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: Changing Styles.

Changing Styles

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated August 20, 2020)

Once you have defined a style in Word, you can change it at any time. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Display the Home tab of the ribbon.
  2. Click the small arrow at the bottom-right corner of the Styles group. Word displays the Styles pane.
  3. Locate the style you want to change and simply point to it with the mouse. (Don't click on it.) Word displays a down-arrow at the right side of the style name.
  4. Click on the down-arrow. Word displays a drop-down menu.
  5. Click on Modify. Word displays the Modify Style dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

    6. Figure 1. The Modify Style dialog box.

  6. Change the attributes of the style, as desired. You may need to use the Format button to make your changes.
  7. When completed, click on OK.
  8. To change other styles, repeat steps 3 through 7.
  9. When you are done changing styles, close the Styles pane.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10389) 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: Changing Styles.

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

Why Should I Upgrade?

As new versions of software are released, users are perpetually faced with the decision of whether to upgrade their ...

Discover More

Pausing Macros for User Input

Does your macro need to get some input from a user? Here are the ways that Excel provides for that input to be solicited.

Discover More

Converting HSL to RGB

When working with colors in Excel you can specify them using either RGB or HSL values. Converting from HSL to RGB can be ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Using Alternating Styles

Alternating styles can come in handy when you have to switch between one type of paragraph and another, automatically, as ...

Discover More

Automatically Update Document Styles Setting

Templates and styles are a great way to apply formatting consistently within and across documents. A couple of the ...

Discover More

Can't Find or Delete a Style

Using the shortcuts available in the Styles pane to select text can be very helpful. It may, however, be quite ...

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.

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

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 three less than 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.

Newest Tips
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.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2021 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.