Change text format word

Add and format text

To add text, place the cursor where you want and start typing.

Format text

1. Select the text you want to format.

   To select a single word, double-click it. To select a line of text, click to the left of it.

2. Select an option to change the font, font size, font color, or make the text bold, italic, or underline.

   

Copy formatting

1. Select the text with the formatting you want to copy.

2. Click Format Painter , and then select the text you want to copy the formatting to.

   Tip: Double-click Format Painter if you want to copy the formatting in more than one place.

See Also

Create a bulleted or numbered list 

Change the line spacing in Word

Apply styles

Apply themes

Select text

Whether you’re a one-person business operating out of your kitchen, or a billion-dollar company on Wall Street, the expectation is the same. Your business documents must be the paragon of professionalism and competence.

This expectation shouldn’t be a cause for worry. With applications like Microsoft Word you can create professional-looking documents with your own computer. Through the years, Word has become more powerful, yet more intuitive. Anyone with basic computer skills can use Word to create well-designed documents. 

In this article, you’ll learn how to format text in Word to make your business documents easier to read and understand. You’ll also pick up tips on how to make sure your formatting doesn’t look amateurish—even if you’re getting started with Word.  

Formatting Text in Word

Formatting text in Microsoft Word refers to controlling how text appears in your document. This includes the size, color, and font of the text. It also covers text alignment, spacing, and letter case.  

Microsoft Word styles make it easy to change and apply styles throughout a document. A “style” is a set of formatting settings applied to a specific kind of text. 

For example, you can set up a style for headings that’s bold, 14 points, aligned left, and uses the Tahoma font. This means all text in your document with the heading style will be formatted the same way. You don’t have to manually format each heading in your document.

In this post, you’ll see how to use MS Word styles.

How to Format Text in Word

To show you how to format text in Word, we’ll walk through formatting a completely unformatted business document file. 

This is what my marketing report looks like without any formatting in Word:

As you can see, it’s plain and boring. Nobody would be inspired to read it, let alone act on the findings of the report!

Some basic Word text formatting can fix that. 

1. How to Apply Typographic Emphasis

1. For starters, let’s use typographic emphasis (bold, italic, underline) to make the report title stand out.

To do this, select the text you want to emphasize. Click on the bold button on the Microsoft Word ribbon. 

Note that the ribbon also has the buttons to apply italic, underline, strikethrough, and other formatting effects for text. Follow the same steps to apply those effects.

2. Now, let’s change the font, font size, and color of the title.

Again, select the text. Click the drop-down arrow on the font section of the ribbon, then select the font you want to apply. In this case, I’m using Arial bold.

3. To change the font size, highlight the text. Click the drop-down arrow on the font size indicator on the ribbon. Click on the font size of your choice.

Or, after highlighting the text, you can type the font size into the font size indicator on the ribbon. This is especially useful when the font size you want isn’t available in the font size selector.

4. You can also use the Increase Font Size or Decrease Font Size buttons on the ribbon to quickly change the font size.

5. We can easily change the font color as well.

Highlight the text, then click the down arrow beside the Font Color selector. Click on the color of your choice.

Choose More Colors… if you wish to apply a custom color.

2. How to Change Capitalization in Word

Microsoft Word also allows you to easily and quickly change the capitalization of your text. For example, if we want to make the title all uppercase, we don’t have to retype it.

Highlight the title, then click the Change Case button on the ribbon.

Or, highlight the text, go to Format > Change Case…

… then click on the radio button for the case you want to apply. Click OK.

Now the title is looking much better. It’s the most prominent part of the document and commands the reader’s attention. However, we can still improve its readability.

3. How to Format Paragraphs

One way to make your document easier to read is by increasing white space around lines and paragraphs. 

1. To adjust the line spacing, select the text. Click on the arrow on the Line and Paragraph Spacing button. Select the line spacing you wish to apply.

2. To change the spacing around a paragraph, select the paragraph. Click on the arrow on the Line and Paragraph Spacing button > Line Spacing Options…. Then, type the amount of spacing before and after the paragraph. (Tip: You can adjust other settings from this dialog box as well.)

For the title, I’ll add a generous amount of space after the paragraph, to set it apart from the rest of the document.

