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: Using a Macro to Change the Formatting of All Instances of a Word.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 24, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
It is not uncommon to use repeating design elements in a document. For instance, you may want all occurrences of a particular word to appear in bold italics, at a certain point size. While you can certainly do the formatting by hand, it is much more efficient to allow a macro to do the work for you. By handling the formatting in this way, you don't need to worry about remembering how the word should appear. This macro, FormatWords, is an example of such a macro.
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:
Sub FormatWords()
Selection.Find.ClearFormatting
Selection.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting
With Selection.Find
.Text = "Warning!"
.Replacement.Text = ""
.Replacement.Font.Bold = True
.Replacement.Font.Italic = True
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindContinue
.MatchWholeWord = True
End With
Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End Sub
When you run this macro, it searches for all occurrences of the word Warning (followed by an exclamation point) and changes the formatting on it so the word is bold and italics.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9537) 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: Using a Macro to Change the Formatting of All Instances of a Word.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
If you need to remove any explicit character formatting from some text, you'll want to commit the shortcut in this tip to ...
Discover MoreOne common type of formatting is strikethrough, which is normally applied from the Font dialog box. There is no built-in ...
Discover MoreIf formatting of your text isn't done correctly, it can lead to some weird results in a TOC generated by Word. This tip ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments