Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Get into good file storage habits
• Method 2 of 2: Save files in specific programs
• Tips

Saving files is an important part of working with documents, images, videos and other files on a computer. When you save your work, you can continue working on it later, share your files with others, and protect your work from errors and programs that crash. Go to Step 1 below to learn the best ways to store your files and how to work more efficiently.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Get into good file storage habits

1. Save your work often. Programs crash, and that often happens at the worst times. Protect yourself from losing hours of work by regularly saving your files. If you make changes to a file but don't want to overwrite the original file, use the "Save As" function to save a copy under a new file name.
   • Many programs have a so-called auto save function that automatically saves your file after a certain time. This can save you in an emergency, but should not replace actively and regularly saving your files.
2. Give useful names to the files you save. When you first save a new file, you will be asked to enter a name for the file. Make sure you can easily identify the file by the file name. The file name should also contain important information such as the date or the author of the file. This way you can find what you need when you are looking for a specific file on your computer.
3. Check the file format when you save the file. When you save a file for the first time or use the "Save As" function to save a new copy of the document, many programs will allow you to change the file format. You can usually do this by clicking the drop-down menu below the field where you enter the file name.
   • Checking the file format is especially important when sending files to someone who may not have the same version of the program as you.
4. Organize the folders where you store your files. Most operating systems will create a folder for your documents where your saved files are automatically placed by default. While this can be good to have a general idea of ​​where your files are stored, taking the time to organize all of your file folders according to a particular system can help you find your work in the maze of chaos. files.
   • Use folders to sort your files by type of file, what project it belongs to, date, and whatever other criteria you want to use.
   • Most new versions of Windows use libraries, which allow you to store files of the same type in one place. These libraries are not actual locations on your computer, but are instead collections of files stored in different places on your computer.
5. Learn the different keyboard shortcuts. You can save a lot of time learning the keyboard shortcuts for saving files, especially if you often save a file. Hitting Control + S (Command + S on a Mac) will save your file in most programs.
   • Many programs also have hot keys for the "Save As" function. Which tests these are varies per program. For example, pressing F12 in Word will open the "Save As" dialog box, while in Photoshop you can do the same by pressing Shift + Control + S simultaneously.
6. Back up your files. To avoid losing your files in the event of a computer crash, make sure to back up your saved files often. This means that you copy the saved files from your folders with documents to an external hard drive or upload them to a cloud storage service.

Method 2 of 2: Save files in specific programs

1. Save files in Microsoft Word. Word is one of the most popular word processors in the world. Therefore, saving files in Word is an important skill to have.
2. Save a file as a PSD file in Photoshop. Knowing how to change the file format of your saved file is an important basic skill when working on the computer. If you know how to save a PSD file in Photoshop, you can also adjust the file format of a saved file in most computer programs.
3. Save images from a website. The internet is full of text and images, and you will likely come across an image or two that you want to save for your own use. All browsers let you easily store images on your own computer. Similar steps apply for saving other types of files found on a website.
4. Save a document to Google Drive. As cloud storage services for storing and creating documents are becoming increasingly popular, chances are that you will also start working with Google Drive. Even though these files are always stored in the cloud, you can just download them and save them on your computer so that you can access them without using the internet.

Tips

• Save your work often! You won't regret saving your work more often than necessary.