Magazine design in word

By Contributing Writer

Updated September 28, 2017

Creating a magazine in Microsoft Word is somewhat different from making it in a publishing software like Adobe InDesign, but it is not completely unheard of. It can work and give you a solid looking end result.

Open a new document in Microsoft Word.

Set up your document to have bound document margins. To do this, go to the «Page Setup» box and select «Book Fold.» This will create a single margin for the two pages.

Write the name of your magazine using a large font on the first page of your document.

Insert a photo by navigating to «Insert,» then «Picture,» then «From File.» Choose the picture you wish to insert and size it on your page. (See the Resources below on how to adjust the picture’s position and text wrapping.)

Create a set of tables to create columns by navigating to «Insert,» then «Tables.» Two columns would be a good place to start, but you can also create 3, 4 or 5 columns of type. Remove the rules on the columns. (See the Resources below for more on using columns in Microsoft Word.)

Add your text to the columns and add photos as necessary.

Save your file as a PDF by navigating to «File,» then «Save As» and choosing «.pdf» as your file type.

Put your file on a CD and take it to the nearest print shop for printing.

Article Tutorial

Microsoft Word has great features which allow you to create your own magazine in just 10 minutes.At the beginning your creations and designs may look poor but don’t worry.As the time passes you’ll get used to Microsoft Word interface and expose your creativity.

First of all,you must learn more about Microsoft Word if you are new to Microsoft Office software.Because we’ll use Microsoft Word to create our magazine covers and in our tutorials mostly.

Please go to How to Use Microsoft Word page to begin learning.

If you’d like to watch our video tutorial,please click here.
Assuming you’re familiar with Microsoft Word,we can begin our article tutorial.

Step 1-Magazine Cover Page Layout

• Firstly,we must adjust our page layout.Click «Page Layout» on the top menu.
• Then we need to set up our margins.Click «Margins» on the sub-menu.
• On the very bottom of the sub-menu,click «Custom Margins».
• Now let’s just set the «top,bottom,right and left» margins to «0».

Ok,our magazine cover page layout is done.

Step 2-Addind Attractive Texts as the Magazine Title

Our page seems empty.We should add some attractive and good-looking texts as our magazine cover title.A quality magazine needs a quality title.This is the most entertaining part of creating a magazine.

• Click «Insert» on the top menu.
• Then click «Wordart» on the sub-menu.This great feature will present our magazine’s title.
• Pick one of the great wordart styles.
• A new text will appear on your page and it says «Enter Your Text Here».Click on it and enter your magazine title.In our video tutorial,we called our title «My Great Magazine».
• When you’re done with it,move it to the top-center of your page.
• Now we need some effects for our title.When your title is selected,click «Text Effects» under the «Wordart Styles» sub-menu.
• A new menu will appear and you’ll be able to see the effects for your title.»Shadow,reflection,glow,bevel,3d-rotation and convert» effects are available.Just click one of them and add a good-looking effect to your title according your wish.

Step 3-Adding Attractive Shapes and Photos to Your Magazine Cover

Now we need some short descriptive texts,interesting shapes and photos to make our cover colourful.A professional magazine must have a great cover.In this case,photos and texts have a big importance.

• Click insert at the top menu.
• Click shapes on the sub-menu and the shapes menu will appear.Pick one that you like most.Circle or circle-like shapes are recommended because it’s edges are soft and we’ll put a small title in it.
• After you pick your shape,draw it by holding your left mouse button on the page.Then move it under your main magazine title but don’t resize it too big and we recommend placing it on left-center of the page.
• Click «Shape Fill» button on the sub-menu and you’ll see the colour choices.This will adjust your shapes colour.
• After adjusting your shape’s colour,you can add some effects to your shapes under the «Shape Effects» button on the same sub-menu.
• Right click on the shape and click «Add Text».Now you’re able to add a text as a sub-title for your magazine cover.This option will make your cover look more professional and good-looking.
• After typing your text you can adjust your text’s colour and size or you can add effects to it as well.
• Click «Home» button at the top menu.Then you’ll see «Font» options in the «Font» sub-menu.
• Adjust your text’s size and font type.The font type is set to «Calibri» but you can change it as well.
• On the same menu,you’ll see «Font Colour» and «Font Effects» sub-menu.There you can change your text’s colour and you can add effects to it.

Now our magazine cover looks better.We now know we can make great cover designs,also we can make a complete magazine for ourselves.

There is one more thing we should know as a basic rule.Here it is.

Step 4-Adding Photos or Pictures to Your Magazine Cover

No one can think about a magazine cover without photos.Our first magazine cover needs some photos on it.