3. Finally, let’s change the alignment of the title. Select the text, click on either the Align Left, Center Text, Align Right, or Justify button on the ribbon. Since this is a title, let’s use Center Text.

These simple formatting effects make the title stand out from the rest of the document.

4. How to Work With MS Word Styles

As much as Word makes it easy to format text, if you need to apply formatting effects on the entire document, the process becomes tedious.

Word solves that through styles. MS Word Styles allow you to define a set of formatting commands and apply them automatically to every item in the document with that style. 

Let’s look at a specific example:

1. How to Modify a Paragraph Style

Let’s follow the steps above to define a style for the main headings of the report with the following characteristics:

• Font: Arial
• Size: 14 points
• Color: Blue-grey 
• Typographic Emphasis: Bold
• Case: Capitalize each word
• Alignment: Left
• Line spacing: Single 
• Paragraph spacing: 6 pts before paragraph, 0 pts after paragraph

It would look like this:

One way to apply this exact formatting on every main heading is to modify the existing Heading 1 style in our document. Place your cursor anywhere in the main heading. Go to Styles, right-click on Heading 1, then choose Update Heading 1 to Match Selection.

You can also modify any style by going to Format > Style…. The Style dialog box opens. 

Select the style you want to modify from the Style list. This gives you a preview of the paragraph and character, as well as a description of the current style settings of the selected style.

Click Modify…. The Modify Style dialog box pops up.

Change the text and paragraph format settings. You can control the font, font size, font color, typographic emphasis, alignment, and spacing. When you’re done, click OK.

2. How to Apply a Paragraph Style

Now, go to each main heading in the document and apply the Heading 1 style to it. Place the cursor on a heading, go to Styles > Heading 1.

The selected text instantly takes on the formatting of Heading 1. 

3. How to Create a List Paragraph Style

You can also create a new paragraph style from scratch, instead of modifying an existing one. To demonstrate, let’s create a list-type paragraph style.

1. Go to Format > Style…. Fill in the Properties section of the dialog box that opens. For Style based on, you may wish to use one of the pre-existing list styles as a starting point.

2. Next, change the formatting options. The box below gives you a preview of what the list paragraph would look like with those settings. There’s also a summary of the formatting properties you’ve specified.

You also have the option to do the following for this style:

• Add to template. Adds the style you’re creating to the document template.
• Add to Quick Style list. Shows the new style to the Quick Style list, making it quickly accessible from the ribbon.
• Automatically update. Automatically updates the style when you manually format a paragraph with that style. 

When you’re happy with the settings you’ve made, click OK. Notice how the new Bullet style you created is now included in the Quick Style popup.

Once the bullet style is applied, our list now looks like this:

4. How to Use Character Styles in Microsoft Word

You can also define a style to an individual word or a block of text, rather than a paragraph. In the next example, I’d like to apply a character style for every URL in the document.

1. Select the text. Then, go to Format > Styles…. From the Style dialog, click New…. The Create New Style from Formatting dialog opens. 

2. Give the new character style a name. For Style type, choose Character. Then, make the formatting settings you want to apply to this character. Note that you can’t change alignment and spacing for a character style. The preview box shows you a sneak peek of the text based on the settings you specified.

3. When you’re done, click OK.

To apply the character style, place your cursor in a word or select a set of words. Go to Format > Style…. Find the character style you wish to apply. Click Apply.

Tip: To quickly find the MS Word styles you’ve created, for List, choose User-defined styles.

5. How to Use Table Styles in Word

We can also define a table style to provide a consistent look to the tables in our document. 

1. Create the table. Go to Insert > Table…, then indicate the number of columns and rows you need in your table (you can always add or remove these later). Click OK.

2. Add your text to the table. If necessary, click and drag any of the borderlines to adjust the width or a column, or the height of a row.

3. To apply a table style, click anywhere on the table, then go to Table Design. The Table Design ribbon appears.

4. Click on the down-arrow for table styles to display the table styles gallery. 

5. Click on any style to apply it to your table.

Expand the table styles gallery again to change the existing style, clear the style you applied, or create your own table style.

