Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 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: Fixing Mismatched Bullets and Numbers.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 26, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365
Sometimes when using the numbering or bullet features in Word, the format of one or more of the numbers or bullets does not match the others. For example, the color, size, or some other formatting could be different. This can be very frustrating to resolve if you don't realize that the format of the number and bullet is actually controlled by the format of the end-of-paragraph marker maintained by Word.
The end-of-paragraph marker is visible when you click the Show/Hide tool on the Home tab of the ribbon (it has the backward P on it). All you need to do is make sure that the paragraph marker of all items in your list are selected when you apply the bullet or numbering formatting or a style that applies such formatting. Word will then make sure that bullets and numbers are formatted the same for each item in the list.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13083) 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: Fixing Mismatched Bullets and Numbers.
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!
Formal reports look better when they are set up with an introductory cover page. Here's how you can add a cover page in a ...
Discover MoreWhen you make extensive edits to a document and those edits include changing the formatting of numbered or bulleted ...
Discover MoreA common editorial need is to change the capitalization used on different words in a selection of text. Word provides a ...
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 © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 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:
Comments