When you open Word and see the start screen, you often scroll through a long list of templates to find the one you use every day. This wastes time and breaks your workflow. Word includes a pinning feature that lets you lock your most-used templates to the top of the template gallery. This article explains how to pin templates in Word, how to manage pinned items, and what to do when the pin option is missing.
Key Takeaways: Pin Templates to the Word Start Screen
- File > New > Right-click a template > Pin to list: Pins any built-in or custom template to the top of the New screen so you can access it immediately.
- Right-click a pinned template > Unpin from list: Removes a template from the pinned section when you no longer need it at the top.
- Create a custom template (.dotx) and save it in the Templates folder: Custom templates saved in the correct folder appear in the Featured or Personal section and can be pinned the same way.
How the Pin Feature Works in Word
The pin feature is part of the Word start screen, which appears each time you launch the application. When you click File > New, Word displays a gallery of built-in templates such as blank documents, resumes, and reports. Below the search bar, you see a row labeled Pinned. Any template you pin appears in this row regardless of how many other templates you browse.
Pinning does not move or copy the template file. It only adds a shortcut reference in the Word interface. The original template remains in its folder location. You can pin both built-in templates that ship with Word and custom templates you create or download, as long as they appear in the template gallery.
The pin feature is tied to your Microsoft 365 account. If you sign in to Word on another computer with the same account, your pinned templates follow you. This works only if the template exists on that computer. For custom templates, you must copy the .dotx file to the other computer first.
Steps to Pin a Template in Word
- Open Word and go to the New screen
Click File in the ribbon, then click New. The template gallery displays built-in templates and any custom templates saved in the default Templates folder. - Locate the template you want to pin
Scroll through the gallery or use the search bar at the top. You can also click the Categories tabs such as Business, Personal, or Education to filter templates. - Right-click the template thumbnail
A context menu appears. The exact options depend on whether the template is built-in or custom. For built-in templates, you see Pin to list. For custom templates, you may see Pin to list or simply Pin. - Click Pin to list
Word adds the template to the Pinned section at the top of the New screen. You can pin multiple templates. Each appears as a separate thumbnail in the pinned row. - Verify the template is pinned
Scroll to the top of the template gallery. The Pinned row shows all templates you have pinned. If you do not see the row, you may have fewer than two templates pinned. Word hides the row when only one template is pinned.
Pin a Custom Template You Created
- Save your custom template in the correct folder
Press Ctrl+S. In the Save As dialog, change Save as type to Word Template (.dotx). Word automatically navigates to the Custom Office Templates folder. Click Save. - Restart Word
Close and reopen Word. Your custom template now appears in the Personal or Custom category on the New screen. - Right-click the custom template thumbnail
Click Pin to list. The custom template moves to the Pinned row.
How to Unpin a Template
- Go to File > New
The Pinned row appears at the top of the gallery. - Right-click the pinned template
From the context menu, click Unpin from list. Word removes the template from the Pinned row. The template remains in the main gallery.
Common Issues When Pinning Templates
The Pin Option Does Not Appear When I Right-Click a Template
This happens most often when you are viewing templates on the File > New screen in a document that is already open, not from the Word start screen. The pin option is available only from the New screen. If you are in Backstage view while editing a document, click New in the left navigation to see the template gallery. If the option still does not appear, your account may not support syncing. This occurs with volume-licensed versions of Word that do not connect to Microsoft 365 services.
Pinned Templates Disappear After I Close Word
Pinned templates are stored in your Microsoft 365 roaming profile. If you sign out of Word or switch to a local account, the pinned list resets. Sign in with the same Microsoft 365 account on all devices to keep the list intact. If you use a work or school account, your IT administrator may disable roaming settings. Contact your IT support to confirm roaming is enabled.
I Pinned a Template but It Does Not Show in the Pinned Row
Word hides the Pinned row when you have only one template pinned. Pin at least two templates to make the row visible. If you have pinned two or more templates and the row still does not appear, close Word and reopen it. The pinned row refreshes on restart.
Pinning Templates in Word Online vs Desktop App
| Item | Word Desktop App | Word Online |
|---|---|---|
| Pin option available | Yes, on File > New screen | No, no pin feature exists |
| Pinned templates sync across devices | Yes, with Microsoft 365 account | Not applicable |
| Custom template support | Yes, if saved in Templates folder | No, only built-in templates available |
| Number of pins allowed | Unlimited | Not applicable |
Word Online does not include a pinning feature. If you work primarily in a browser, you cannot pin templates. You must use the Word desktop app to pin templates. After pinning on the desktop app, the pinned list syncs to other desktop instances but not to Word Online.
You can now pin your most-used templates in Word and access them instantly from the start screen. Start by pinning your blank document template and your company letterhead template. For advanced management, create a folder of custom .dotx files and pin each one after saving it in the Custom Office Templates folder. If you use multiple computers, sign in with the same Microsoft 365 account to keep your pinned list synchronized.