01What a style is
A style is a saved bundle of font, size, spacing and indentation with a name. Every paragraph uses one. Change the style and every paragraph that uses it follows.
02Set up your body text
- On the Home tab, right-click Normal in the Styles gallery and choose Modify.
- Set the font and size, for example Times New Roman 12 pt.
- Click Format, then Paragraph. Set line spacing (for example 1.5 lines), spacing after, and first-line indent if your template needs it.
- Select Only in this document unless you want it in every new file.
03Set up headings
- Right-click Heading 1, choose Modify, and set the font, size, bold and spacing before and after.
- Repeat for Heading 2 and Heading 3, making each level visibly smaller than the one above.
- Turn on Keep with next (Format, Paragraph, Line and Page Breaks) so a heading never sits alone at the bottom of a page.
Tip Never choose a heading by how it looks. Choose it by its level. The Navigation Pane and the table of contents both depend on it.
04Clean up a messy document
- Select everything (Control-A) and choose Normal to wipe local formatting.
- Reapply Heading 1, 2 and 3 to the headings.
- Use Clear All Formatting (the eraser icon) on any paragraph that still looks different.
Q&AFAQ
What is the difference between Normal and Body Text?
Normal is the default style for everything. Body Text is an optional style some people use for paragraphs of running text. Pick one and use it consistently.
Why does my heading change font when I paste?
Pasted text keeps its source formatting. Paste with Keep Text Only, then apply your style.
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