link for that result to get a list of related information. For example, in the the category link PowerPoint Home > Saving and printing, click Saving and printing to see a list of articles with information about saving or printing your Microsoft Office PowerPoint presentation.

 Top of Page