Discover Great Microsoft Word Templates for 2020

Some experts say it’s a good idea to set up your formatting styles in Word first before typing or copying the text into the document. One quick way to do this is by starting with a Microsoft Word template. Templates come pre-formatted by professional designers to look current and impressive.

You can find thousands of Word templates for all kinds of business documents in Envato Elements. 

For a small monthly subscription fee, you get unlimited downloads of all the templates at Elements. You also have unlimited access to everything else in the Elements catalog: 

• presentation templates
• web templates
• fonts
• photos
• graphics
• other digital assets 

Use as many of these assets as you want, as often as you want, without paying more. This makes Elements a terrific source for all the creative assets you need to create remarkable marketing and communication materials.

You can also pay as you go at GraphicRiver. This marketplace also offers a huge library of templates for Microsoft Word and other digital assets for all your marketing and communication needs. The difference is, you only pay each time you use an item. This can be a very economical option.

Below are some of the best print templates for Word available on Envato Elements and GraphicRiver:

After downloading any of these Microsoft Word templates, you can apply what you’ve learned about formatting text in Word. This way, you can personalize the template so that it aligns with your visual branding and preferences. You now know how to take any Word template and make it your own!

5 Top FAQs on Formatting Text in Microsoft Word

Below are some of the questions that come up as people format text in Word.

1. How Do You Make a Word Document Easier for the Reader to Scan?

Your primary goal when formatting text in Word is to make it easy for people to scan, read, and understand the content of the document. The different formatting options in Word help you achieve this:

• Use typographic emphasis like bold, italics, and underline to emphasize specific text and add variety to your document. 
• Break up the document into sections with headings and sub-headings to help the reader scan and navigate their way through it.
• Use either bulleted or numbered lists where appropriate to shorten paragraphs and make lists easier to comprehend.
• Set up line and paragraph spacing so that there’s plenty of white spaces throughout the document.

2. How Many Fonts Should I Use in a Word Document? 

It’s easy—and fun—to apply different fonts in Word. Too easy, in fact, that you could end up overwhelming your reader and making your document look like someone played with the formatting. 

Avoid this by sticking to a maximum of two different fonts in a single document. For instance, you could choose a sans serif font for your title and headings, and a serif font for all other text. You could even use one font for the entire document, relying on typographical emphasis and color to distinguish different types of text from each other.

3. Why Should I Use Microsoft Word Text Styles?

Use Microsoft Word text styles because they let you apply formatting settings globally throughout your document. This is important in long documents, where formatting each line or paragraph is too onerous. With text styles, you only need to determine what style you want for each piece of text. Word will do the rest.

4. How Can I Make My Document Formatting Consistent?

Using MS Word styles, as you’ve learned in this article, is an easy way to make your document formatting consistent. You decide and set how you want each type of text to be formatted. Then you can apply those styles consistently through your entire document.

Beyond Microsoft Word styles, also make sure that the recurring parts of your document are consistent as well. These include your headers and footers, for example. You must also be consistent with the placement of images: Do they have borders? Are they always within the document’s margins or do they bleed to the edge of the page?

When you use a Word template, these design decisions are already made for you. So, if you want a consistent design without all the hard work, then starting with a template for Word is the way to go.

5. How do You Copy text into Word without also copying junk code?

When you copy text from one application and paste it into Word, you run the risk of also copying the underlying formatting code for it. This code or set of formatting commands is invisible so you won’t know you’re copying it inadvertently. This can mess up your formatting in Word. Soon, you’ll be pulling your hair wondering why Word won’t “follow” your commands.

To avoid this grief, make sure you strip all formatting when you copy and paste the text into Word. Here’s how: Copy the text. In Word, click Edit > Paste and Match Style.

That’s all there is to it!

Using Microsoft Word, Style Your Business Document for Maximum Impact

You’ve learned how to format a document in Word to make it easier to scan and read. Good formatting is also essential to make sure the final document represents you and your business in a favorable light.

You’ve seen how doable formatting is, even if you’re starting from scratch with completely unformatted text. You’ve also discovered that you can rely on professional designers to make the formatting decisions for you by starting with a template for Word.

