If you have recently been working on any one of the Microsoft 365 apps, then you might have come across the Save or Save As option. Generally, one would save their work by clicking on the Save option every few minutes however, that does make us wonder, what does Save As actually do? If Save keeps your file under one name, then what is the purpose of Save As?
The requirement and meaning of Save As are uncovered within this article along with any queries or confusion that arise from Save As.
Also read: How to make a copy of a Word document?
Save or Save As?
If you are saving your work on either Microsoft Excel, Word, or Powerpoint, then you might be wondering whether you should go for Save or Save As options. You might also come across this option in other applications where you can save your work like Snaggit and Krita among others.
The meaning of some terms related to saving is given as follows:
- Save: After you have created a document, you can keep on editing it and using the Save option to save all changes. You can save your work every few minutes to ensure that your work remains updated. When you click on this option, you will be asked to name your file and choose the saved location of the file.
- Save As: This option is used to create a copy of your current document. This copy is not the original, hence any changes made in the original document will not be saved in the copy version of this file. You will be asked to save the copy with a distinct name and location. After using this option, the new file will remain open for further editing.
- Save A Copy: You can use this option, if available, to save the document under a different name. However, the new file will not remain open, only the original will be open. You might find this option when you open any Microsoft 365 app on an iPhone or iPad.
Thus, to answer your question regarding the Save As option on Microsoft 365 apps:
Yes, using the Save As option makes a copy of the original file.
The reason behind the existence of various options to save a file exist as you can never be too careful in case one of the files or your folder or device containing that file becomes corrupted, you will have other copies saved in various locations. Furthermore, this is also why many people choose to back up their files on the cloud.
The function of Save As
You might require this option when you want to have multiple copies or drafts of your work. This allows you to make changes in the new copies and keep multiple drafts of the same file with small changes. It works well when you are trying to write a thesis, a novel, edit schedules, and workout regimes among other ideas to help track your progress.
By using Save As, you can rest assured of having a spare file in a separate location in case something happens to your original. The Save As option allows you to use the original document or file plenty of times for different purposes.
How to use Save As?
Follow the steps given below to use the Save or Save As options to save a file on Microsoft Word:
Step 1: Head to the floppy disk icon at the top-left corner of your screen and click on this icon. If you are using a different application, you will find this option under File.
Step 2: If you have not saved the file before, give your file a name and choose the location of the file, then click on Save. If you want to save a copy of this file instead, then head to More options.
In other applications, you will find the Save As option under File or Save itself.
Step 3: You can now choose the location of saving your file’s copy. As soon as you click on any folder to save your file’s copy, a dialogue box will pop up asking you to name the file so it can be saved under this name. After entering the file name, click on Save.
Also read: How to insert a Non-Breaking Space in Microsoft Word?
