20 Best Word Certificate Template Designs to Award Achievement in 2024

Want a certificate of appreciation template for Word? This certificate of template template for Word is right for you. 

• Portrait
• A4 Paper Size with Bleeds
• Quick and easy to customize templates
• Professional and clean structured files.
• Change Image via Smart Object

2. Word Certificate Template

Customise this certificate of appreciation template in Word to fit your brand. Change certificate of completion template for Word to fit the occasion, add the name and any details you want included. You can also edit the colours and fonts.

Most certificates of completion templates for free download for Word lack the design features. Save time working with a premium certificate of appreciation template in Word. 

The US letter size certificate template doc comes with a help file. So, if you get stuck you can figure out where you went wrong and how to course correct. 

3. Word Certificate Template Pro

This certificate template for Word combines lots of negative space with intricate geometric shapes in bright and cheerful colours.

A  temple that would work equally well for a corporate and creative events. This versatile certificate of appreciation template for Word includes: 

• .Ai ( Adobe illustrator ) & .Psd ( Adobe Photoshop )
• Letter Size + bleed / ( 11 x 8.5 inches )
• CMYK 300 DPI
• Well organized Layers
• Help file included

4. Multipurpose Word Template Certificates

This award certificate template for Word is much more sober than the others here. The design featured hard lines and muted colours. This Word template certificate is ideal for more formal businesses and events.

The text of this award certificate template for Word can be customised. But unlike the other templates, you can't change the colours. So, it's a case of what you see is what you get.

5. Certificate Word Template - Warm Colours

This certificate of appreciation template for Word docs has curved lines and warm colours. It can be fully customised to create the right effect for your needs. 

With this certificate of appreciation template for Word you'll get:

• Fully Layered & editable
• (8.5×11 inches) + .25 Bleed Area
• 6 Vector EPS files
• CMYK Colors
• 300 DPI resolution

6. Modern Certificate of Appreciation Template for Word

If you're planning to recognise a valued employee, this certificate of appreciation template in Word is a perfect choice. The sleek design and colourful geometric shapes will impress the recipient. It'll convey the professional look you're going for.

You get PSD and Ai files with this certificate of appreciation template for Word doc. This helps in case you want to make changes to the graphic design elements. It's easy to customize this certificate of appreciation template in Word.

7. Modern Certificate Word Template

Check out the bold design of this excellence award certificate template for Word. As with the Microsoft Word certificate template featured here, it's easy to customise. Change the text by typing over it in Word. 

• Fully Layered & editable
• (8.5×11 inches) + .25 Bleed Area
• 3 Vector EPS files (AI)
• CMYK Colors
• 300 DPI resolution

8. Certificate Template for Word 

Check out this Microsoft Word certificate template. Make someone feel truly valued by using this elegant certificate of appreciation template for Word docs. Its use of a geometric elements on the top makes it stand out.

• Fully Layered & editable
• (8.5×11 inches) + .25 Bleed Area
• 3 Vector EPS files (AI)
• CMYK Colors
• 300 DPI resolution

9. Modern Certificate of Appreciation Word Doc

As you can see from these photos, this modern Word award certificate template will look great when framed and hung on a wall. Use it for your awards event, and make the winner feel truly proud.

10. Modern Microsoft Word Certificate Template 05

11. Certificate of Achievement Template Word - Clean & Fresh 

Or why not try this certificate of achievement template for Word? Its design elements are simple, understand, and classic. It comes with a few decorative flourishes in the middle. In certificate design, sometimes less is more. This minimalist template strikes the right tone.

18. Modern Certificate - Clean & Minimal

With its clean and minimal design, Modern Certificate is the epitome of elegance. This award certificate template for Word and other formats. It can be used in either portrait or landscape mode as shown in the image above. 

• Indd template
• Portrait format
• Compatible with CS4, CS5, CS5.5, CS6 & CC
• US letter and A4 size + Bleed
• Easy to customize

You won't see this level of design in free certificates of completion for Word.

19. Certificate Templates for Word - Geometric 

Use this certificate of award template for Word at your next business event to pay special tribute to an employee or client. If you're a teacher and are planning to reward the achievements of your students, this Word template certificate is perfect.

20. Clean Certificate Design Template for Word 

Here's one last award certificate of achievement template for Word, and it's a great option. The vignette effect creates the impression of a spotlight on your award winner.

You get four different colour styles to choose from. 

• Ornament Included.
• Vertical & Horizontal.
• Easy to use and customize.
• Fully layered & well organized
• A4 Paper Size (CMYK 300DPI)

How to Customise your Certificate Template in Word

Once you’ve decided on which Microsoft Word certificate template, the next step is to customise it. Here are five different ways you can customise your template.

For this tutorial, I’ll be using the Edward Clarkson Certificate from Envato Elements. 

1. How to Delete an Object

To delete an object, begin by selecting the object that you want to delete. Next, press the Delete button on your keyboard. This will get rid of any unwanted object.

