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: Quickly Copying Styles.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 3, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
You can quickly copy styles from one document to another by the following technique:
You should note that this technique assumes the style is not already defined in both documents. If it is, the style will not be copied into the second document, but the paragraph, when pasted, assumes the attributes of the style already defined in the second 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 (13215) 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: Quickly Copying Styles.
Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!
Copying and pasting information is a common practice in Word. How the program should handle formatting (especially styled ...
Discover MoreA common way to set up a header is to have it refer to the first occurrence of a heading on the page. (Think how the ...
Discover MoreIf you use styles to format your document, you might want a way to print the document and show, to the left of each ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2021-04-05 10:46:55
Andrew
"You should note that this technique assumes the style is not already defined in both documents. If it is, the style will not be copied into the second document, but the paragraph, when pasted, assumes the attributes of the style already defined in the second document."
It should be noted that there are options for how styles are handled when pasting text between documents where the style name is the same (i.e., it "conflicts"). These settings are in the "Cut, copy, and paste" section of Word Options->Advanced. You can keep the source's or target's formatting, merge the formatting (whatever that means), or keep only the text.
Andy.
2021-04-03 11:39:43
Philip Reinemann
On my Mac, I made a 'Normal' style paragraph and then changed the font to something else, making it ab'Normal'.
In a second document I made a couple of 'Normal' paragraphs.
Back in the first document I selected the ab'Normal' paragraph and used the format painting brush and clicked on the 'Normal' paragraph in the second document, and the format copied.
Granted, I didn't confirm that with a new style, just a modified style, but it' something to consider using.
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, 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:
Comments