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: Removing a List.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 9, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
There may be times when you want to remove the list formatting you previously applied to some of your text. For instance, you may have a numbered list that you want to reformat as regular text. Word provides an easy way for you to remove list formatting:
If you remove the bullets or numbering from only a portion of the list, the remainder of the list maintains the list formatting. If required, Word adjusts the numbering on any remaining part of a numbered list.
Word does provide another way you can remove a list: All you need to do is select the paragraphs you want to affect and then press Ctrl+Q. This shortcut returns the paragraph formatting to whatever is defined by the underlying style applied to the paragraphs.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (743) 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: Removing a List.
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2021-09-13 11:14:48
Frank Woets
Dear Allen,
Thanks for this tip, and all the other tips as well! I recently found it is good practise to use a list style for listing (bullets or numbers) items. I assume that if you use this method, setting the Style back to Normal, the items are no longer a list (but a series of paragraphs).
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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:
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