For unlimited downloads of print templates for Word at a fixed subscription fee, look to Envato Elements. Here, you can also have your fill of fonts, icons, photos, and other design assets you’ll need without having to pay more. Or, get your premium Word templates from GraphicRiver on a pay-per-use basis. You also get a wide range of choices without having to commit to a subscription.

With Microsoft Word styles and formatting tools, there’s no more excuse to have poorly designed business documents. Make your next business document one you’ll be proud of.

Мы уже неоднократно писали об инструментах для работы с текстом в MS Word, о тонкостях его оформления, изменения и редактирования. О каждой из этих функций мы рассказывали в отдельных статьях, вот только для того, чтобы сделать текст более привлекательным, удобным для чтения, понадобится большинство из них, причем, выполненных в правильном порядке.

Урок: Как добавить новый шрифт в Ворд

Именно о том, как правильно выполнить форматирование текста в документе Microsoft Word и пойдет речь в данной статье.

Выбор шрифта и типа написания текста

О том, как изменять шрифты в Ворде мы уже писали. Вероятнее всего, вы изначально набирали текст в понравившемся шрифте, выбрав подходящий размер. Более подробно о том, как работать со шрифтами, вы можете узнать в нашей статье.

Урок: Как изменить шрифт в Word

Выбрав подходящий шрифт для основного текста (заголовки и подзаголовки пока что не торопитесь изменять), пройдитесь по всему тексту. Возможно, некоторые есть фрагменты нужно выделить курсивом или полужирным шрифтом, что-то нужно подчеркнуть. Вот пример того, как может выглядеть статья на нашем сайте.

Урок: Как подчеркнуть текст в Ворде

Выделение заголовка

С вероятностью в 99,9% у статьи, которую вы хотите отформатировать, есть заголовок, и, скорее всего, подзаголовки в ней тоже имеются. Конечно же, их нужно отделить от основного текста. Сделать это можно с помощью встроенных стилей Word, а более подробно с тем, как работать с этими инструментами, вы можете ознакомиться в нашей статье.

Урок: Как сделать заголовок в Ворде

Если вы используете последнюю версию MS Word, дополнительные стили для оформления документа вы можете найти во вкладке “Дизайн” в группе с говорящим названием “Форматирование текста”.

Выравнивание текста

По умолчанию текст в документе выравнивается по левому краю. Однако, если это необходимо, вы можете изменить выравнивание всего текста или отдельно выделенного фрагмента так, как вам это необходимо, выбрав один из подходящих вариантов:

По левому краю;

По центру;

По правому краю;

По ширине.

Урок: Как выровнять текст в Ворде

Инструкция, представленная на нашем сайте, поможет вам правильно расположить текст на страницах документа. Выделенные красным прямоугольником фрагменты текста на скриншоте и связанные с ними стрелки показывают, какой стиль выравнивания выбран для данных частей документа. Остальное содержимое файла выровнено по стандарту, то есть, по левому краю.

Изменение интервалов

Расстояние между строчками в MS Word по умолчанию составляет 1,15, однако, его всегда можно изменить на большее или меньшее (шаблонное), а также вручную задать любое подходящее значение. Более подробную инструкцию касательно того, как работать с интервалами, изменять и настраивать их вы найдете в нашей статье.

Урок: Как изменить межстрочный интервал в Ворде

Помимо интервала между строками, в Word также можно изменить и расстояние между абзацами, причем, как до них, так и после. Опять-таки, вы можете выбрать шаблонное значение, которое вас устраивает, или задать собственное вручную.

Урок: Как изменить интервал между абзацами в Ворде

Примечание: Если заголовок и подзаголовки, которые имеются в вашем текстовом документе, оформлены с помощью одного из встроенных стилей, интервал определенного размера между ними и следующими абзацами задается автоматически, а зависит он от выбранного стиля оформления.

Добавление маркированных и нумерованных списков

Если в вашем документе содержатся списки, незачем нумеровать или уж тем более маркировать их вручную. В Microsoft Word для этих целей предусмотрены специальных инструменты. Они, как и средства для работы с интервалами, расположены в группе “Абзац”, вкладка “Главная”.

1. Выделите фрагмент текста, который необходимо преобразовать в маркированный или нумерованный список.

2. Нажмите одну из кнопок (“Маркеры” или “Нумерация”) на панели управления в группе “Абзац”.

