12 Cover Letter Templates for Microsoft Word (Free Download)

You’re about to see a selection of 12 free downloadable Word cover letter templates we’ve picked just for you!

This list will deliver.

We’ve spent hours looking for the best free yet professional MS Word templates for cover letters so you don’t have to.

Let’s cut to the chase.

This article will show you:

• Free Word cover letter templates better than 9 out of 10 others.
• Examples of downloadable Word cover letter templates from all over the Internet.
• Our selection of professional Word cover letter templates.
• Instructions on how to use a cover letter template in Word.

Or, you might want to jump right into our resume builder and have your resume and cover letter ready in a snap. Here’s a sample resume and cover letter made in our builder.

Want to write your cover letter fast? Use our cover letter builder. See 20+ cover letter templates and create your cover letter here. that match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.

Use this cover letter template

Cover Letter for a Resume—See more cover letter examples here.

Note: we have designed all our resume templates to be ATS-scannable.

Looking for resume templates? Visit our gallery: Resume Templates Word: 15+ Free CV/Resume Formats to Download

If you are looking for a cover letter example for a specific field, see:

• Business Cover Letter
• Customer Service Cover Letter
• Executive Cover Letter
• Generic Cover Letter
• Graphic Designer Cover Letter
• High School Cover Letter
• IT Cover Letter
• Journalism Cover Letter
• Office Assistant Cover Letter
• Recent Graduate Cover Letter
• Teacher Cover Letter

You can find other template here:

• Modern Cover Letter Template
• Google Docs Cover Letter Template
• Entry Level Cover Letter Template
• Letter of Motivation Template

Cover Letter Template: Word—Free Downloadable Examples

1. Crisp and Clean

This modern Microsoft Word cover letter template was co-developed by Microsoft and MOO. Simple geometric design elements not only give it an original look but also divide it into easily scannable sections. Its yellowy-orange colors hint at creativity and attract the reader’s attention.

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

2. Zoki Design’s Free Template

This minimal, free Word cover letter template has been created by Behance’s Zoki Design. The two-column layout keeps the clutter at bay, and lets you take full advantage of a single page’s real estate. It’s fully customizable and available for download in three file formats (Photoshop, Illustrator, and MS Word).

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

3. Bold Monogram

A good monogram is not to be scoffed at. If Louis Vuitton knows that, there’s definitely something to it! The eponymous bold monogram, well-planned two-column layout, and eye-catching colors are what makes this free Word cover letter template hard to ignore. Attention-grabber ought to be its middle name.

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

4. Simple Resume

Leonardo DaVinci reportedly said that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. This simple Word cover letter template is easily editable and ready for print. The ingeniously minimal blue stripe along the left edge triggers an involuntary nod of approval. Comes in three formats: Word, Pages, and Google Docs.

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

5. Blue Sky

If the sky’s the limit, the Blue Sky MS Word cover letter template will make you soar. It’s stylish and fully customizable. Its clean layout and good use of white space help the reader concentrate. Plus, the color blue stimulates clear thought and has a calming effect.

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

6. Professional Fresher Cover Letter

This professional cover letter template for Word focuses on the content. Its traditional layout and formatting allow for no distractions. The subtle triangular graphic elements at the top and bottom make it look inconspicuously original.

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

7. Contemporary Photo

Colorful and original. This free cover letter template for Word will work best for creative individuals who are willing to move mountains. Or even flip them upside down! With all these graphical additions, even a short cover letter will look great. Eye-catching, well-organized, stylish, and playfully professional.

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

8. Blue

This resume cover page is modest and elegant. It’s been specifically designed in such a way as to give your name special prominence. Its traditional layout is entirely distraction-free.

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

9. Free Minimal Resume Template

This slick professional Word cover letter template comes straight from Behance’s Paul Resume. Thanks to the two-column layout it’s free from clutter, and you can easily focus on the letter’s main body. You can download it for free as a Word, Photoshop, or Illustrator file format.