• Click «Insert» on the top menu.
• Then click «Insert Picture from File» on the sub-menu.
• Choose the photo which you want it to be on your cover.
• If you want to make it your background photo,you must set it behind your texts.Otherwise it will cover all of the page and your text won’t be visible anymore.
• In order to move it behind your text,right-click on the photo.Then click «Wrap Text» and then click «Behind Text».
• Now you can see it as a background and your texts are visible again.
• You can resize your photo to cover the complete page as well.We recommend using a simple photo(not complicated,because it confuses readers’ eyes and it will look more tiring).If you want to put a more complicated photo,use it in small sizes.

Now we have simple but attractive magazine cover.

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Can’t find what you are looking for?
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If you’ve got a great idea for creating a magazine, you’re going to need an amazing template to make sure that you show your content in the best possible light.

Today we’re going to share 23 of the free best magazine templates you can use when you have no budget at all, but we’ll also throw in a few premium templates from Envato Elements and GraphicRiver that you can turn to when quality is non-negotiable. 

Why Use a Premium Magazine Template? 

If you’re on a very tight budget or have no budget at all, trying to find free magazine templates is a no-brainer, but though free may be excellent for the pocket, it may not be the way to go when you’re doing an important project where you need a polished and professional layout.

Aside from questionable quality, you also need to think about how you’ll be using your template. The licences for free templates may cover one-time use or personal projects but may not allow you to use the template repeatedly or create a magazine for distribution. This is a problem that you won’t encounter with premium templates since licences for extensive and unlimited usage are built into the cost.

Another thing to bear in mind is that if you’ve never used a template before, you’re going to need a little instruction—something that premium templates usually include but free templates rarely have. 

So by all means go for a free template when you need to, but when you’re ready for high-quality magazine templates at a price you can afford, Envato Elements is a terrific option.

That’s because Envato Elements brings together the most talented designers from around the world under one umbrella and offers thousands of stunning, high-quality magazine templates for every occasion.

What’s more, you can download as many as you want, as often as you want, for one flat monthly fee. And that monthly fee also allows you unlimited access to thousands of quality digital assets like logos, other graphic templates, photos, business card templates, and much more. 

11 Best Premium Magazine Templates From Envato Elements

InDesign Magazine Template (INDD)

This professional InDesign magazine template offers a clean, creative layout consisting of 52 A4 pages that are suitable for a wide range of magazine types. The pages are all fully editable, so that you can create a look that’s right for you. 

Fashion Magazine Layout Template (INDD)

This magazine layout template is created specifically for fashion and beauty but can be used for other industries. The A4 InDesign template offers over 20 pages in a clean and modern layout style. Use InDesign tools to add your text and images to the placeholders, change your colour scheme, and you’ve got a professional magazine ready to send off to the printers.

Realistic Photoshop Magazine Template (PSD)

If your skills tend to be stronger in Photoshop than in InDesign, you’ll appreciate this Photoshop magazine template. The mockup is organised in layers using smart objects which make it easy to customise. Change your background, add images and text, and choose your colour scheme to create your own cool zine with this magazine template in PSD. 

Lemo Magazine Template (INDD)

If you’re looking for a great magazine article template, check out this InDesign magazine template, which offers 30 unique pages in two sizes: A4 and US Letter. The template includes various attractive paragraph and character styles and column layouts. Images, text, and backgrounds are all organised in separate layers to make editing super easy. 

Magazine Layout Template (INDD)

All eyes will be on your magazine when you choose this gorgeous magazine layout template. It offers a cool understated look in both A4 and US Letter size templates. The design contains 30 unique pages, so there are plenty of layouts to help you find that perfect look.

Food Magazine Template (INDD)

Whether you’re looking for a standout food magazine cover template or an eye-catching food magazine layout template, you can’t go wrong with this amazing mockup. The A4 template contains 25 unique page layouts with a wide range of features, like automatic page numbering, different column layouts, etc.  

Misuo | Magazine Cover Template (INDD)

Looking for a cover that’s modern and clean and packs a punch? How about this magazine cover template, which not only offers an incredible selection of cover styles but also includes over 20 stylish page layouts. Use the A4 template when you want to really create a splash.

All-Purpose Magazine Template (INDD)

How about using this cool all-purpose magazine layout template for your next project? The A4 and US Letter size template offers 24 pages, all organised in separate layers for images, text, and background.

Magazine Article Template (INDD)

Whether you need to create a lookbook or a text-rich magazine, this stylish magazine article template layout will work well. It’s available in US Letter size only and offers 15 unique page layouts that are easy to customise in InDesign.

