How To Set Default Font In Word

Tired of changing your font from Calibri every time you start a new document? This guide shows you how to set your own default font in Microsoft Word, saving you time and ensuring all your new documents have a consistent, professional look from the moment you open them. By following these simple steps, you can make any font, size, and style your standard choice. This process works for most modern versions of Word, including Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, and Word 2019.

Fast Answer

Open Font Settings: Press Ctrl+D (or Cmd+D on Mac).
Choose Font: Select your desired font, style, and size.
Set As Default: Click the 'Set As Default' button.
Apply to Template: Select 'All documents based on the Normal.dotm template' and click OK.

Under 2 minutes Time needed

Beginner Difficulty

Applying to the template Watch out for

Before You Start

Making this change is quick and easy, but it’s helpful to understand what you're about to do. You will be modifying Word's main template file, which dictates the starting format for every new blank document. This is perfectly safe and is the intended way to customize your Word experience.

Microsoft Word: You need a functioning installation of Microsoft Word on your Windows or Mac computer.
Font Choice: Have an idea of the font family (like Times New Roman, Arial, or Georgia) and size (like 11 pt or 12 pt) you want to use as your new standard.

Check first: This procedure changes the default font for all new blank documents you create going forward. It will not change the font in any of your existing documents.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Open the Font Dialog Box

First, you need to access Word's main font settings panel. The quickest way to do this is with a keyboard shortcut. Make sure you are in an open Word document (a new blank one is perfect for this).

Press Ctrl+D on your keyboard (or Cmd+D if you are using a Mac). This command immediately opens the 'Font' dialog box, which contains all the detailed text formatting options.

Alternatively, you can open it using the mouse. On the Home tab in the ribbon at the top of the screen, look for the 'Font' group. In the bottom-right corner of this group, you'll see a small arrow icon called the Dialog Box Launcher. Clicking this arrow also opens the 'Font' window.

Choose Your Preferred Font, Style, and Size

Now that the Font window is open, you can select your new default settings. You will see several lists and options. Focus on the main three under the 'Font' tab:

Font: Scroll through this list to find the font family you want to use. Common professional choices include Times New Roman, Arial, Georgia, and Garamond. Click on the name of the font you want.
Font style: This determines the default weight and slant of your text. For body text, 'Regular' is almost always the best choice. Other options include 'Italic', 'Bold', and 'Bold Italic'.
Size: Pick a standard, readable size for your body text. The most common sizes for documents are 11 pt and 12 pt.

As you make selections, the 'Preview' box at the bottom of the window will show you what your chosen combination will look like. This helps you confirm you're happy with the settings before saving.

Tip: Don't worry about color or underlines right now. You can leave these set to 'Automatic' and 'None'. The goal is to set the basic default font, not complex styles.

Click the 'Set As Default' Button

Once you are satisfied with your new font, style, and size, look to the bottom-left corner of the Font dialog box. You will see a button labeled 'Set As Default'. This is the key to making your changes permanent for future documents.

Click this button. This tells Word that you don't just want to apply this font to some selected text, but that you intend to make it the new standard for the application.

Apply the Change to the Normal Template

After clicking 'Set As Default', a new, smaller window will pop up. This window gives you two critical choices. It's essential you pick the correct one to achieve your goal.

This document only? This option will change the default font just for the document you currently have open.
All documents based on the Normal.dotm template? This is the option you want. It tells Word to save your new font settings into the master template file.

Select the radio button next to 'All documents based on the Normal.dotm template?'. By choosing this, you are instructing Word to use your selected font for every new blank document you create from now on.

Click 'OK' to confirm this choice. The small window will close, and then you can click 'OK' on the main Font window to close it as well.

Verify Your New Default Font

The change is now saved, but it's always a good idea to confirm it worked correctly. First, close Microsoft Word completely. If prompted to save changes to the document you had open, you can choose not to save unless you typed something important.

Now, reopen Microsoft Word and create a new, blank document (by clicking 'File' > 'New' > 'Blank document'). Click into the page and start typing. The text you type should now appear in the new default font you just selected. You can also look at the Font section on the Home tab; it should display your chosen font and size.

Tip: If it didn't work, the most common reason is accidentally selecting 'This document only' in the previous step. Simply repeat the process and make sure to select the 'All documents...' option.

Quick Reference

Situation	Use this	Why
I want a different font for just one paragraph.	Select the text and use the Font dropdown on the Home tab.	This makes a quick, local change without altering your global default settings for other documents.
I want all my new documents to start in Times New Roman 12 pt.	Use the Font Dialog Box (Ctrl+D), select your font, and click 'Set As Default' > 'All documents based on the Normal.dotm template'.	This modifies the core template, ensuring consistency and saving you time on every future document.
My default font keeps changing back to Calibri.	Check for company IT policies or Word add-ins.	Sometimes, especially on work computers, security software or add-ins can overwrite your personal settings when Word starts.
I need to reset everything back to Word's original settings.	Repeat the process, but select Calibri, Regular, and 11 pt as your font choices before setting as default.	This will restore the original factory default font that comes with a fresh installation of Microsoft Word.

Common Problems When You Set Default Font in Word

While the process is usually smooth, a few common issues can pop up. Here’s how to troubleshoot them.

