Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Changing the Types of Numbers in a Numbered List.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 1, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
When you are working with numbered lists, Word uses Arabic numerals, by default, to number the items. This number is followed by a period. You can change the numbering scheme Word uses to number your lists. Any of the following numbering types can be selected:
| Type | Selection | |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic | 1, 2, 3, 4 | |
| Uppercase Roman | I, II, III, IV | |
| Lowercase Roman | i, ii, iii, iv | |
| Uppercase Alphabetic | A, B, C, D | |
| Lowercase Alphabetic | a, b, c, d | |
| Ordinals | 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th | |
| Word Numbers | One, Two, Three, Four | |
| Word Ordinals | First, Second, Third, Fourth | |
| Leading Zeroes | 01, 02, 03, 04 |
You can also change the character that follows the numbered list number. To change the numbering type and the character following the number, follow these steps:

Figure 1. The Define New Number Format dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8256) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Changing the Types of Numbers in a Numbered List.
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