How to Make Business Cards in Word?

If you want to design business cards or digital brochures quickly and don't have access to expensive design software such as Adobe Photoshop, you don't have to worry! The popular Microsoft Word program includes the tools you need to create and print them.

You can use business card templates to speed up the whole process, or you can create them from scratch. There are many tools at your disposal - in this article, we will discuss how to create and design cards in Word and a similar app.

How to make a business card in Microsoft Word in 5 steps?

If you just need a quick business card and don’t want to mess around with design tools, Word is actually a solid option. It’s simple, familiar, and gets the job done without much effort.

1) When you open Microsoft Word, navigate to the "File" tab and then select "New" from the left panel.

2) In the template search bar in the gallery in the middle of the window, search for "Business Cards".

3) Take a moment to scroll through them. There are usually more options than you’d expect. Browse the library and pick the one you like best. Once selected, a preview window with a short description will appear. Click "Create" to continue.

4) Word will download the file from the Office gallery, and your cards will open in a new document. In some templates, you can adjust colors and styles, but most people just replace the placeholder text with their own details.

5) In some templates, editing the contents of one business card will not change the others. To do this, you should use the "Find and Replace" function - press Ctrl+H in Windows or apple key+H in MacOS. You can replace, for example, "Your name" with your first and last name in the business card template.

Creating business cards in Word without a template

If you want to create your own business cards, start by creating a new blank document. You can easily use the "Table" tool to make your own business cards in a matter of minutes.

Click the "Margins" button on the "Page Layout" tab. To make the margins slightly smaller than the default setting, select the "Narrow margin" option. This will allow the two columns of your business card to fit on the page.

From the "Insert" tab, select "Insert Table". A grid will appear in a drop-down menu below the "Table" button. To fit ten cards on a single sheet, choose a table with dimensions of two columns by five rows.

Click on the table, and open "Table Properties". Set the table width to about 2 inches (5.5 cm), then adjust the column width to 3.5 inches (8.5 cm). These are standard business card proportions. If you want to be precise the exact size is 85.60 mm × 53.98 mm, but you don’t need to worry too much about it as long as you stay close.

You should now have a table divided into ten identical cells the size of a standard professional business card on your blank new document page. If the table does not fit, the margin can be reduced.

In America, cards are mostly printed on letter paper, while in European countries they are printed on A4 paper. As a result, you need to match the dimensions that are commonly used in your country when you experiment with business card design in Microsoft Office. Select the page size from the drop-down menu on the appropriate page.

Select "AutoFit" by checking "Fixed" column width. This will ensure that the table does not change shape as you fill the first cell with data.

Now you can fill the first cell with your contact details. Keep the layout simple and readable - in most cases, limiting yourself to one or two fonts works best.

If you’re adding a logo, make sure it’s high resolution and fits well within the available space. Avoid overcrowding the card with too many elements, as this often reduces clarity when printed. It might look fine on screen, but crowded layouts tend to lose readability once printed at a small size.

When you’re done, select the first cell. The easiest way is to, move your cursor to the bottom-left corner until it turns into an arrow, then click to select everything inside. Copy the content using Ctrl+C or the copy option from the menu.

Now paste it into the other cells. You can select multiple cells at once to fill them all in one go. If you prefer a cleaner look, you can hide the table borders in the "Table Properties" menu.

When you're happy with your project, save it as a PDF, DOCX, or print it on nice card stock paper.

A foldable card in Word - how to make it?

You can easily convert a business card to a foldable one. To do it, follow the instructions above, but design the cards using double-sided printing.

Make sure the table is centered on the page so both sides line up correctly after folding.

How to print multiple business cards on one sheet in Word?

Before you start designing, check how your printer handles double-sided printing. If it has a native function, test it out.

Then, you can start your work in Microsoft Word. When using double-sided printing, first design the covers of the foldable business card (pages 4 and 1), and on the next page the inner pages (3 and 2). Print a test page of a word document, to create a business card that resembles a brochure.

From print to digital - business cards with Publuu

Here's something most people don't think about: a printed business card has a hard limit on how much information it can carry. Name, number, email, maybe a link to your website. That's it.

A simple idea is to use a QR code that takes people directly to your materials, like a brochure or portfolio. You can publish them as digital flip books in Publuu, which open easily in any web browser on any device. If your content changes, you can update it without changing the QR code or the link on your business card.

Here’s how you can update your flipbook without changing the link:

Business card templates in Word - a gallery

This 80s-style business card template can be used to create effective and stylish cards in MS Word.

Using that template can make your cards look very official, especially thanks to the business-style lines.

The blue spheres of these business cards can make your designs stand out from the crowd.

The soft theme of ladybugs and cards can work for a less official design.

The elegant triangle theme makes these templates look very dynamic.

This colorful business card can look very cute, but in the right business, these templates might be very persuasive.

You can match this business card template to your corporate strategy if you replace the lotus theme with your logo image.

You can use this template to design business cards with a consistent pattern for your needs.

This simple design allows you to customize the business cards with your own corporate logo.

Final thoughts on how to make cards

Using MS Office, you have a number of business card templates available, allowing you to quickly create a professional-looking design. You can find free templates for download on the web, but you can also prepare them yourself.

With Publuu, you can publish your brochures and business cards online as beautiful PDF documents that can be opened on any device. You can place a link or QR code on your business card that redirects to your online brochure, ebook, or catalog.

Making your own business cards in tools like Microsoft Word is a quick and budget-friendly option.

FAQ regarding business cards

Can you make professional business cards in Word?

Yes, especially if you use built-in templates or keep your layout simple. In general, clean designs with limited fonts and clear spacing tend to look more professional than overly complex ones. Word works best for quick, functional designs, particularly if you don’t need any advanced print features.

What is the standard business card size?

The standard size is 85.60 mm x 53.98 mm, or 3.5 x 2 inches. It might seem like a small detail, but it actually matters quite a bit. Sticking to these dimensions can be crucial because most cardholders and printing services are designed around this format. Even small differences can cause alignment issues when printing multiple cards.

How to add more content to a business card?

A practical approach is to treat the card as a starting point. You don’t have to fit everything on it. You can link it to a portfolio, brochure, or company profile. This lets you share more information without overloading the design.

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