Save Formatting in a Style

You can easily create your own styles to store formatting information if you cannot find a built-in style that exactly suits your needs.

You can create character, paragraph, table, and list styles.

1. Click to display the Styles and Formatting task pane.

   If any formatted text appears close to the way you want it, select it; some of the text’s formatting appears here.

2. Click New Style.

   

   The New Style dialog box appears.

3. Type a name for the style.

4. Click here and select the type of style – Character, Paragraph, Table, or List.

   This example uses Paragraph.

5. Click here and select the style of the paragraph that follows the style you are creating.

   

6. Click here and select the font formatting options for the style.

7. Select paragraph alignment, spacing, and indentation options.

8. To use the style in all new documents you create, click the Add to template option ( changes to ).

   

   To specify additional formatting, click Format, then select the type of formatting.

   Word displays a dialog box where you can add more formatting characteristics to the style.

9. Click OK to close that dialog box and redisplay the New Style dialog box.

10. Click OK in the New Style dialog box.

    

    Word saves your style; it appears in the Styles and Formatting task pane.

    Note 

    To use the Style, see the section “Apply Formatting Using Styles.”

What do the different kinds of styles control?

Character styles control font style, size, and enhancements such as boldface or underlining. Paragraph styles control text alignment, spacing, tab stops, and borders. Paragraph styles can include character styles. Table styles control the appearance of table fonts, borders, shading, and alignment. List styles control alignment and numbering or bullet appearance in lists.

Do I have to create the styles that appear in the Styles and Formatting task pane?

No. Word comes with built-in styles that contain commonly used formatting. Some of the built-in styles serve special purposes; for example, you can automatically build a table of contents using entries styled in Heading 1 through Heading 9. Create a style only when you cannot find a built-in one that suits your needs.