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People are often confused about the difference between save and save as. Some people even think it it the same thing. In this post we will explain the main differences and when to use each.
Save vs save as
When choosing file → save, this updates the current file being saved with any changes you have made to it.
If you choose file → save as, it is with the intention to create a copy of the file, or to save it as a different file type.
A new file will always function as a file that is being saved with the “save as” option because it did not already exist. The key word to remember here is creation.
When pressing save on an already created document, you will not get the file viewer menu that you get with save as.
It is also important to remember that if you press save as and don’t change the name, it is the same thing as normal save, just with extra unnecessary steps.
Examples
Lets use a few scenarios within Microsoft Word to explain a few things more in depth.
Here we see a word document with a file that has not been saved yet.
Hitting any of the save options opens a Windows File Explorer window. If you see the File Explorer after hitting save, then its safe to assume the “Save As” function is what the computer has defaulted to using.
This brings us back to our key word because it is creating a new file.
If we have an already saved document that we had previously worked on, pressing save will update that the already existing file.
If we hit save as on an already created file it gives us the option to rename the file, as well as choose a different filed type if desired.
This allows us to:
- Make a separate copy, multiple copies, or change the file type; all while keeping the original intact.
- Experiment with the new file so we don’t ruin any of the originals formatting or content.
- Back the file up in a separate location.
When trying to save an updated copy and an original copy of a file, one of the biggest mistakes people make is using Save when they meant to use Save As. This would overwrite file, losing the original.
If this happens and you haven’t closed the document, hit undo until it is back to normal and then resave the old changes.
For more info about this subject, check out this Microsoft post.
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