How to Make a Copy of a Word Document (2026)

You need a second version of a Word document without changing the original, but the right command changes with the app and storage location. Word, Windows, Mac, OneDrive, phones, and cloud drives all have supported copy paths. Start with the place where the document is open or stored, then use the matching steps below.

1. Start with Save a Copy in Word on Windows

Use this when the document is already open in Word on a Windows PC. It is the current Microsoft path for Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016.

1. 1.Open the document in Word.
2. 2.Select File.
3. 3.Select Save a Copy.
4. 4.Choose OneDrive, This PC, Browse, or another listed location.
5. 5.Enter a new file name.
6. 6.Select Save.

The keyboard route is just as direct: press F12, choose the location and name, then select Save.

2. Save first when AutoSave is on

1. 1.Open the OneDrive or SharePoint document in Word.
2. 2.Select File.
3. 3.Select Save a Copy.
4. 4.Save the copy to OneDrive or another listed location.
5. 5.Edit the new copy, not the original.

Cloud documents in Word for Microsoft 365 need one extra bit of discipline. When the file is stored in OneDrive or SharePoint and AutoSave is on, make the separate copy before editing. This keeps the first file unchanged while your new version gets the edits.

3. Open a copy from Word before changing anything

Word can start from an existing file without making the original the working document.

1. 1.Open Word's file-opening screen.
2. 2.Find the original document.
3. 3.Right-click the file.
4. 4.Select Open a copy.
5. 5.Use File and Save a Copy to save it with the name and location you want.

Use this route when you are building a new document from an existing template-like file.

4. Copy the file from Windows or Mac folders

• On Windows, open File Explorer with Windows logo key + E, select the Word document, press Ctrl + C, open the destination folder, then press Ctrl + V.
• For a OneDrive or SharePoint folder synced to Windows, use the same Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V steps in File Explorer. The copied file appears in the synced library.
• On Mac, select the document in Finder, choose File > Duplicate, or press Command + D.
• To copy a Mac file to another folder or disk, select it in Finder, press Command + C, open the destination folder, then press Command + V.
• To drag-copy on Mac, hold Option while dragging the document to a folder.

When the file is already visible in a folder, copying the .docx file is faster than opening Word.

5. Use Save As in Word for Mac

Word for Mac still uses a clean Save As flow for making a new .docx file from the open document: open the document in Word for Mac, select File, select Save As, type a new name in Save As, choose Word Document (.docx) in Format, then select Save.

The original stays in place, and the new .docx becomes your separate copy.

6. Create a copy in Word for the web or OneDrive

1. 1.In Word for the web, select File.
2. 2.Select Save As.
3. 3.Select Save As again.
4. 4.Choose the PC or OneDrive destination, then save the copy.

Use Word for the web when the document is open in a browser. For a downloaded copy from Word for the web, select File > Create a Copy > Download a copy. The copy goes to Downloads.

Use OneDrive when you only need a downloaded copy of the stored file. From OneDrive on the web, hover over the document, select Show more actions for this item (...), then select Download. OneDrive saves the copy to Downloads.

7. Duplicate the document on iPhone iPad or Android

Mobile apps use different labels, so follow the route for the app you are actually using.

• In Word for iPhone or iPad, open the document, select File > Save a Copy, choose where to save it, enter a file name, then tap Save a Copy.
• In the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app on iPhone or iPad, open the file, tap the File icon, tap Duplicate, type the new name in Name, tap a location, then tap Duplicate.
• In Word for Android phones, open the file, select File > Save As, then choose This device, OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, Dropbox, or another supported service.
• In the iPhone Files app, open Files > Browse > iCloud Drive, tap More > Select, choose the document, tap More > Copy Items, go to On My iPhone or another cloud service, touch and hold a folder, then tap Paste. On iPad, open the Files app, choose iCloud Drive under Locations in the sidebar, tap Select, choose the document, tap More > Copy Items, go to On My iPad or another cloud service, touch and hold a folder, then tap Paste.

On iCloud.com, open iCloud Drive, select the document, then select the Download button in the iCloud Drive toolbar. The file downloads to the location specified in your web browser's settings.

8. Copy it from Google Drive Dropbox SharePoint or Teams

• In Google Drive on the web in Chrome, go to drive.google.com, right-click the Word document, then click Make a copy.
• In a Google editor, open the file, click File > Make a copy, type a name, choose where to save it, then finish the copy dialog.
• On dropbox.com, hover over the Word document, click ... > Copy, click the destination folder, then click Copy.
• In the Dropbox desktop app, open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer or Finder, right-click the document, choose Copy, open the destination folder, then choose Paste on Windows or Paste item on Mac.
• In Dropbox mobile, open Files, tap the ellipsis next to the document, tap Duplicate on Android or Copy on iPhone or iPad, choose the destination folder, then tap Paste on Android or Save copy on iPhone or iPad.
• In a SharePoint document library, select the Word document, select Copy to on the command bar, choose the destination, then select Copy here.
• In Microsoft Teams, select OneDrive > My files, find the file, hover over it, select More options (...) > Copy to, select the destination folder, then select Move here as shown in Microsoft's current Teams file-copy flow.

If the Word file lives in another storage service, use that service's copy command and leave Word closed. For OneDrive for work or school and SharePoint portal copying, Microsoft lists a 500 MB copy limit at a time. Use File Explorer for larger synced files.

9. Check permissions when a work file will not copy

Work and school documents can block normal copy behavior. In Word, Information Rights Management can restrict opening, copying, or saving based on the permissions assigned to the document. Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels can also apply encryption and enforce usage rights in supported Microsoft 365 apps.

When a copy command is missing or a copied file will not open, ask the file owner or your Microsoft 365 admin to check the document permissions.

Skip older SharePoint instructions that use Send to. Current Microsoft guidance points users to Copy to and Move to, and Copy to is not available in the classic SharePoint experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest way to make a copy of a Word document?

On Windows, open the document in Word and use File > Save a Copy. If the .docx file is already in a folder, copying it with Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V in File Explorer is just as direct.

How do I make a copy before editing a shared Word file?

Open the shared OneDrive or SharePoint document in Word, select File > Save a Copy, save the new file, then edit only that copy.

Can I duplicate a Word document on my phone?

Yes. Word for iPhone and iPad uses File > Save a Copy, the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on iPhone and iPad uses Duplicate, and Word for Android phones uses File > Save As.

Why is Copy to missing in SharePoint?

Copy to is part of the modern SharePoint experience. Microsoft notes that Copy to is not available in classic SharePoint.

Can Google Drive make a copy of a Word file?

Yes. In Google Drive on the web in Chrome, right-click the Word document and select Make a copy.