The basic way to save a Word document on Mac

To save a document in Microsoft Word on a Mac, press Command + S at the same time. A dialog box will appear asking where you want to save the file and what name you want to give it. Type a name for your document, choose a folder from the list on the left side of the dialog, and click the Save button.

The first time you save a document, Word always shows this dialog so you can pick a location and filename. After that, pressing Command + S again will save any changes you make without showing the dialog — it just updates the file in the same place with the same name.

If you want to save a document with a new name or in a different location, use Command + Shift + S instead. This opens the save dialog even if you have already saved the file before, so you can create a separate copy with a different name.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Command + S to save a document in Word on Mac, or to save changes to a document you have already saved.
  • The first time you save, a dialog box appears where you type the filename and choose which folder to save it in.
  • Press Command + Shift + S to save a document with a new name or in a different location without replacing the original file.
  • Word saves documents in .docx format by default on Mac, which is readable on Windows and other devices.

Where Word saves documents by default

When you save a document for the first time, Word opens the save dialog to your Documents folder. This is usually the easiest place to find your files later. The path to this folder is Macintosh HD > Users > [Your Name] > Documents.

You can save to any folder you want instead — your Desktop, Downloads, or any custom folder you have created. The dialog shows your recent folders on the left side, so if you save to the same place often, you can click it directly without navigating through the full folder structure.

If you are not sure where a file ended up, open Word and go to File > Open Recent. This shows a list of documents you have worked on recently, and you can click on any one to see its full path at the bottom of the screen.

Changing the file format when you save

Word on Mac saves in .docx format by default, which is the standard Microsoft Word format and works on Windows computers and most other devices. If you need to save in a different format, click the File Format dropdown menu in the save dialog.

Common alternatives include .doc (an older Word format), .pdf (a format that looks the same on any device but cannot be edited in Word), and .rtf (rich text format, which preserves basic formatting but is less common). Choose the format you need from the dropdown, then click Save.

If you regularly save in a format other than .docx, you can set Word to use that format by default. Go to Word > Preferences > General, find the section labeled Default Format, and choose your preferred format from the dropdown.

Using AutoSave to protect your work

Word on Mac has a feature called AutoSave that saves your document automatically as you work, so you do not lose changes if your computer crashes or the power goes out. AutoSave is turned on by default if you save your document to OneDrive or SharePoint (Microsoft's cloud storage services).

To turn on AutoSave for a document stored on your Mac's hard drive, save it to OneDrive first. Open the save dialog, click OneDrive in the left sidebar, choose a folder, and click Save. After that, Word will save changes automatically every few seconds.

You can see AutoSave in action at the top of the Word window — it shows a message like "Saving..." or "Saved" depending on whether changes are being written to disk. If you want to turn off AutoSave for a specific document, click the filename at the top of the window and select Turn off AutoSave.

Recovering a document you did not save

If you close a document without saving changes, Word will ask whether you want to save before closing. Click Save to keep your changes, or Don't Save to discard them. If you accidentally click Don't Save, you can sometimes recover the unsaved version.

Open Word and go to File > Open Recent. At the bottom of the recent files list, you should see an option that says Recover Unsaved Documents. Click it to see a list of documents Word has recovered from recent sessions. Select the one you want and click Open.

Word keeps unsaved documents for only a limited time, so this recovery option may not work if you closed the document more than a few days ago. This is why using AutoSave or saving regularly with Command + S is the most reliable way to protect your work.

Saving a copy of a document

Sometimes you want to keep the original document and also create a separate copy with a different name. Use Command + Shift + S to open the save dialog, change the filename, and click Save. Word will create a new file with the new name and close the original document.

Alternatively, go to File > Save a Copy. This opens the save dialog and creates a copy with a new name, but keeps the original document open in Word so you can keep working on it. This method is useful when you want to save a backup without switching which file you are editing.

You can also right-click a Word document in Finder and select Duplicate to create a copy with "copy" added to the filename. Then open the duplicate in Word and use Command + S to save it with a new name.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the keyboard shortcut to save on a Mac?

Press Command + S to save a document in Word on Mac. Command is the key with the Apple logo on it, located next to the spacebar. Hold it down and press S at the same time.

Can I save a Word document as a PDF on Mac?

Yes. Open the save dialog with Command + S, click the File Format dropdown, and select PDF. Choose where you want to save it and click Save. PDFs look the same on any device but cannot be edited in Word — you would need to convert it back to .docx to make changes.

Where do I find my saved Word documents on a Mac?

Most Word documents are saved in your Documents folder, which you can reach by opening Finder and clicking Documents in the sidebar. You can also press Command + Shift + D to jump directly to Documents. If you saved a document somewhere else, use Spotlight search by pressing Command + Spacebar, typing the filename, and pressing Enter.

What happens if I do not save a Word document?

Any changes you made will be lost when you close the document. Word will ask if you want to save before closing — click Save to keep your changes. If you accidentally close without saving, go to File > Open Recent > Recover Unsaved Documents to see if Word has a backup.

Can I save a Word document to the cloud on Mac?

Yes. When you save a document, click OneDrive in the left sidebar of the save dialog instead of choosing a local folder. Your document will be stored in Microsoft's cloud storage and will sync across your devices. This also turns on AutoSave, so changes are saved automatically.