Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 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: Undesired Font in Form Fields.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 10, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365
Doug notes that he has a Word form, and the form fields are set up as 9-pt Arial. After the form is protected, when the fields are filled in by users, they display as 14-pt Arial Bold. He wonders why Word would change the formatting.
Quite honestly, this should not happen. There are a couple of things you should check, however. First, understand that when you insert a form field into a line of text, the form field adopts the formatting of the characters that surround it. Thus, if the field is inserted into a line of text that uses larger characters, then the form field will adopt that larger font. You'll want to explicitly change the formatting of the form field in this manner:
Second, you should check to make sure that someone isn't inadvertently changing the formatting of the form field. For instance, if you insert the field and then format the line on which the field appears, the formatting that you apply to the line affects the field as well. Thus, if you apply a 14-pt format to the entire line, the 14-pt format will override the 9-pt format you previously applied to the form itself.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13389) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Undesired Font in Form Fields.
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2023-01-05 12:07:09
Joan K.
I am having this issue on a form and have tried multiple ways of getting it to use the same font as the surrounding text. When unprotected, the fields show the correct 10 pt. font but change to 11 pt. when protected and filled. I've tried everything I can think of:
1. Highlighting the field and resetting the font size.
2. Highlighting the entire paragraph and resetting the font size.
3. Highlighting the entire document (Ctrl-A) and resetting the font size. (After I did this, the font size now changes from 10 pt. to 12 pt.)
I've worked with forms and form fields for many years and this has me stumped. Suggestions anyone?
2016-08-19 18:23:47
Ruby
I have the exact same issue and comment as Barbara from 7/12/16.
Why are the instructions for all versions the same; and
Ctrl+Shift+C and Ctrl+Shift+V did not work for me either.
2016-07-12 19:29:06
barbara
the directions for both old versions of Word and newer versions of Word are exactly the same...? I see the links are different but the 4 steps on each page are exactly the same.
The Ctrl+Shift+C and Ctrl+Shift+V did not work for me.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 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:
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