Problem: My Changes Didn't Save

You followed the steps, but when you open a new document, it's still Calibri. This usually happens for one of a few reasons:

Wrong Option Selected: The most common mistake is selecting 'This document only' instead of 'All documents based on the Normal.dotm template'. Double-check this setting when you repeat the steps.
Permissions Issue: On some computers, especially work laptops, your user account may not have permission to modify the folder where the Normal.dotm template is stored. Word tries to save the change but can't. In this case, you may need to contact your IT department.
Conflicting Add-ins: Some third-party Word add-ins (like certain citation managers or grammar checkers) can interfere with Word's ability to save changes to the default template. Try disabling your add-ins ('File' > 'Options' > 'Add-ins') and then setting the default font again.

Problem: My Old Documents Are Not Updated

This is expected behavior, not an error. Changing the default font only affects new documents created after the change. It does not go back and reformat your old files. Each existing Word document has its own formatting saved within it. If you want to update an old document to your new font, you must open it, select all text (Ctrl+A), and manually apply the new font.

Problem: The Font Reverts Every Time I Restart My Computer

This is a classic sign of an enforced IT policy. Many organizations use scripts or group policies to ensure that all users have a consistent, standard Word environment. This policy can reset the Normal.dotm template every time you log in or launch Word. Unfortunately, if this is the case, you likely won't be able to make a permanent change. The best course of action is to speak with your IT support team to see if an exception can be made or if there is a company-approved custom template you can use instead.

Advanced Tips for Setting Fonts in Word

Once you've mastered the basic default font, you can take your document customization to the next level.

Modify Default Paragraph Settings, Too

The default font is just one part of your document's base style. You can also control the default line spacing and paragraph spacing. To do this, open the Paragraph dialog box (click the small arrow in the corner of the 'Paragraph' group on the Home tab). Here you can set your preferred line spacing (e.g., 'Single' or '1.5 lines') and the spacing before or after paragraphs (e.g., 8 pt After). Just like with the font, there is a 'Set As Default' button at the bottom. Use it to save these paragraph settings to your Normal.dotm template.

Customize Your Heading Styles

Changing the default font affects your main body text (the 'Normal' style). It does not usually change your headings. If you want your headings to have a different default font (e.g., a bold, sans-serif font like Arial Black), you need to modify the Heading styles.

On the Home tab, find the 'Styles' gallery. Right-click on 'Heading 1' and choose 'Modify'. In the Modify Style window, you can choose a different font, size, and color for all your top-level headings. To make this change permanent for all new documents, select the option for 'New documents based on this template' at the bottom of the window before clicking OK. You can repeat this for Heading 2, Heading 3, and so on.

Create Entirely New Templates

Instead of changing the single 'Normal' template, you can create a collection of custom templates for different purposes. For example, you could have one template for business reports with a formal font like Garamond, and another template for personal letters with a friendlier font like Georgia.

To do this, set up a document exactly how you want it (with your desired fonts, styles, margins, and even a letterhead). Then, go to 'File' > 'Save As'. In the 'Save as type' dropdown menu, choose 'Word Template (*.dotx)'. Give it a descriptive name like "Business Report Template" and save it. Now, when you go to 'File' > 'New', you can choose your custom template from the 'Personal' tab instead of starting with a blank document.

How To Set Default Font In Word FAQ

How do I set the default font in Word for Mac?

The process is very similar. Open Word on your Mac, go to the menu bar at the top of the screen and click Format > Font. In the Font window that appears, select your desired font, style, and size. Then, click the 'Default...' button in the bottom-left corner. A confirmation dialog will ask if you want to change the default font. Choose 'Yes' to apply the change to the Normal template.

What is the Normal.dotm file?

Think of the Normal.dotm file as the master blueprint for Word. Every time you click 'New Blank Document', Word opens a copy of this file to get you started. It contains all the default settings: the default font, default margins, default paragraph spacing, and default styles. By changing the settings in this file, you change how every new document begins.

Can I set a different default font for comments?

Yes, but this is done by modifying the 'Comment Text' style. In the Styles pane (you can open it by clicking the small arrow in the corner of the Styles gallery), find and right-click on 'Comment Text' and choose 'Modify'. You can set the font you want to use for comments there. Remember to select 'New documents based on this template' to make the change permanent.

Will changing my default font increase my file sizes?

No. Changing the default font from one standard font (like Calibri) to another (like Arial) will have virtually no impact on the file size of your documents. File size is primarily affected by images, embedded objects, and the overall length of the document, not the font choice itself.

How do I go back to the original default font?

You can easily revert to Word's factory settings. Just follow the exact same steps outlined in this guide, but when you get to the Font selection window, choose Calibri as the font, Regular as the style, and 11 as the size. Then, set it as the default for 'All documents based on the Normal.dotm template'. This will restore the original settings.

Final Checklist for Setting Your Default Font

Before you close out, run through this quick checklist to ensure your new font is set up perfectly for all future work.

Opened the Font Dialog Box: You successfully accessed the main font settings using Ctrl+D or the ribbon.
Selected Your Font: You chose the specific font, style (e.g., Regular), and size (e.g., 12) you want as your new standard.
Used 'Set As Default': You clicked the 'Set As Default' button to begin the saving process.
Applied to the Template: You correctly selected the crucial option 'All documents based on the Normal.dotm template'.
Tested the Change: You closed and reopened Word, created a new blank document, and confirmed that your new font is active as soon as you start typing.