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: Changing Defaults for Text Boxes and Callouts.

Changing Defaults for Text Boxes and Callouts

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 7, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365


Word allows you to easily add text boxes and callouts to your documents. These can be used for a variety of purposes, and you can format the text box or callout to appear just about any way you desire. Word refers to text boxes and callouts, collectively, as shapes. If you find yourself making a lot of similar changes to shapes, you can set the default values of them in the following manner:

  1. Set up your shape to appear as you desire.
  2. Right-click on the shape. Word displays a Context menu.
  3. Select Set As Default Shape from the Context menu.

Now, the next time you insert a shape, it will retain many of the same default settings that you defined in step 1. It won't retain them all, however. Word remembers things like line weight, line type, and color, but it does not remember things like text attributes within the text box or the direction and length of callout tails.

There are several ways around this problem, however. If you are using the exact same shape multiple times in the same document, simply select the one that is formatted as you want, hold down the Ctrl key, and drag the shape to a new location. By holding down the Ctrl key you inform Word that you want to copy the shape rather than move it.

A more versatile solution is to simply define your shape as a Building Block. Follow these steps:

  1. Set up your shape to appear as you desire.
  2. Select the shape. (Just click on it once.)
  3. Press Alt+F3. Word displays the Create New Building Block dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  4. Figure 1. The Create New Building Block dialog box.

  5. Provide a name for the shape that is representative of the shape's purpose.
  6. Click on OK. The Building Block is now created.

Later, when you want to use the Building Block entry, simply type its name in the document (the name you provided in step 4) where you want to use the Building Block entry, and then press F3. In the case being discussed here, the shape, complete with all formatting settings, is inserted in your document.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8137) 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: Changing Defaults for Text Boxes and Callouts.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Displaying Document Comments

Adding comments to a document is a normal activity when writing and editing. Once comments have been added, you may ...

Discover More

Selecting a Column or Row in a Table

Selecting rows and columns in tables is a common task. Because of this, Word provides a couple of ways you can accomplish ...

Discover More

Using Documents after a Server Move

Word documents can be interrelated with each other, particularly when you are dealing with templates. Move the templates ...

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)

Creating See-Through Text Boxes

When laying out your document, you may want to use a text box that appears to be positioned over your text, but to be ...

Discover More

Getting Rid of a Text Box, but Not the Text

Text boxes are designed to hold text. (Makes sense, right?) If you want to get rid of a text box, yet still keep the ...

Discover More

Finding Text Boxes

Need to search for various text boxes in your document? It's easy to do with the handy macro provided in this tip.

Discover More
Subscribe

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.

What is nine minus 9?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


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.

Videos
Subscribe

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

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.