Easily Create a New File in Windows: User-Friendly Instructions

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Everything you need to know about creating a new file in Windows

Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: September 11, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using File Explorer

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Using an Application from the Start Menu

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

There are many ways to create a file on your Windows PC. Depending on the file you want to create, you'll usually open an app from the Start menu and use its tools to create the desired type of file. You can also create a blank file within File Explorer or on your desktop. This wikiHow guide teaches you how to create a file on Windows.

Easily Create a File in Windows

Right-click in any folder in File Explorer or on your desktop, click New, and select the type of file you want to create. Only file types that can be opened with programs on your computer will show up. You can also open the program you want to use the file in and create a new file that way.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using File Explorer

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1
Open File Explorer
. It has an icon that resembles a folder with a blue clip. It can be found in the taskbar at the bottom of your screen or in the Windows Start menu.
- You can also open File Explorer by pressing the ⊞ Win+E on the keyboard or by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting File Explorer.
- If you want to make a new file on your desktop instead, right-click the desktop and skip to step 4.
File Explorer has some Quick Access folders in the sidebar menu to the left, so you can get to a location within a few clicks. Once you open a folder, its contents will be displayed in the right panel.

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Do not click any files or folders that are already in the folder you opened. This displays a pop-up menu.
This displays a sub-menu to the right of the pop-up menu.
5
Select the type of file you want to create. The sub-menu displays a list of common programs and file types.
- For example, if you want to create a text file, click Text Document or Microsoft Word Document.
- The types of files you can create are based on what programs you have on your computer that can open them. For example, you'll see options to create Microsoft PowerPoint or Microsoft Excel files if you have Microsoft Office installed.
- Notepad can be used to create lots of text-based file types. You can even use it to write programming code, HTML, and more.
- If you uninstalled Notepad, you won't see an option to create a new "Text Document."
6
Name your file and press ↵ Enter. When you create a new file, it will be given a default name that will be highlighted. Type a new filename to change the default name.
- Once you've created a file, you can double-click it to open it in its default application.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using an Application from the Start Menu

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By default, it's in the lower-left corner of the Windows taskbar. This displays the Windows Start menu.
2
Click an application. Windows comes with many programs pre-installed. You can use Paint or Paint3D to create and edit image files, Video Editor to create and edit video files. You can use Notepad to create text files. You may also have installed apps like Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, or third-party media editors. Select the app used to create or edit the type of file you want to create.
- If you don't see the application you want to open in the Start menu, type its name into the search bar at the bottom-left corner of the screen to search.
- You can download and install many free alternatives to paid programs. For example, Libre Office is a free alternative to Microsoft Office, and GIMP is a free alternative to Photoshop. There are also many free video editing programs, such as Shotcut and Openshot.
Depending on the file type you are creating, you may have to click the File menu and select New to create a new blank file. Once your file is ready, use the tools provided in the application to create and edit your file.
The menu layout will be different from one application to another, but most display a menu bar containing a File option at the top.
This is how the file will be identified on your computer.
Many applications allow you to select the file type you want to save the file as. For example, in Photoshop, you can select if you want to save an image as a PSD (Photoshop) file, JPEG, PNG, or GIF image.
This saves the file with the file name and file type that you selected.^{[1]
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Question

How can I create a new file on Windows?

Community Answer

You can right click on your desktop then hover over "new." You will see many choices that include: Folder, Text Document, etc. Select which option you would like to create. You can also pin it to other places by using "save = Ctrl + S."

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What if the type of file I'd like to create is not among the options?

Community Answer

If you know the file extension (like .txt for a plain text file, or .docx for a Microsoft Word Document) you can create a new Plain Text File and rename it. You can also just use the program you will use to edit the file to make the file.

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Question

I want to create a document that repeats several times on a page. How do I do this?

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You can copy the document and past it as many times as you want it on the page.

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Tips

Once you create a file, you can move it by dragging and dropping it to another location in File Explorer. You can also click the file, then copy it, and paste it to the location where you want it.

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