How to get the retro WordArt back in Microsoft Word

I'm a huge fan of vintage 1990s WordArt, that iconic Microsoft Word feature that let you create those awesome "3D" text effects. It was perfect, but Microsoft inexplicably gutted the feature in the late 2000s, leaving us with pale imitations.

Open Word now and check the WordArt icon (next to the text box icon on the "Insert" tab). You'll find a few weak options—a far cry from the chunky masterpieces we remember.

These are mere shadows of the original. The true WordArt, however, lives on, hidden within Word's code. But for years, it was lost to time.

Here's how to resurrect it: create a new Word document, then go to File > Save As. Save it as a "Word 97-2003 document" (.doc) file.

This puts you in "Compatibility Mode." Microsoft designed this to ensure you can open older documents with all their features intact—including the real WordArt. Click the WordArt icon again.

There they are! Your old friends are back.

(Mac users, sadly, are excluded from this joy. No WordArt for you!)

Once you've selected a WordArt style, customize it further using the WordArt toolbar at the top. Adjust the 3D perspective, shadows—go wild!

Recreate those gloriously over-the-top WordArt effects that were the hallmark of the 90s. Remember procrastinating on homework or work with these? Now, thanks to compatibility mode, this lost art is back.

I recently threw a WordArt party (yes, really!). Friends created WordArt documents for everything from the bar menu to the dip ingredients. It was a huge hit! Bring back the joy of WordArt to your life—you won't regret it (unless you're a Mac user).

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