Microsoft Word resume templates: which ones are ATS-safe, and how to build one that is
Word has dozens of free built-in resume templates. Here is which layouts an applicant tracking system reads cleanly, which ones quietly break, why the old Resume Assistant is gone, how to make a resume in Word step by step, and a parser-safe way to build one you can still export to Word or PDF.
Key takeaways
- Microsoft Word does have built-in resume templates. Open Word, go to File, New, type Resume in the search box, and pick one. Word for Microsoft 365, desktop, and the web all include them.
- The old Resume Assistant pane, the LinkedIn-powered helper, was retired. Microsoft removed it by the end of January 2023, so guides that tell you to use it are out of date.
- Not every Word template is ATS-safe. Single-column layouts with standard headings parse cleanly. Two-column, sidebar, and table-based designs can be read out of order by a parser.
- The most common Word mistake is putting your name and phone number in the header or footer. Many applicant tracking systems drop that area, so keep contact details in the body.
- To make a resume in Word: File, New, search Resume, replace the placeholder text, then save as PDF or keep the .docx when a portal asks for Word by name.
What you get in Word's resume template gallery
Word ships dozens of resume templates, and you reach them the same way every time: click File, then New, and search Resume. Each opens as an editable copy. The designs range from plain single-column layouts to styled two-column ones, and that range is exactly what decides how well an applicant tracking system reads your resume.
Classic single-column
ATS-safeThe plain, one-column designs with standard headings. These are the safest to run through an applicant tracking system and the best default in Word.
Minimalist with a color accent
ATS-safeA single column with a thin accent line or colored heading. Still parses well as long as the structure stays one column and the contact details sit in the body.
Two-column and sidebar
ATS riskThe modern layouts that put skills or contact details in a side panel. They look sharp, but a parser can read the two columns out of order.
Table-based and graphic headers
ATS riskDesigns built on tables, text boxes, or a styled banner with your name and contact in the header. An ATS can drop the header or scramble the table cells.
One correction worth making up front: Word used to include Resume Assistant, a LinkedIn-powered pane that suggested wording and job listings. Microsoft retired it and removed it by the end of January 2023, so if a guide tells you to open it, that step no longer exists.
How to make a resume in Word
The whole flow takes a few minutes. These five steps get you from a blank gallery to a downloaded file you can attach to an application.
Open the template gallery
In Word, click File, then New. Type Resume in the search box at the top and press enter to see Microsoft's built-in resume and cover-letter designs.
Pick a single-column template
Choose one of the plain, one-column designs for the most ATS-safe start. Word opens an editable copy, so you can change anything without losing the original.
Replace every placeholder
Swap in your name, contact details, summary, experience, education, and skills. Delete any section you do not need and keep your headings standard.
Keep the formatting parser-safe
Stay in one column, use a common font at 10-12pt, and keep your name and phone number in the body, not the header. Avoid text boxes and icons an ATS cannot read.
Save to apply
Use File, Save As, then PDF for a fixed layout, or keep the .docx when a portal asks for Word by name. Make sure a PDF is text-based, not a scanned image.
Skip the setup and start from a clean template
Pick a parser-safe layout, add your experience, and export to Word or PDF when you are done, whichever the posting asks for.
Build my resumeWhere Word templates fall short
None of this means you cannot make a good resume in Word. It means knowing the rough edges so you do not trip over them, especially when a posting runs your file through an applicant tracking system first.
Where the gallery gets rough
- Two-column and table-based layouts. The design-forward Word templates use side panels and tables. A parser can read these out of order, so your dates and job titles land in the wrong field.
- Contact details in the header or footer. Several Word templates place your name and phone number in the header. Many applicant tracking systems skip that area, so the details never reach the recruiter.
- Outdated Resume Assistant advice. Guides still point to Word's Resume Assistant for LinkedIn-based suggestions. Microsoft retired it in January 2023, so the pane is no longer there to find.
- Easy to break parsing by accident. Dropping in a text box for a skills sidebar or an icon next to your email feels harmless, but it hides that text from an ATS.
A cleaner step up
- Start from a template already built to parse cleanly, then edit without breaking the structure.
- Keep a single, readable column with standard headings and your contact details in the body.
- Export to a text-based PDF or a Word (.docx) file when you are done, whichever the posting asks for.
- Check the finished resume against a real parser before you send it.
Not sure how your Word resume reads to a machine? Paste it into our free ATS resume checker to see how each section parses before you apply.
A parser-safe alternative you can still export to Word
If you like the convenience of Word but want a layout built to parse cleanly, start from one of these. Each uses a single column, standard headings, and a readable font, and you can export the finished resume to a Word or PDF file the same way you would from Word.
Want the full set grouped by style and career level? Browse the complete resume templates library, see the cleanest picks on the ATS-friendly resume templates page, or compare with the Google Docs resume templates if you work in Docs instead.
Word resume templates and examples by role
Some roles are easier to get right with wording that already reads correctly for the field. These pages pair real examples with parser-safe layouts you can build here or start from in Word.
Build a resume that parses cleanly
Start from a parser-safe template, add your experience, and check it against a real parser before you send it.
Frequently asked questions
Does Microsoft Word have resume templates?
Yes. Microsoft Word has built-in resume templates in Word for Microsoft 365, the Word desktop app, and Word for the web. Open Word, click File, then New, type Resume in the search box, and pick a design. Word opens it as an editable copy you can fill in and save at no extra cost beyond your Word or Microsoft 365 license. There are dozens of styles, and the set changes as Microsoft updates its gallery.
Are Microsoft Word resume templates ATS-friendly?
Some are, some are not. The plain single-column Word templates with standard headings parse cleanly. The two-column, sidebar, and table-based designs can be read out of order by an applicant tracking system, and templates that place your contact details in the header can lose them entirely. If a posting runs an ATS, choose a single-column layout, keep your name and phone number in the body, use standard headings, and check the finished file with a parser before you apply.
How do I make a resume in Microsoft Word?
Open Word, click File, then New, and type Resume in the search box to see the built-in templates. Pick a single-column design, then replace the placeholder text with your own name, summary, experience, education, and skills. Keep one column, standard headings, and a common font at 10-12pt, and keep contact details in the body rather than the header. When it is ready, use File, Save As, and choose PDF, or keep the .docx when a job portal asks for Word.
Where are the resume templates in Word?
They are in the New screen. Click File, then New, and type Resume in the search box at the top of the template gallery, then press enter. Word shows its resume and cover-letter designs, and double-clicking one opens an editable copy. If you are using Word for the web, the same search works from the Create or template gallery view.
How do I save a Word resume as a PDF?
Open your resume in Word, click File, then Save As (or Download in Word for the web), pick the location, and choose PDF from the file-type list. Send a PDF when you want the layout fixed across every screen, and keep the Word .docx only when a job portal asks for .doc or .docx by name. Make sure the PDF is text-based, not a scanned image, so a parser can still read it.
Is Word's Resume Assistant still available?
No. Resume Assistant, the LinkedIn-powered pane that suggested wording and job listings, was retired. Microsoft phased it out in late 2022 and removed it by the end of January 2023 across Windows, macOS, and Word for the web. If a guide tells you to open it, that advice is out of date. Start from a Word template instead, or build in a dedicated editor and export to Word or PDF.