2. Change the Font

To begin, highlight the text that you want to change the font. Next, click on the Home tab.

In the toolbar is the Font menu. Click on the arrow next to the Font menu. When you click on the arrow next to the Font menu, a menu of fonts drops down.

Choose the font that you want for the text.

3. Add a New Text Box

Sometimes you need to add more text than what the template comes with. To add new text, you’ll need to add a new text box.

First, click on the Insert tab. Once you’ve clicked on the Insert tab, click the Text Box button in the toolbar. Next, click on your certificate where you want the text box to be.

After you click, draw your mouse in a diagonal line. Click inside the new text box then you can type in the text box to add new text.

4. Add Your Signature

To add your signature to your certificate template in Word, you’ll need to have an image of your signature.

To add your signature image, click on the Insert tab. Next, click on the Pictures button in the toolbar. When you click on this button, a menu drops down. Click on the right option for you, depending on where your image is located.

Once you’ve located the file to add, double click. The image appears on your template. You may need to adjust the size and location of your signature image.

5. Change the Background Colour

The template used in the tutorial has a layer that makes the background colour stay white. This happens no matter what colour you change the background to. You’ll need to get rid of that layer.

Start by clicking on an empty section. Next, drag the layer to the side so you can see whether the layer is selected.

Then press Delete on your keyboard to get rid of that layer. Next, click on the Design tab. In the toolbar, you’ll see a Page Color button; click on that button.

When you click on the Page Color button, a colour menu drops down.

Click on the colour that you want your background to become.

5 Quick Tips to Design Great Word Certificates in 2024

Now that you've seen some of our best MS Word certificate templates, you may wonder how to create a nice and professional certificate design in MS Word.

Let me share with you some useful tips:

1. Choose the Right Colour Scheme

There's no singular rule about this. It's always a good idea to pay attention to the colours you're using for your certificate design in MS Word.

If you're doing certificates for your workplace, stick to sober colours like black, grey or dark blue. Or you can use your company's colours. 

If you need certificates for a less formal event, like a children's course or birthday, you can go for a different colour palette. Use Adobe's Color Wheel to create color palettes or for inspiration.

2. Combine Fonts, But Be Careful

It's pretty common in certificates to use more than one font but be careful. Too many different fonts can kill the design. A good rule of thumb is to use three fonts at the most. 

Choose an accent font, like a handwritten or cursive for important words, and a sans-serif or serif for the rest of the text.

3. Don't Clutter the Certificate

When you're doing the certificate design in MS Word, it's very important to not overcrowd the layout.

Instead of fitting as much information as possible, leave white space between words. This will make the certificate easier to read and look professional. 

4. Remember the Certificate Structure

And while this isn't a hard rule either, most of the certificates follow this simple structure.

Keep it in mind when you're editing your Microsoft Word certificate template:

• title (certificate of achievement)
• presentation line (this is awarded to…)
• recipient (name)
• from whom
• description (reason for award)
• date
• signature

• 25 Best Certificate Design Templates: Awards, Gifts, & Diplomas for 2024

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5. Always Do a Spell Check!

Finally, the most important tip for certificate design in MS Word is to do a thorough spell check. It may seem obvious, but often it's overlooked.

Double check the recipient's name spelling and the rest of the text. 

Five Certificate Design Trends of 2024

Maybe you aren’t sure what Microsoft Word certificate template to use.

Then, consider some of the latest design trends:

1. Keep Design Minimal 

Minimal designs have been on trend for a long time. Minimal award certificate templates in Word have a small amount of design and text.

This is great if you want the focus to be on your text. Sometimes if there's too much text or design, it can be overwhelming to the audience.

2. Keep it Simple With a Classic Certificate

Classic certificates have a design that's seen in most certificate template free downloads in Word.

A classic design typically has a border with the text in the middle, and the certificate is in landscape format. When people think of a certificate, they're most likely thinking of this type of design.

3. Go for a Modern Certificate Design

Modern certificate design in MS word typically has modern design elements such as geometric shapes. This is a great choice if you want a modern and unique design that doesn’t look old-fashioned. Modern certificates also can have more than one colour.

4. Be Creative

If you’re looking for a Microsoft Word certificate template with a fun design, then try a creative template. Creative templates have different shapes as part of the design.

The shapes are less geometric and more oddly shaped then the shapes you’d find in a modern template. These templates also have a lot of colours.

5. Go for a Portrait Format

Traditionally certificates are in landscape format. Instead, consider a MS Word certificate template in portrait format. This format will make your certificate stand out.

This is a way to make your certificate look different from a standard certificate. All that without adding a crazy design or text.

Discover More Great Microsoft Word Doc Templates

Are you interested in find out more about Word templates for creating resumes? Or even business proposals and brochures?

