Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 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: Using the Style Area.

Using the Style Area

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 27, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365

Word can show you what the style names are for all paragraphs in your document. This is useful if you are editing a document and need to see if the appropriate styles have been applied. To reveal styles on the left side of the screen, follow these steps:

Display the Word Options dialog box. (In Word 2007 click the Office button and then click Word Options. In Word 2010 or a later version display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.)
At the left side of the dialog box click Advanced.
Scroll through the available options until you see the Display area. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Advanced options of the Word Options dialog box.

Set the Style Area Pane Width in Draft and Outline Views field to a value other than 0. (A good starting point is .5, which represents one-half inch.)
Click on OK to close the dialog box.

Now, whenever you switch to either Draft or Outline views (using the controls on the status bar is a good way to do this if you are using Word 2007 or Word 2010) you'll notice the style area at the left side of the screen. The style area is not visible in any other view you might use.

Notice that the style assigned to each paragraph is now visible within the style area. If you want to change the width of the style area at this point, you can do so by using the mouse. Simply click on the vertical line that sets off the style area and drag it left or right.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8024) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Using the Style Area.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

QuickWords in Word

WordPerfect users coming to Word may miss a feature called QuickWords. This tip examines some ways you can get around the ...

Discover More

Making AutoComplete Work for an Entire Column

AutoComplete is a great feature for quickly adding data to a worksheet. If you are confused by why some things are picked ...

Discover More

Moving Between and Selecting Sheets with the Keyboard

Hate to take your fingers off the keyboard? Here's how you can move from worksheet to worksheet without touching the mouse.

Discover More

Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Jumping to a Relative Section

Navigating through a long document can be challenging, at times. Here's a way you can move forward or backwards in your ...

Discover More

Cascading Document Windows

Want the various documents you have open to be cascaded on-screen so you can organize them easier? The capability is ...

Discover More

Changing from Pirated to Permitted Software

When you install Microsoft Office, you are required to enter a product key that unlocks the software for your use. This ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is seven more than 1?

2019-11-20 19:11:15

Helen

I really would like to use the style area pane. I am trying to find the Word Options on Word 16.31. I'm running it on a Mac, and Options does not come up under File--I'm assuming this is because it's running on a Mac, but maybe there's something else I need to know... Can you help?

Thanks!

2019-09-12 03:10:01

Ken Endacott

The style pane is only visible in draft mode and furthermore only shows the style setting of the paragraph even though parts of the paragraph may have character styles applied. It is worthwhile to have a style tool on the Quick Access Ribbon (QAT) to show in all view modes the style of the text at the cursor position. It can be placed on the QAT by right clicking the QAT, selecting Customize Quick Action Toolbar and selecting ‘Style’ from the list of commands.

2019-09-11 13:36:00

Felicia

I lost the style area when my computer was upgraded. Thank you so much!

2019-04-29 11:57:04

Joyce Dixon

I just joined the service and am a novice with Word. Is there any way to get previously printed tips?

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.