How to Duplicate a Word Document

The quickest way to duplicate a Word document is in File Explorer: select the file, press Ctrl + C, then Ctrl + V. Windows creates an exact copy in the same folder named, for example, Report – Copy.docx. If the document is already open in Word, select File > Save As (or Save a Copy if AutoSave is on) and give it a new name. Either way, you get a separate file you can change without affecting the original.

Applies to: Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, 2021 and 2019 on Windows and Mac, and Word for the web. Last reviewed October 7, 2026.

Method 1: Copy and paste in File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer and go to the folder with the document.
2. Select the document and press Ctrl + C.
3. Press Ctrl + V to paste a copy in the same folder, or open another folder first and paste there.
4. Select the copy, press F2, type a new name, and press Enter.

You can also hold Ctrl and drag the file to an empty spot in the same folder. On a Mac, select the file in Finder and press Command + D to duplicate it.

Method 2: Save As in Word

Use this when you’ve opened the document and want to start a new version from it.

1. Open the document in Word.
2. Select File > Save As. If AutoSave is on, the option is called Save a Copy.
3. Choose a location, type a new file name, and select Save.
4. Word now shows the new copy. Make your changes there; the original stays as it was.

Do this before you edit anything. With AutoSave on, edits to the original are saved automatically, so making the copy first protects it.

Method 3: Open the document as a copy

1. In Word, select File > Open > Browse.
2. Select the document, but don’t open it yet.
3. Select the arrow next to the Open button and choose Open as Copy.

Word opens a new document named Copy (1) of … in the same folder. Rename it when you save.

Method 4: Duplicate in OneDrive or Word for the web

• Word for the web: open the document, select File > Save As > Save a Copy, name it and choose a folder.
• OneDrive website: select the file, select Copy to, and choose the same or a different folder. The copy keeps the same name in a different folder; rename it if you copy it to the same folder.

Method 5: Copy the contents into a new document

If you want the content but not the file’s history, comments or properties:

1. Open the original and press Ctrl + A, then Ctrl + C.
2. Create a new blank document with Ctrl + N and press Ctrl + V.

This can lose some settings, such as headers in different sections and page setup. To keep them, use Insert > Object > Text from File in the blank document and choose the original file instead.

Reusing the same document often? Make a template

If you copy the same document every week, such as an invoice or a report, save it as a template. Each time you open a template, Word creates a new untitled copy and leaves the template unchanged. See how to save a Word document as a template.

Duplicate several documents at once

1. In File Explorer, hold Ctrl and select each document, or press Ctrl + A to select everything in the folder.
2. Press Ctrl + C.
3. Open the destination folder and press Ctrl + V.

If you paste into the same folder, each copy gets “- Copy” added to its name. To rename them all with a pattern, select the copies, press F2, type a base name such as 2027 Plan, and press Enter. Windows numbers them, for example 2027 Plan (1).docx.

Keep track of your copies

• Name copies clearly, such as Proposal v2 – client edits.docx, so you don’t edit the wrong one.
• Add a date at the start of the file name (2026-10-07 Proposal.docx) so copies sort in order.
• Use OneDrive version history instead of copies for small revisions. It keeps earlier versions automatically without cluttering your folders.

Troubleshooting

Paste doesn’t create a copy

Make sure you copied the file itself (in File Explorer), not text from inside it. If you’re pasting into a OneDrive folder that’s offline, wait for it to finish syncing.

Save As is missing

AutoSave is on, so Word shows Save a Copy instead. It does the same thing.

The copy has the original’s tracked changes and comments

Copies keep everything in the file. To remove them, select Review > Accept > Accept All Changes and Review > Delete > Delete All Comments in Document in the copy.

I edited the original by mistake

If it’s in OneDrive or SharePoint, select File > Info > Version History to restore an earlier version. See how to see previous versions of a Word document.

Frequently asked questions

Does a duplicate keep the formatting?

Yes. Copying the file or using Save As keeps everything, including formatting, images, headers and comments.

How do I compare the copy with the original later?

Use Review > Compare. See how to compare documents in Word.

Can I duplicate a single page instead?

Yes. Select everything on the page, copy it, place the cursor at the end of the page, insert a page break with Ctrl + Enter, and paste.

Related: How to download a Word document.

Related: How to insert a Word document into another Word document.

Related: how to copy a page from one Word document to another.