Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. 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: Following a Number with Different Characters.
Word provides a good deal of flexibility in how you set up numbered lists. By default, the numbers that appear in a numbered list are followed by a period. If you would like to change the character that follows the number to something other than a period, it is best to use a style for the numbered paragraphs (or headings). Follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Modify Style dialog box.
Figure 2. The Numbering tab of the Numbering and Bullets dialog box.
Figure 3. 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 (7795) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Following a Number with Different Characters.
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2017-12-13 11:40:04
Henry Noble
Unless you want the modified numbering format to become a permanent change, don't fuss with styles. Begin at step 5 in Allen's list.
If the list exists, simply right-click in the list and select Numbering from the offered actions.
2017-09-05 22:02:07
Rohn MVP
Hi Allen:
Step #1 seems to be misplaced from another tip. This tip has nothing to do with the Options dialog. First step should be display the Home tab.
Step 2, you might want to include the "proper" MS name for the minuscule icon. (Personally, I think it is a design failure. I think they should have used a standard button included with the rest of the buttons in the tab) It is actually a button, and is called the "Dialog Launcher"... (yes a Task Pane is a "modern" form of Dialog box).
2014-04-22 09:16:28
barbara
Thanks for the tip. I followed your instructions but instead of a period, my number had a right parenthesis mark. Did I do something wrong?
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. 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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