Magazin — InDesign Magazine Template (INDD)

Promote your business by creating a beautiful magazine using this marvellous design. The InDesign magazine template offers 15 custom pages in both A4 and US Letter size. The print-ready template includes free fonts and is easy to edit. 

Mount Travel | Magazine Template (INDD)

A great travel magazine isn’t just about alluring photos and informative text. You need the right magazine cover template and layout to make it easy for readers to engage with your content. That’s exactly what you’ll get when you download this awesome InDesign magazine template. The A4 layout offers over 20 stunning pages that are well organised in layers to make it easy for you to customise the background, text, images, and colour. 

7 More Premium Magazine Templates From GraphicRiver

Envato Elements isn’t the only source for high-quality magazine templates. There’s also GraphicRiver, which offers hundreds of terrific templates.

While Elements is the best source when you want to buy many templates and other resources, GraphicRiver is better for those who are on a budget and only want to buy one magazine template at a time. 

Let’s take a look at a few of the top-quality offerings there. 

Magazine Template (INDD)

In an increasingly polluted planet, keeping oneself well is of the utmost importance. That’s why I’ve included this awesome magazine cover template, which also offers 20 unique page layouts for you to create the wellness magazine of your dreams.

Home Magazine Template (INDD)

Architects and interior designers will love this wonderfully modern magazine layout template. It offers 20 custom pages with graphics, images, shapes and text organised in separated layers so that you can easily customise the template in InDesign. The print-ready A4 template includes a PDF help file. 

MODERN — Magazine Template (INDD)

Need a versatile magazine article template? Check out this 50-page layout that is suitable for a wide range of magazines, but is especially suitable for those with text-heavy content. The print-ready download is offered in both A4 and US Letter size. 

Magazine Template | More (INDD)

This contemporary InDesign magazine template is perfect for a wide range of content, from travel to fashion to text-rich content. The template contains 38 unique pages that are well organised and easy to edit using InDesign. 

Architecture Magazine Template (INDD)

Architects and interior designers, take notice. This A4 template is designed with you in mind. It contains 30 pages which combine text and images beautifully so that your content is presented in the best possible way. It can be used in a wide range of other content areas as well. 

Multipurpose Magazine Template (INDD)

Use this versatile magazine column template for subjects from lifestyle to fashion, travel, and more. The A4 template offers 32 customisable pages that are easily edited in InDesign. A help file is included in case you get stuck.

Adventure Magazine Template (INDD)

Capture the essence of adventure with this superb print-ready template. It offers 16 A4 custom pages which are organised into separate layers for graphics, images, shapes, and text. All you need is text, images, and time to create a terrific magazine your audience will love. 

23 Best Free Magazine Templates

So now that you know what’s available to you when you have a bit of money to spend on quality magazine templates, let’s take a look at the best magazine templates you can get for free around the internet. 

1. Free Photoshop Magazine Templates (PSD)

If you’re familiar with Photoshop, get this free download. It’s a simple but well-designed Photoshop magazine template that offers a free magazine cover template and two inside pages. Great for fashion, lifestyle, or travel.

2. Maximal Minimal — Free Magazine Template (INDD)

If you like a vintage minimal look, then you might like this free magazine template for InDesign. It offers two free magazine cover templates and 32 inside pages in A4 size. Plenty of layout options to keep you busy. 

3. Free Photoshop Magazine Template (PSD)

Need an image-heavy layout for your next project? Check out this free Photoshop magazine template. The template is organised in layers and uses smart objects for easy customisation. It includes three free fake magazine cover templates and an inside spread. 

4. FREE Magazine Template InDesign (INDD)

This is a great free magazine template for InDesign that offers 30 customisable page layouts. This multi-purpose template is print-ready and easy to edit in InDesign.

5. Free Minimalist Magazine Template (PSD)

Use this free photo magazine cover template to show off your gorgeous images, and then use the free inside layout pages to build your magazine by combining images and text. The magazine template PSD files are organised in layers and use smart objects to make editing easier. 

6. Free Modern Wedding Magazine Cover Template (DOC, PSD, INDD)

If you’re searching high and low for a free magazine cover template for a bridal magazine, you can’t go wrong with this one. It offers fully customisable layouts in an A4 document. And it can be dowloaded in any file format, so for those without Photoshop skills who are looking for a great magazine article template in Microsoft Word that is free, this is it. 

7. Santal — Free Magazine & Editorial Template (INDD)

Create a magazine that will be the envy of your friends when you use this free magazine cover template with 76 inside pages. The A4 and US Letter sized templates are organised in separate layers for images, texts, and graphics, which makes editing the templates easy.  

