
Once you've added some text to a document, you can change its appearance by formatting it.
Apply Bold, Italic, or an Underline
- Select the text you want to format.
- Click a formatting button.
- To bold, Ctrl + B.
- To italicize, Ctrl + B.
- To underline, Ctrl + U.
Change the Text or Highlight Color
You may need to change font color to make text stand out, comply with brand standards, or add visual appeal.
- Select the text you want to format.
- Click the Text color or Highlight color button.
- Select a color.
If you don’t like any of the available theme colors, select Custom to display the Colors dialog box.
Use Additional Formatting Options
There are additional formatting options that are only available in the Format menu.
- Select the text you want to format.
- Click Format on the menu bar.
- Select Text.
- Select a formatting option.
In addition to bold, italic, and underline, you can apply strikethrough, superscript, or subscript formatting.
Change Font
Changing a font itself will have the greatest effect on the appearance of text.
- Select the text you want to format.
- Click the Font list arrow.
- Select a font.
The text is now set in the selected font.
When changing fonts, be sure to choose the right font for the tone of your document. Don’t use casual script fonts in a professional document, and also avoid using too many fonts at once.
Font Type | Examples | Description |
---|---|---|
Serif | Times New Roman, Georgia, Merriweather | Serifs are small details at the ends of some letter strokes, meant to improve legibility. Suitable for both header and body text. |
Sans Serif | Arial, Century Gothic, Helvetica Neue, Roboto, Verdana | Sans serif fonts lack the small details at ends of letter strokes, leading to a plainer look. Suitable for both header and body text. |
Script | Caveat, Lobster, Pacifico | These fonts are meant to mimic handwriting, either calligraphic or casual. Useful in very specific designs, but unsuitable for body text and most headers. |
Monospace | Courier New, Roboto Mono | All letters and symbols use the exact same amount of space. Useful when displaying computer code, or when precise vertical alignment between lines is important. |
Change Font Size
Changing the font size helps differentiate between titles, headers, and body text.
- Select the text you want to format.
- Click the Font size list arrow.
- Select a font size.
The font size changes.
Font size is measured in points (pt) that are 1/72 of an inch. The larger the number of points, the larger the font.
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