Revealing Formatting

Word uses wavy blue underlines to indicate possible instances of inconsistent formatting. If you see a wavy blue underline while formatting a document, you can open the Reveal Formatting task pane to display the format of selected text, such as its font and font effects. The Reveal Formatting task pane allows you to display, change, or clear formatting for the selected text. You can also select text based on formatting so that you can compare the formatting used in the selected text with formatting used in other parts of the documents.

Select or Clear Text Formatting

Select the text whose formatting you want to select or clear away.

Click the Format menu, and then click Reveal Formatting.

Point to the Selected Text box, click the list arrow, and then click either Select All Text With Similar Formatting or Clear Formatting.

To apply the formatting to your surrounding text, click Apply Formatting Of Surrounding Text.

When you're done, click the Close button on the task pane.

Compare Text Formatting

Select the first instance of formatting you want to compare.

Click the Format menu, and then click Reveal Formatting.

Select the Compare To Another Selection check box.

Select the second instance of formatting to compare.

When you're done, click the Close button on the task pane.