You are here: Home › Document Formatting › Setting Default Paragraph Formatting
Setting Default Paragraph Formatting
by Dave
(Elroy, Wisconisn USA)
The default in Word 2007 adds space between paragraphs of the same style. You have to check a little box in the paragraph box if you do not want this. I have tried to change this so the default is NOT to add space between paragraphs of the same style, but it will not go to default. I have to check that box every time I start a new document. How can I change the default to not add space between paragraphs?
ANSWER:
To make your paragraph formatting changes permanent and available for any file, you need to save the change to the Normal.dotm template. Changing the template does not change already existing documents, so instructions for how to apply the paragraph formatting to all paragraphs in a document you already created are included.
Change Paragraph Formatting for the Default Template
To save changes to the default Word 2007 template, follow these steps:
- On the Home tab in the Paragraph group, click the launcher
to open the Paragraph dialog box. - Change the paragraph indentation and line spacing settings as desired.
- Click Default. In Word 2010, click Set As Default.
- Click OK.
When you click the Default button, all settings in the Paragraph dialog box are saved to the Normal.dotm template, which is the default template in Word 2007. Those changes become the default setting for all new documents based on that template until you change them again.
Note: changing the default template does not change styles for previously created documents.
Just remember that the default template styles can be overridden when creating new styles for a particular document. I like to set my default template to contain the paragraph formatting I use for most documents, then change the style in individual documents, if needed.
Change Paragraph Formatting for an Existing Document
To change paragraph formatting for an already existing document, you have to change the paragraph style, then apply it to the whole document.
- Place the cursor in the paragraph you want to change.
- On the Home tab in the Styles group, open the Styles window by clicking the launcher.
- In the Styles list, highlight the style name, then click the down arrow.
- Select Modify. The Modify Style window opens.
- Select Automatically Update. (Note: this option may not be available for the default Normal paragraph style.)
- Click Format, then select Paragraph.
- Make the desired paragraph formatting changes, then click OK.
Once the new style is saved, every paragraph that is marked with that style is changed to the new settings.
Return from Setting Default Paragraph Formatting to Document Formatting
Sue's Word Tips Home
Sponsored Links
