Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 10, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365
Word contains a powerful outlining system that allows you to quickly make changes to document structure. This is done in Outline view, which is invoked by clicking the Outline tool on the View tab of the ribbon, or by clicking on the Outline view icon at the left side of the horizontal scroll bar.
When you switch to Outline view, Word automatically displays the Outlining tab of the ribbon. You use the controls on this ribbon tab to change heading levels for your outline. To do this, follow these steps:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10515) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Changing Outline Heading Level.
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