Check out this selection of great articles:

• 40+ Professional MS Word Resume Templates, Simple CV Design Formats 2024 (+ Video)

  Marc Schenker

  10 Nov 2023
• 25 Microsoft MS Word Business Proposal Templates to Make Deals in 2023

  Brenda Barron

  01 Jul 2023
• 20 Best Free Business Templates for Word (Download 2024)

  Sarah Joy

  19 Nov 2023

Common Word Questions Answered (FAQ)

We'll share with you some answers to the frequently asked questions. Learn all about MS Word and Word templates:

1. What Can I Do Using MS Word?

Microsoft Word is one of the most popular software for a reason: its versatility.

You can use it not only to type up simple documents, but for a variety of school, business and personal projects. Some of the things you can do are:

• letter
• report
• essay
• proposal
• brochure
• catalog 
• poster
• flyer
• resume
• invitation
• certificates

• 20 Best Free Professional MS Word Business Report Templates to Download 2023

  Alejandra (Lex) Soto Cruz

  06 Sep 2023
• 20 Best Free MS Word Letter of Recommendation Templates for 2023

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  23 Oct 2022

2. How Can I Combine MS Documents?

MS Word comes with many useful features like a tracking changes function, real-time co-authoring and comparing and merging many documents.

This makes collaboration way easier. Learn how to use it in this guide:

• What Is Microsoft Copilot? (Microsoft Office AI 2023)

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  30 Jan 2024

3. How Do I Use MS Word Templates?

The best about our Word templates is that they're made by professional designers and they're fully customizable.

Don't worry if it's your first time using a template. Learn how to find and download one and how to edit every element of it. Make your own professional document:

• How to Quickly Create & Save a Microsoft Word Template (+Video)

  Andrew Childress

  02 Jan 2024

4. Where Can I Find Free Word Certificate Templates?

Our Word award certificate templates are the most professional you can get. But it isn't always possible to invest in a premium certificate of completion template for Word.

If you're looking for free Word certificate templates, Microsoft Office offers some nice certificate template for free download for Word.

5. Should I Choose MS Word or Google Docs?

If you're familiar with Google Suite, you know this alternative can be very convenient and easy to use. But what happens when we talk about word processors? 

MS Word and Google Docs have their own characteristics, and either could be best for you depending on what you're working on.

For example, if you’re doing simple documents with low-security content and you need to collaborate with others, then Google Docs is for you.

But, if your documents are extensive and have complex layouts and if collaboration isn’t your priority, then choose Microsoft Word.

Read all about this topic here:

• 15 Best Free Word & Google Docs Annual Report Templates to Download 2023

  Daniel Strongin

  25 Jun 2023

Learn More About Microsoft Word

Whether you're an expert in MS Word or you just started navigating the world's most popular word processing software, there's always something to learn about it. 

Check this nice resources and our complete guide: Learn How to Use Microsoft Word (Beginner Tutorial Guide). Learn more in these tutorials:

• How to Make and Format an Outline in Microsoft Word

  Sarah Joy

  01 Nov 2023
• How to Make Awesome Page Layout Designs in Microsoft Word (+Video)

  Alexis (Lexi) Rodrigo

  07 Jul 2023
• 30+ Best Microsoft Word Keyboard Shortcuts to Quickly Work in Docs

  Alexis (Lexi) Rodrigo

  20 Feb 2020

Envato Elements (Design Without Limits)

Envato Elements' certificate of award templates for Word are professional, versatile and easy to use. With unlimited downloads, choose as many Word certificate templates as you want. 

That's the beauty of Envato Elements. With a low monthly fee you get unlimited access to get certificate of completion templates for Word. Also find thousands of premium digital assets. Explore logos, fonts, photos, business card templates and much more.

Do you need to buy one Word award certificate template? Don't worry. Envato Elements is an excellent option.

Best Source for Word Certificate Template Designs for 2024 (With Unlimited Use)

You may be tempted by free certificate of completion templates for Word you find online. But remember, you get what you pay for. The certificate of completion templates you find for free download for Word typically don't have as much to offer. 

The certificate of appreciation templates for Word docs at Envato will save you time.

Download as many as you like for one low price. That means they save you money as well. 

Plus, now Envato Elements has introduced an AI-powered search feature! This new tool allows you to input a description of your project to effortlessly locate the finest human-crafted resources. 

Start experimenting with this enhanced search tool! Discover the ideal Word certificate templates for your presentations in 2024.

Choose Your Favourite Word Certificate Template Design Today

Find a award certificate templates for Word, on Envato Elements.

Create a polished and professional certificate of achievement today. Their templates offer a variety of designs and are versatile and easy to use. If you need font, icons and other design resources, Elements offers unlimited downloads for a low monthly fee. 

Head on over to either site today to choose your favourite certificate design template for Word. Start creating award certificates that'll make you proud.

Plus, make your employees, coworkers, volunteers and students feel appreciated. 

Editorial Note: This post was originally published in October of 2019. It’s been updated with contributions from Maria Villanueva, Sarah Joy and Lex Soto. Maria is an associate editor with Envato Tuts+. Sarah is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+. Lex is a staff writer with Envato Tuts+.