✅ Free · 🔒 Private · 🚫 No sign-up
Document Studio: the complete guide
Cromagnon Document Studio is a free online word processor that runs entirely in your browser. Open a Word document (DOCX), write and format it with headings, lists, tables, images, links, footnotes and a table of contents, then save it back as a real DOCX file that opens correctly in Microsoft Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice.
Your documents never leave your device. They autosave in your browser as you type, with version history, a 30-day trash and templates, so a crash or a closed tab doesn't lose your work. There is no sign-up, no watermark, no word limit and no paid plan.
This guide covers every tool in Document Studio: formatting, page setup, references, review and track changes, mail merge, export to PDF, Markdown and HTML, and the keyboard shortcuts, with step-by-step tutorials for the jobs people do most.
- 100% free
- Real DOCX in and out
- Autosave + version history
- Track changes and comments
- No sign-up
- Files stay on your device
Features
Everything you can do in Document Studio
Write and format
Headings and styles
Heading 1 to 6 and normal text, so your document has a clear structure and an automatic outline.
Bold, italic, underline and more
Strikethrough, subscript, superscript, text colour, highlight, font and size, and change case (UPPERCASE, Title Case, Sentence case).
Lists
Bulleted and numbered lists with nesting; press Tab to indent an item and Shift + Tab to bring it back.
Tables
Insert a table with a header colour, then merge and split cells as you work.
Images and links
Place pictures in the text and turn words into links.
Paragraph spacing
Space before and after, left, right and first-line indents, hanging indents for reference lists, and line spacing.
Drop cap, dividers and callouts
Ready-made blocks such as a quote or callout box, a divider line and a signature block.
Equations
Type a formula in LaTeX, or start from a common equation, and insert it at the cursor.
Page setup
Paper size, orientation and margins
A4, US Letter and more, portrait or landscape, with normal, narrow or custom margins.
Columns
Lay text out in two or three columns, like a newsletter.
Header and footer
Add the same text to the top and bottom of every page.
Page numbers
Choose a page number format and add it to every page.
Page breaks
Start a new page exactly where you want with Ctrl + Enter.
Watermark
Stamp DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL or your own words across the pages.
Cover page
Add a ready-made title page in front of the document.
Page colour and border
Give the page a background colour or a border for flyers and certificates.
References and long documents
Table of contents
Built from your headings; choose how many levels to show and update it with F9.
Footnotes and endnotes
Add notes that number themselves, renumber them, or remove them all.
Captions
Number figures and tables automatically.
Bookmarks and cross-references
Bookmark a paragraph and refer to it elsewhere; references update with F9.
Outline panel
Jump to any heading from the side panel.
Word Count Pro
Words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading and speaking time, different words and readability scores (Flesch reading ease and grade level).
Writing goal
Set a target word count and watch your progress.
Review and collaborate
Track changes
Every insertion and deletion is marked with your name; accept or reject them one by one or all at once.
Comments
Comment on any part of the text, edit and resolve comments.
Compare documents
Choose another DOCX and insert a report of what changed between the two.
Version history
Versions are saved as you edit; name a version and go back to it any time.
Accessibility checker
Finds common problems such as images without alt text or skipped heading levels, and jumps to each one.
Find and replace
With match case and whole words only, plus highlight all.
Files, export and extras
Open and save DOCX
Open Word files and save genuine DOCX with formatting kept.
Export to PDF, Markdown and HTML
Print to PDF from the browser, or save Markdown and HTML for websites and notes.
Templates and mail merge
Start from a template, or merge a list of names and addresses into personalised letters.
Docs panel, duplicate and trash
All your documents in one place; deleted ones stay in the trash for 30 days.
Read aloud and dictation
Listen to your text with a choice of voice and speed, or dictate in your language.
AI writing (optional)
Translate, summarise, continue writing or suggest titles with your own AI key; nothing is sent unless you press the button.
Flashcards and slides
Send a document to Study Studio as flashcards, or to Presentation Studio as slides.
Tutorials
Step-by-step how-to guides
How to edit a Word document online for free
- Press Open and choose your DOCX file, or drag it onto the studio.
- Edit the text and formatting as you would in Word.
- Press Save → DOCX to download the edited Word file.
💡 Tip: Your document also autosaves in the browser, so you can close the tab and continue later from the Docs panel.
How to add a table of contents
- Format your chapter titles as Heading 1 and sections as Heading 2.
- Put the cursor where the contents should go.
- Open References → Table of contents, choose how many levels to show, and insert it.
- After editing, press F9 to update page numbers and titles.
How to use track changes
- Open Review and type your name for tracked changes.
- Turn Track changes on. New text and deletions are now marked.
- Send the DOCX to someone, or review it yourself.
- Accept or reject each change, or use Accept all / Reject all.
💡 Tip: Tracked changes are saved in the DOCX, so Word users see them too.
How to convert a Word document to PDF
- Open the DOCX in Document Studio.
