You want a professional letterhead that displays your company name, logo, and contact details consistently on every document. Word lets you build this as a reusable template file, so you never have to recreate the layout each time you write a letter. This article explains how to design a letterhead using headers, tables, and graphics, then save it as a Word Template (.dotx). You will learn the exact steps to create, lock, and reuse your custom letterhead.
Key Takeaways: Building a Reusable Letterhead Template in Word
- Insert > Header > Edit Header: Place your letterhead elements inside the header area so they repeat on every page automatically.
- Insert > Table (1×2 or 1×3): Use a borderless table to align your logo, company name, and contact details precisely without floating objects.
- File > Save As > Word Template (.dotx): Save the finished layout as a template so you can open a fresh copy each time without overwriting the original design.
- Design tab > Watermark > Custom Watermark: Add a faint background image or text that appears behind the letter content but stays part of the template.
What a Letterhead Template Does and What You Need Before You Start
A letterhead template is a pre-designed Word file that contains your branding elements in the header or footer area. When you type the body of a letter, the letterhead stays fixed at the top of each page. Word stores this layout as a .dotx file, which opens a new untitled document every time you double-click it. The original template remains unchanged, so you can use it indefinitely.
Before you begin, gather these items:
- Logo image: A PNG or JPG file with a transparent background works best. Keep the file size under 500 KB to avoid slow loading.
- Company name and tagline: Decide the exact text and font you want. Standard business fonts like Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman are reliable.
- Contact details: Address, phone number, email, and website. Keep the list to four lines or fewer to prevent clutter.
- Color scheme: Choose one or two brand colors. You can apply these to text, shapes, or table borders.
Word does not require any special add-ins or subscriptions for letterhead creation. The built-in Header, Table, and Shape tools are sufficient. If you use Word for the web, you can design the letterhead but you must save it as a .dotx file using the desktop version. Word for the web does not support the .dotx format for saving templates.
Steps to Design and Save a Letterhead Template in Word
Follow these steps to create a professional letterhead and save it as a reusable template. All steps assume you are using Word for Microsoft 365 or Word 2021. Earlier versions may have slightly different icon positions, but the menu names are the same.
Method 1: Create a Letterhead Using a Table Inside the Header
- Open a blank document
Launch Word and select Blank document. Set the page margins to your preference. For most business letters, 1-inch margins on all sides work well. Go to Layout > Margins > Normal. - Open the header area
Go to Insert > Header > Edit Header. The document view changes to show the header section with a dotted border. The body content dims. This is where you will place your letterhead elements. - Insert a borderless table
With the header active, go to Insert > Table. Insert a 1-row by 2-column table. If you need three sections (logo, name, contact), use a 1-row by 3-column table. The table keeps your elements aligned without using floating text boxes. - Remove table borders
Select the entire table. Go to Table Design > Borders > No Border. The gridlines will still appear on screen as light gray guides, but they will not print. If you want to see the guides, go to Layout > View Gridlines. - Insert your logo
Click inside the left table cell. Go to Insert > Pictures > This Device. Select your logo file. Resize the image by dragging a corner handle. Keep the height between 0.8 and 1.2 inches for a standard letterhead. Do not drag side handles or the image will distort. - Add company name and contact details
Click inside the right table cell. Type your company name. Select the text and apply a larger font size, such as 18 pt, and a bold weight. Press Enter and type your tagline in a smaller size, such as 10 pt. Press Enter again and type your address, phone, email, and website on separate lines. Use a 9 or 10 pt font for the contact block. - Add a horizontal line separator
Place your cursor below the table but still inside the header. Go to Home > Borders > Bottom Border. This adds a thin line across the page width below your letterhead. To change the line color, go to Home > Borders > Borders and Shading, select the Color dropdown, and pick your brand color. - Close the header
Double-click anywhere in the body area or click Close Header and Footer on the Header & Footer tab. Your letterhead now appears at the top of the page. - Save as a Word Template
Go to File > Save As. Choose a location such as This PC or a network folder. In the Save as type dropdown, select Word Template (.dotx). Word automatically switches the folder to the Custom Office Templates folder. Name your file something like “Company Letterhead Template.dotx” and click Save.
Method 2: Create a Letterhead Using Shapes and Text Boxes
Use this method if you want a colored background bar or a diagonal stripe behind your logo. Shapes give you more visual flexibility but require manual alignment.
- Open a blank document and enter the header
Go to Insert > Header > Edit Header as described in Method 1. - Insert a rectangle shape
Go to Insert > Shapes > Rectangle. Draw a rectangle across the full width of the header area. Set the height to about 1.5 inches. Right-click the shape and select Fill to choose your brand color. Set Shape Outline to No Outline. - Add a text box for the company name
Go to Insert > Text Box > Draw Text Box. Draw a text box inside the colored rectangle. Type your company name and format the font. Set the text box Fill to No Fill and Outline to No Outline so it blends with the background. - Insert the logo as a separate image
Go to Insert > Pictures > This Device. Place the logo to the left of the text box. Use the Wrap Text option set to Square or In Front of Text if you need precise positioning. - Group the elements
Hold Ctrl and click each shape, text box, and image. Right-click and select Group > Group. Grouping prevents items from shifting when you edit the document later. - Close the header and save as .dotx
Double-click the body area. Save the file as a Word Template (.dotx) using File > Save As.
Common Mistakes When Creating a Letterhead Template
Letterhead content moves when I type in the body
This happens when you place letterhead elements in the body area instead of the header. Elements in the body shift down as you add text. Always insert your logo, company name, and contact details inside the header. The header stays fixed at the top regardless of body content length.
The logo does not appear on page 2
By default, the header repeats on every page. If your logo is missing on page 2, check that the header is not set to Different First Page. Go to Header & Footer > Options and ensure Different First Page is unchecked unless you specifically want a different header on the first page.
The table borders print even after I removed them
You may have removed borders from one cell but not the entire table. Select the whole table again. Go to Table Design > Borders > No Border. If borders still appear, check that you are not viewing them in Print Layout. Light gray gridlines on screen do not print. To confirm, go to File > Print and preview the document.
I cannot edit the template after saving
When you double-click a .dotx file, Word opens a new untitled document based on the template. To edit the template itself, right-click the .dotx file and select Open. Then make your changes and save. Do not use Save As again unless you want to create a second template version.
Word Template (.dotx) vs Regular Document (.docx) for Letterhead
| Item | Word Template (.dotx) | Regular Document (.docx) |
|---|---|---|
| Default behavior when opened | Creates a new untitled document | Opens the same file for editing |
| Protects original layout | Yes, the template stays unchanged | No, you can overwrite the letterhead accidentally |
| Best for | Repeated use by multiple people | One-time letter or single use |
| File extension | .dotx | .docx |
| Compatible with Word for the web | No (cannot create or open .dotx in browser) | Yes |
Use a .dotx file when you need a consistent letterhead across your team. Use a .docx file only if you are creating a single letter and do not plan to reuse the layout.
You can now design a custom letterhead using a table or shapes inside the header and save it as a reusable Word Template. Open the .dotx file each time you need a new letter, and the branding stays intact. For an advanced touch, add a custom watermark behind the body text by going to Design > Watermark > Custom Watermark and selecting a faint version of your logo. This gives your letters a polished, professional look without extra effort.