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

10. Creative

Creativity knows no limits. Sometimes it takes the shape of a creative cover letter template for Word. The Creative template, developed by MOO in cooperation with Microsoft, combines interesting graphic elements, colors, and fonts to achieve a truly synergistic effect. For those who value originality (and zigzags.)

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

11. Graphicpup’s Resume Freebie

Black and white will always be in vogue. This Word cover letter template is perfect for artists, designers, and other creatives. All the more so, as it’s part of a resume, portfolio, and cover letter bundle. Available for download as MS Word, PS, AI, or PDF, among others. Fully customizable. Very effective heading.

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

12. Polished

A monogram. A prominent heading. Two columns. A row of modern icons at the bottom to top it all off. Is it even possible to get more polished than that? This free Word cover letter template will surely get you noticed.

Here’s the link to this Word cover letter template.

How to Get a Cover Letter Template on Microsoft Word?

There are two options:

1. Use Microsoft Word on Your Hard Drive

If you have a copy of Microsoft Word on your hard drive, all you really have to do is download your Word cover letter template of choice, double-click on the file, and start editing. (Oh, you may have to unzip a file or two along the way.)

But—

This option is not entirely free because you need to either have an Office 365 subscription or own an older version of MS Word.

2. Use Microsoft Word Online for Free

So—

You don’t have an Office 365 subscription, but you’d still like to use Microsoft Word and one of the Word cover letter templates from our list.

Here’s the good news:

It’s doable, 100% free, and legal. But—

It’s not the most effective method. (More on that below.)

This is how to edit a cover letter template in Word Online

1. Create a free Microsoft account here.
2. If you already a Microsoft account, sign in here.
3. To start using Word Online, just click on the app launcher icon in the top left corner and select Word.

Now:

You can select one of the basic Word cover letter templates available straight from Word Online, and start editing right away.

Or—

You can download one of the best Word cover letter templates from our list.

And this is where the fun begins, because—

Word Online doesn’t support the .dotx file format, which is the standard for Word cover letter templates.

So, this is what you need to do:

1. Convert the .dotx into .docx. Use a free online file converter. Like this one, for example.
2. Upload the converted file to your One Drive. A simple drag and drop will do the job!
3. Open the file and start editing.

But beware!

The converted files tend to be truly... unruly.

Here are some issues I came across:

1. Some Word cover letter templates aren’t fully editable. (Sooo, frustrating!)
2. The formatting looks a bit off in some documents. But—comes back to normal when you export the file to PDF. (All this is quite confusing, really.)
3. The editing process tended to be veeeeeery time-consuming. (I spent more time trying to figure things out than doing anything meaningful.)

So, how about giving our resume builder a try? It will save you tons of time, and you’ll have your resume and matching cover letter ready in a flash!

Here’s a sample cover letter and resume template available in our builder:

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

Create my cover letter now

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaways

• The Internet is mindbogglingly big, but:
• If you dig deep enough, it’s possible to find well designed, free Word cover letter templates. Plus, most of them have a matching Word resume template.
• Make sure the Word cover letter template you choose matches the industry and employer.
• Some of the Word cover letter templates can be fully customized for free with the use of Word Online.
• But remember: at the end of the day you get what you pay for, so set your expectations accordingly.

And remember:

Even though a Word cover template may look impressive, it still needs something more than lorem ipsum.

So, before you start writing, read How To Write A Cover Letter in 8 Simple Steps (+12 Examples).

And let’s not forget a cover letter would mean nothing without a winning resume!

Here’s a list of our guides you might be interested in:

Start with the basics: How to Make a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide (+30 Examples)

Choose the best resume format for your needs: Resume Formats: Pick the Best One in 3 Steps (Examples & Templates)

Learn How to Start a Resume: A Complete Guide With Tips & 15+ Examples

Check out how to hack your resume using resume keywords, and avoid making some typical mistakes: Resume Dos and Don'ts: 50+ Tips & Advice on Building Great Resumes

Are there any other Word cover letter templates that you think we could add to our selection? Any you experiencing any issues with Word cover letter templates? You’re welcome to reach out to us in the comments below!

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