- Press Print / PDF.
- In the print window choose Save as PDF as the printer, then save.
How to do a mail merge
- Write the letter and put placeholders where names and addresses go.
- Load your list of people (a spreadsheet or CSV).
- Run the merge to create one personalised letter per person.
- Export the result as DOCX or print it.
How to add footnotes and citations
- Put the cursor after the sentence.
- Insert a footnote and type the source.
- For a full reference list, build it in Citation Studio and paste it at the end with a hanging indent.
How to compare two versions of a document
- Open the newer version.
- Open Review → Compare and choose the older DOCX.
- Insert the comparison report to see every addition and removal.
How to check readability and word count
- Open Word Count Pro.
- Read the counts, reading time and readability scores.
- Turn on the quality checks to highlight long sentences and repeated words.
💡 Tip: A Flesch reading ease of 60–70 is plain English; higher is easier to read.
Tips and tricks
Get more out of Document Studio
Paste without the mess
Ctrl + Shift + V pastes plain text, so text copied from a web page takes your document's styles instead of its own.
Fix spacing in one click
Clean spacing removes double spaces and empty paragraphs left behind by copy and paste.
Hanging indent for references
Use the hanging-indent paragraph setting for APA, MLA and Harvard reference lists.
Name important versions
Before big edits, save a named version such as "Sent to client" so you can always go back.
Headings power everything
Use real headings, not bold text: the outline, the table of contents and accessibility all depend on them.
Write in any language
Right-to-left languages like Arabic, Urdu and Hebrew, and non-Latin scripts, work in the editor and in the DOCX you save.
Work faster
Document Studio keyboard shortcuts
Shortcuts don't fire while you are typing in a text box, except Ctrl + S. On a Mac, use ⌘ instead of Ctrl.
Privacy
Private by design: your files stay on your device
Online word processors usually keep your documents on their servers. Document Studio keeps them in your own browser: the DOCX is opened, edited and saved on your device and is never uploaded to Cromagnon.
That makes it a good fit for CVs, contracts, letters and anything personal. Autosave, versions and the trash are stored in your browser storage too, and you can delete them at any time.
Optional AI writing and translation only send text to the AI provider whose key you added yourself, and only when you press the button.
Comparison
Document Studio compared with typical online tools
| Cromagnon Document Studio | Typical online word processors | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ✅ Free, every feature | Free with limits, or a subscription |
| Account | ✅ Not needed | Required |
| Where documents are kept | ✅ In your browser, on your device | On their servers |
| Real DOCX in and out | ✅ Yes | Usually |
| Track changes, comments, compare | ✅ Yes | Often on paid plans |
| Works offline | ✅ Yes, once loaded | Limited |
| Ads | ✅ None | Sometimes |
Made for everyone
Who uses Document Studio?
Students
Essays and reports with headings, footnotes, a table of contents and a word goal.
Writers
Long drafts with an outline, readability scores and named versions.
Office workers
Letters, memos and reports saved as real Word files.
Teachers
Worksheets, handouts and comments on student work with track changes.
Job seekers
A CV and cover letter that open perfectly in Word for recruiters.
Small businesses
Mail-merged letters, templates and simple contracts.
Troubleshooting
Common problems and how to fix them
My DOCX looks slightly different
Fonts that are not installed on your device are replaced by close matches. Choose a common font such as Arial or Calibri for the most even result.
The table of contents is out of date
Press F9 to update the contents, captions, notes and cross-references.
Pasted text brought strange formatting
Undo, then paste again with Ctrl + Shift + V, or use Clean spacing.
I deleted a document by mistake
Open the Docs panel → Trash and restore it. Deleted documents stay there for 30 days.
I need a PDF, not a DOCX
Press Print / PDF and choose Save as PDF in the print window.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is Document Studio really free?
Yes. Every feature is free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no word limit.
Can I open and save Word (DOCX) files?
Yes. Open a DOCX, edit it and save a real DOCX that opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice.
Are my documents uploaded?
No. Documents are opened, edited and saved in your browser on your device.
Does it autosave?
Yes. Your work autosaves as you type, with version history and a 30-day trash.
Can I track changes and add comments?
Yes. Turn on Track changes, add comments, and accept or reject changes. They are kept in the DOCX.
How do I make a table of contents?
Use headings, then insert a table of contents from References. Press F9 to update it.
Can I convert a Word document to PDF?
Yes. Press Print / PDF and choose Save as PDF.
Can I export to Markdown or HTML?
Yes. Save as Markdown or HTML for websites, wikis and notes.
Does it work in Arabic, Urdu or other right-to-left languages?
Yes. Right-to-left text and non-Latin scripts are supported.
Can I do a mail merge?
Yes. Merge a list of names and addresses into personalised letters.
Does it work offline?
Once the studio has loaded, you can keep writing without a connection, and your work stays saved in the browser.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes, in any modern browser, though a keyboard makes long writing easier.
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