What Are Styles?
Styles are predefined sets of formatting instructions that you can apply to text in your document. They control font, size, colour, alignment, spacing, and more.
Added all in one click. Using styles ensures consistency and makes formatting faster and easier.
Why Use Styles Instead of Manual Formatting?
- Consistency: Every heading, paragraph, or caption looks the same throughout the document.
- Efficiency: Update a style once, and all text using that style updates automatically.
- Professional Layout: Styles help maintain a clean, structured document without manual adjustments.
- Advanced Features: Styles enable automatic tools like Table of Contents, navigation pane, and document maps.
How to Apply a Style
- Select the text you want to format.
- Go to the Home tab.
- In the Styles group, click the style you want (e.g., Heading 1, Normal, Quote).
Modify or Create Styles
- Modify an Existing Style:
- Right-click the style in the Styles gallery.
- Choose Modify.
- Adjust formatting options and click OK.
- Create a New Style:
- Format a piece of text as desired.
- Select it, then click New Style by selecting the drop-down list in the bottom-right corner of the Styles pane.
- Name your style and save.
Styles and Automatic Table of Contents
Heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) are essential for generating an Automatic Table of Contents. Word uses these styles to identify sections and build a clickable, structured Table of contents. Perfect for reports, dissertations, and manuals.
Styles vs. Format Painter
While Format Painter copies formatting from one section to another, it’s manual and only applies to selected text. Styles apply consistent formatting across the entire document and allow global updates. For long documents, styles are far more efficient and reliable.