3. Выделенный фрагмент текста преобразуется в красивый маркированный или нумерованный список, в зависимости от того, какой из инструментов вы выбрали.

Совет: Если развернуть меню кнопок, отвечающих за списки (для этого нужно нажать на небольшую стрелочку справа от значка), вы можете увидеть дополнительные стили оформления списков.

Урок: Как в Ворде сделать список в алфавитном порядке

Дополнительные операции

В большинстве случаев того, что мы уже описали в данной статье и остальном материале по теме форматирования текста более, чем достаточно для оформления документов на должном уровне. Если же вам этого будет мало, либо же вы просто пожелаете внести какие-то дополнительные изменения, коррективы и т. д. в документ, с большой вероятность, вам будут очень полезны следующие статьи:

Уроки по работе с Microsoft Word:
Как сделать отступы
Как сделать титульный лист
Как пронумеровать страницы
Как сделать красную строку
Как сделать автоматическое содержание
Табуляция

Совет: Если во время оформления документа, при выполнении той или иной операции по его форматированию, вы допустили ошибку, ее всегда можно исправить, то есть, отменить. Для этого просто нажмите на закругленную стрелку (направленную влево), расположенную возле кнопки “Сохранить”. Также, для отмены любого действия в Ворде, будь то форматирование текста или любая другая операция, можно использовать комбинацию клавиш “CTRL+Z”.

Урок: Горячие клавиши в Word

На этом мы смело можем закончить. Теперь вы точно знаете, как отформатировать текст в Ворде, сделав его не просто привлекательным, а хорошо читабельным, оформленным в соответствии с выдвигаемыми требованиями.

One way to change the appearance of text in a document is by changing its font type. A font is a set of letters, numbers, and punctuation symbols designed around a shared appearance. A font will have variations for size and styles, such as bold and italics.

Change the Font

Changing a font itself will have the greatest effect on the appearance of text.

1. Select the text you want to change.
2. Click the Font list arrow on the Home tab.

You can also click the Font list arrow on the Mini Toolbar that appears when text is selected.

3. Select a new font from the list.

The text is now set in the selected font.

When changing fonts, be sure to choose the right font for the tone of your document. Don’t use casual script fonts in a professional document, and also avoid using too many fonts at once.

Change the Font Size

Changing the font size helps differentiate between titles, headers, and body text.

1. Select the text.
2. Click the Font Size list arrow on the Home tab.
3. Select a font size.

The font size changes.

Click the Increase Font Size or Decrease Font Size buttons to increase or decrease by one point at a time.

Font size is measured in points (pt) that are 1/72 of an inch. The larger the number of points, the larger the font.

Change the Font Color

You may need to change font color to make text stand out, comply with brand standards, or add visual appeal.

1. Select the text you want to change.
2. Click the Font Color list arrow.

   You can also click the Font Color list arrow on the Mini Toolbar.
3. Select a new color.

   If you don’t like any of the available theme colors, select More Colors to display the Colors dialog box.

   

Apply Bold, Italic, or an Underline

In addition to changing font type, size, and color, you can also enhance the text further by using other features in the Font group like bold, italic, or underline.

1. Select the text you want to change.
2. Select Bold, Italics, or Underline.

   Shortcuts:

   • To bold: Ctrl + B
   • To italicize: Ctrl + I
   • To underline: Ctrl + U

   

The effect is applied.

Change the Case

If you want to change the case of a block of text, you don’t need to retype the whole thing. You can easily change the case of selected text with the Change Case menu.

1. With the text selected, click the Change Case button.
2. Select a case option:
   • Sentence case
   • lowercase
   • UPPERCASE
   • Capitalize Each Word
   • tOGGLE cASE

   

Clear Formatting

If you change your mind and want to remove all formatting from text, you can easily clear all formatting at once.

1. With the text selected, click Clear All Formatting.

The extra formatting is removed, and the text is reset to the default style.

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Introduction

Formatted text can draw the reader’s attention to specific parts of a document and emphasize important information. In Word, you have several options for adjusting text, including font, size, and color. You can also adjust the alignment of the text to change how it is displayed on the page.

Optional: Download our practice document.