8. Magazine Template Free Download (AI)

A great free magazine template for adventure sports enthusiasts, this template will show off your images to their best advantage while celebrating your text. Not just limited to adventure sports, the template could be used for a great variety of genres. 

9. Free Download 14 Page Magazine Template (INDD)

Now this is a free magazine template InDesign that businesses will love. It offers many creative approaches for combining images and text, as well as a number of enticing layouts to experiment with.

10. 35+ Free Magazine Templates (PSD)

You’ve hit the jackpot with this free magazine template. It offers not one, not two, not three, but over 35 Photoshop magazine templates. Perfect for showcasing your presentations, artwork, and designs, the templates offer a wide variety of mockup dimensions and orientations, from free personalized magazine cover templates to A4, square, landscape, and much more.

11. Free Magazine Cover Template (PSD)

Here’s a free fake magazine cover template that you need to check out. A great choice for academic magazines, the template requires Photoshop for editing. 

12. Free Blog & Photoshop Magazine Template (PSD)

This is the combo that you’ve been waiting for. This blog and Photoshop magazine template helps you create a seamless look between your blog and your print magazine. Best of all, it’s free. 

13. Fashion LOOK BOOK Template (INDD)

This free fake magazine cover template is everything you need to make a splash with your cookbook. Aside from the gorgeous cover, the template offers 28 inside pages in various configurations, all designed to complement your work.

14. Magazine Set Mockup (PSD)

Need a magazine template for your real estate or architecture magazine? What about this free Photoshop magazine template? It offers loads of layout choices so that you can showcase your images and complement them with text when needed.

15. FREE Fashion Lookbook Magazine (INDD)

Here’s another great magazine template that’s free for download. The template offers a variety of excellent layouts that are great for a fashion lookbook or for a photo portfolio. All backgrounds, images, and text can be added in InDesign.

16. Download Free Magazine Template (AI)

Free personalized magazine cover templates like this one are easy to update with your own photos and text. Just use the recommended software—in this case Illustrator—to open your template, use the placeholders as a guide to add images and text, and then select a colour scheme and you’re done. 

17. Freebie | Magazine Template (AI)

This stylish magazine template offers a number of innovative layouts that would be great for magazines that want to create a fresh new look. The A4 template is fully customisable in Illustrator and is print-ready.

18. Free Flatlay Magazine Template (PSD)

Use this free Photoshop magazine template to create your next magazine. The versatile A4 template offers a good selection of layouts which will work for a number of different projects. 

19. Download Free Magazine Template (AI)

Businesses will appreciate this free magazine template that offers a professional and eye-catching layout. Use Illustrator to add images and text and to change the colour scheme. 

20. Download Magazine Template Free (AI)

Adventurers will appreciate this free magazine template for Illustrator. Its strength is the ample room it gives for both images and text, making it ideal for both image-based and text-rich content. 

21. Free Magazine Mockup (PSD)

Here’s a free fake magazine cover template that will bring a certain polish to your project. Aside from the cover, the template includes seven inside layouts that favour magazines that are text-rich but also include images.

22. Free Square Photoshop Magazine Template (PSD)

Who says magazines all have to be portrait? Help your project to stand out from the crowd when you use this square magazine template that’s free to download. The mockup includes front and back covers and inside page spreads, and it’s easy to customise using smart object layers in Photoshop. 

23. Free Photoshop Magazine Template (PSD)

This free photo magazine cover template with inside layouts isn’t just created for photographers. It will also work for any magazine with loads of visual content. The template is organised in layers and uses smart objects for easy editing. 

Choose a Magazine Template Today

As you can see, there’s a wide range of wonderfully free magazine templates available online. Do take advantage of them when you have no money and no choice, but when you have a bit more financial leeway and can invest in premium templates, Envato Elements is an excellent resource for a wide variety of high-quality magazine templates.

If you also regularly need mockups, icons, and other design resources, Elements offers unlimited downloads for one low monthly fee. 

Alternatively, if you only need one template for a specific project, then GraphicRiver is a better bet. Head over to either site today to choose your favourite template.

And finally, if you want more information on other terrific templates, check out these really helpful articles below: 

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Nona Blackman began her freelance copywriting career with Envato in 2017. Since then she has written over 600 articles for the Envato Tuts+ Design & Illustration, Photography & Video, Web Design, Code, Music & Audio, 3D & Motion Graphics, Business and Computer Skills sections, as well as the Envato Blog and the Envato Medium account.

Blackman holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of the West Indies, a Master’s of Fine Arts in Photography, Video and Digital Design from the School of Visual Arts in New York City, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Westminster in London.