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: Changing Fonts for AutoText Entries.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 18, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Cynthia has a number of AutoText entries that are formatted using 11-pt Arial typeface. She wants to change these to 10-pt Times New Roman, so she is wondering if there is a way to change the font specification on these AutoText entries without having to recreate all of them.
The short answer is that you cannot edit AutoText entries, you can only replace them. Fortunately, it is not that difficult to do the replacing—just insert the entry, make the changes, select the entry, and save it using the same name as it previously had. Word asks you if you want to replace the entry; you should answer in the affirmative.
There is one caveat that has to do with where AutoText entries are stored. By default, they are stored in the Normal template file. You should note where the AutoText entry you are replacing is originally stored and make sure that you store the replacement in the same template. Fortunately, it is easy to tell if you stored the replacement AutoText entry in the wrong place. If Word doesn't ask if you want to replace the existing entry when you save the replacement, you then know that you saved the entry in a different template where there is no identically named AutoText entry to be replaced.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13287) 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: Changing Fonts for AutoText Entries.
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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:
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