Watch the video below to learn more about formatting text in Word.

To change the font size:

1. Select the text you want to modify.

   

2. On the Home tab, click the Font Size drop-down arrow. Select a font size from the menu. If the font size you need is not available in the menu, you can click the Font Size box and type the desired size, then press Enter.

   

3. The font size will change in the document.

   

You can also use the Grow Font and Shrink Font commands to change the font size.

To change the font:

By default, the font of each new document is set to Calibri. However, Word provides many other fonts you can use to customize text.

1. Select the text you want to modify.

   

2. On the Home tab, click the drop-down arrow next to the Font box. A menu of font styles will appear.
3. Select the font style you want to use.

   

4. The font will change in the document.

   

When creating a professional document or a document that contains multiple paragraphs, you’ll want to select a font that’s easy to read. Along with Calibri, standard reading fonts include Cambria, Times New Roman, and Arial.

To change the font color:

1. Select the text you want to modify.

   

2. On the Home tab, click the Font Color drop-down arrow. The Font Color menu appears.

   

3. Select the font color you want to use. The font color will change in the document.

   

Your color choices aren’t limited to the drop-down menu that appears. Select More Colors at the bottom of the menu to access the Colors dialog box. Choose the color you want, then click OK.

To use the Bold, Italic, and Underline commands:

The Bold, Italic, and Underline commands can be used to help draw attention to important words or phrases.

1. Select the text you want to modify.

   

2. On the Home tab, click the Bold (B), Italic (I), or Underline (U) command in the Font group. In our example, we’ll click Bold.

   

3. The selected text will be modified in the document.

   

To change text case:

When you need to quickly change text case, you can use the Change Case command instead of deleting and retyping text.

1. Select the text you want to modify.

   

2. On the Home tab, click the Change Case command in the Font group.
3. A drop-down menu will appear. Select the desired case option from the menu.

   

4. The text case will be changed in the document.

   

To highlight text:

Highlighting can be a useful tool for marking important text in your document.

1. Select the text you want to highlight.

   

2. From the Home tab, click the Text Highlight Color drop-down arrow. The Highlight Color menu appears.

   

3. Select the desired highlight color. The selected text will then be highlighted in the document.

   

To remove highlighting, select the highlighted text, then click the Text Highlight Color drop-down arrow. Select No Color from the drop-down menu.

If you need to highlight several lines of text, changing the mouse into a highlighter may be a helpful alternative to selecting and highlighting individual lines. Click the Text Highlight Color command, and the cursor changes into a highlighter. You can then click and drag the highlighter over the lines you want to highlight.

To change text alignment:

By default, Word aligns text to the left margin in new documents. However, there may be times when you want to adjust text alignment to the center or right.

1. Select the text you want to modify.

   

2. On the Home tab, select one of the four alignment options from the Paragraph group. In our example, we’ve selected Center Alignment.

   

3. The text will be realigned in the document.

   

Click the arrows in the slideshow below to learn more about the four text alignment options.

• 

  Align Text Left: This aligns all selected text to the left margin. The Align Text Left command is the most common alignment and is selected by default when a new document is created.

• 

  Center: This aligns text an equal distance from the left and right margins.

• 

  Align Text Right: This aligns all selected text to the right margin.

• 

  Justify: Justified text is equal on both sides. It lines up equally to the right and left margins. Many newspapers and magazines use full justification.

You can use Word’s convenient Set as Default feature to save all of the formatting changes you’ve made and automatically apply them to new documents. To learn how to do this, read our article on Changing Your Default Settings in Word.

Challenge!

1. Open our practice document.
2. Scroll to page 2.
3. Select the words For Rent and change the font size to 48 pt.
4. With the text still selected, change the font to Franklin Gothic Demi. Note: If you don’t see this font in the menu, you can select a different one.
5. Use the Change Case command to change For Rent to UPPERCASE.
6. Change the color of the words For Rent to Gold, Accent 4.
7. Remove the highlight from the phone number (919-555-7237).
8. Select all of the text from For Rent to (919-555-7237) and Center Align.
9. Italicize the text in the paragraph below About Villa Piña.
10. When you’re finished, your page should look like this:

    

/en/word/using-find-and-replace/content/