Formatting Text
OfficeDocs includes a full set of text formatting tools to help you create clear, professional-looking documents. This guide introduces the main formatting options available for text, paragraphs, lists, styles, and reusable formatting.
Basic formatting
You can quickly apply common text formatting using the toolbar or keyboard shortcuts.
- Bold: Makes selected text stand out
- Italic: Adds emphasis to selected text
- Underline: Draws attention to important text
- Strikethrough: Marks text as removed or no longer needed
- Subscript: Places smaller text below the line
- Superscript: Places smaller text above the line
Common shortcuts include:
- Ctrl+B for bold
- Ctrl+I for italic
- Ctrl+U for underline
- Ctrl+. for subscript
- Ctrl+, for superscript
Font settings
Font settings help you control how your text looks and feels throughout the document.
- Font family: Choose from the available fonts in the dropdown menu
- Font size: Select a preset size or enter a custom value
- Font color: Change the color of the selected text
- Highlight color: Add background highlighting to make text easier to notice
Paragraph formatting
Paragraph tools help you improve readability and organize content more clearly.
- Alignment: Align text to the left, center, right, or justify it
- Line spacing: Use single, 1.5, double, or custom spacing
- Indentation: Create first-line, hanging, or block indents
- Spacing: Add space before or after paragraphs
Lists
Lists are useful for breaking information into clear and easy-to-follow points.
To create a bulleted or numbered list:
- Place the cursor where you want the list to begin.
- Click the bulleted list or numbered list button.
- Type the first item and press Enter to add the next one.
- Press Enter twice, or click the list button again, to end the list.
To change the list style, use the dropdown arrow next to the list buttons.
Styles
Styles help keep formatting consistent across your document and save time when working with longer content.
Available styles may include:
- Heading 1–6: Use for section titles and subheadings
- Normal: Standard body text
- Quote: Use for quoted text or callout sections
- Code: Use for monospace or code-style formatting
To apply a style, select the text and choose the desired option from the Styles dropdown.
Clear formatting
If you want to remove formatting and return text to a simpler style, you can clear formatting from the selected text.
- Select the text
- Click the Clear Formatting icon
This is useful when pasted text includes unwanted formatting.
Format Painter
Format Painter lets you copy formatting from one part of the document and apply it somewhere else.
To use Format Painter:
- Select text that already has the formatting you want to reuse.
- Click the Format Painter button.
- Select the text where you want to apply the same formatting.
Double-click Format Painter if you want to apply the same formatting to multiple selections.