Great Together: Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office System

Now that you've moved all your files from your old computer to your new PC running Windows Vista, you'll want to add new software. If you use Microsoft Office, you'll find that the familiar Office applications you use every day—Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook—have been dramatically improved with the 2007 Microsoft Office system. They have a new look and are easier to use, so you can accomplish more in less time.

Streamlined design, simplified tasks

Windows Vista and the new version of Microsoft Office are designed to work beautifully together. The fresh, yet familiar new user interfaces (UIs) in both Windows Vista and the Microsoft Office programs make it easier to do what you need to do—quickly. The new UIs are more intuitive and simplify many tasks.

For example, Windows Vista features translucent glass-like menu bars that let you see behind your application window, so you're only one click away from that important letter you're writing in Microsoft Office Word 2007 or from accessing your e-mail in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007. And the Microsoft Office 2007 system has a new, streamlined user interface that automatically presents commonly used commands according to task, helping you to quickly create high-quality documents.

The breakthrough designs for both Windows Vista and the Microsoft Office 2007 system make it easier to do what you need to do—across all of your applications. The new visual effects and streamlined navigation make it simpler than ever to find, create, and manage your documents and information.

The new ribbon in Microsoft Office Word 2007 automatically shows the commands relating to the task you are performing.

Get started

The Microsoft Office 2007 system helps you to get started quickly with online tutorials and step-by-step instructions. You will find links to relevant Help content and preformatted Microsoft Office document templates that you can search for and share.

Create better-looking documents

New graphics and formatting galleries, as well as previews for gallery items and contextual commands help you to add digital photos, pictures, and clip art to Office documents. More consistent numbering, bullet, and table features make it easier to format your Microsoft Office Word 2007 documents, helping ensure great-looking results. Ready-made templates allow you to create documents faster, and themes help you to create a consistent appearance across all of your work.

Search your files

Because Windows Vista lets you add descriptive "tags" to your files, you can search for your Microsoft Office documents as easily as you'd search the web. No more digging through multiple folders and files—just search for the tag or the document name, and you can find it in an instant.

In Windows Vista, you can add tags to your files to make them easier to find.

The Microsoft Office 2007 system helps you to gather, organize, and search virtually all types of information—text, handwriting, images, audio and video recordings, web clippings, and computer files—so that you can better manage your personal projects and get things done.

Windows Vista has added a new and fun way to navigate your documents and programs. If you often find yourself working in several different Microsoft Office programs with dozens of windows open on your desktop, you can use Windows Flip or Windows Flip 3D to dynamically flip through all of your open windows so you can see and manage all of your tasks. You can then use the scroll wheel on your mouse to quickly jump to the one you want. Now you can multitask faster.