How To Change Word Default Font

Tired of starting every new document by changing the font from Calibri? This guide provides clear, practical steps to set your preferred font as the new default in Microsoft Word. By changing the default, every new blank document you create will automatically start with your chosen font, size, and style. This saves you time and ensures consistency across your work, whether you're using Word for professional reports, academic essays, or personal letters. We'll cover the process for modern versions of Word on Windows and Mac.

Fast Answer

Open the Font menu: Press Ctrl+D (or Cmd+D on Mac).
Choose your font: Select your desired font, style, and size.
Set as Default: Click the "Set As Default" button.
Confirm for all documents: Select "All documents based on the Normal.dotm template" and click OK.

2 minutes Time needed

Easy Difficulty

The "Normal" template Watch out for

Before You Start

Making this change is simple, but it helps to understand what you're modifying. You are not just changing a setting; you are altering Word's core template file for blank documents, known as "Normal.dotm". This is perfectly safe, but being aware of it helps you understand why the steps are laid out the way they are.

Microsoft Word Installed: This guide is written for modern desktop versions of Microsoft Word, including those in Microsoft 365, Word 2021, and Word 2019. The steps are very similar for slightly older versions as well.
Know Your Desired Font: Decide on the font family (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Georgia), style (e.g., Regular, Italic), and size (e.g., 12 pt) you want to use as your new default.

Check first: The most crucial step is selecting the option to apply the change to "All documents based on the Normal.dotm template". If you only apply it to "This document only", your default font will not change for future documents.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps carefully to permanently change the default font for all new documents you create in Microsoft Word.

Open a New, Blank Document

First, launch Microsoft Word. The easiest way to ensure you're working with the standard template is to create a new, blank document. You can do this by clicking File > New > Blank document. Starting with a fresh document avoids any confusion with settings from existing files that might use different templates or styles.

Access the Font Settings Dialog Box

The main font settings are located in a pop-up window called the Font dialog box. There are two simple ways to open it:

Keyboard Shortcut (Fastest Method): Press Ctrl+D on your keyboard (or Cmd+D if you are using a Mac). This will immediately open the Font window.
Ribbon Menu Method: Look at the "Home" tab on the top ribbon. Find the "Font" section. In the bottom-right corner of this section, you'll see a tiny arrow icon called the Dialog Box Launcher. Click this icon to open the same Font window.

Choose Your New Default Font Settings

In the Font dialog box, you'll see several options under the "Font" tab. This is where you will define your new default text style. Adjust the following settings to your preference:

Font: Scroll through the list and select the typeface you want, for example, "Arial" or "Times New Roman".
Font style: Choose the default style. For body text, this is almost always "Regular". Avoid choosing Bold or Italic as your main default.
Size: Select a standard font size for your body text. Common choices are 11 pt or 12 pt for good readability.

You can see a preview of your selections in the "Preview" box at the bottom of the window. This helps you confirm the look before saving.

Tip: For professional or academic documents, consider classic serif fonts like Georgia or Times New Roman for their readability in print. For on-screen reading, sans-serif fonts like Arial or Helvetica are often preferred.

Set Your Selection as the New Default

Once you are happy with your new font, style, and size, look for the "Set As Default" button in the bottom-left corner of the dialog box. Click this button. This action tells Word that you don't just want to use this font once; you want to make it the new standard.

Confirm the Change for All Future Documents

After clicking "Set As Default", a new, smaller window will appear. This is the most important step in the entire process. Word will ask you where to apply these default font changes. You will see two options:

This document only?
All documents based on the Normal.dotm template?

You must select the second option: "All documents based on the Normal.dotm template?". The "Normal.dotm" file is the master blueprint Word uses every time you create a new blank document. By choosing this option, you are updating that blueprint. After selecting it, click OK.

Verify Your New Default Font

The change is now saved. To make sure it worked correctly, close Microsoft Word completely. Don't just close the document; quit the entire application. Then, re-open Word and create another new blank document. Your cursor should appear, and if you start typing, the text should be in the new font you selected. You can also check the font name displayed in the Home tab's font box to confirm.

Quick Reference

Situation	Use this	Why
Changing the default for all new files	Font Menu > Set As Default > "All documents..."	This modifies the core Normal.dotm template file.
Changing the font for one document only	Select all text (Ctrl+A) and change the font directly	This changes the current file without altering your default settings for future work.
Reverting to the original default	Follow the same steps but select Calibri, Regular, 11 pt	This resets the Normal.dotm template back to Microsoft's factory settings.

Common Problems When You Change Word Default Font

Sometimes things don't go as planned. Here are solutions to the most common issues people face when trying to change the default font.

The font change didn't save for new documents.

Cause: This almost always happens because you selected "This document only?" instead of "All documents based on the Normal.dotm template?" during the confirmation step.

Solution: Simply repeat the process. Open a new blank document, press Ctrl+D, select your font, click "Set As Default", and this time, make absolutely sure you select the option for "All documents based on the Normal.dotm template" before clicking OK.

My old, existing documents still have the old font.

Cause: This is expected behaviour. Changing the default font only affects new blank documents you create from that point forward. It does not go back and change files you have already created and saved.

Solution: For existing documents, you must change the font manually. The quickest way is to open the document, press Ctrl+A to select all text, and then choose your desired font from the Home tab.

My font keeps reverting after my computer restarts.

Cause: This can happen in corporate or school environments where IT policies prevent changes to certain system files. Your computer might be set up to reset the Normal.dotm template on every login. It can also be caused by add-ins that interfere with how Word saves changes.

Solution: First, try running Word as an administrator when you make the change (right-click the Word icon and choose "Run as administrator"). If that doesn't work, you may need to speak with your IT department. They might need to approve the change or apply it for you.

Advanced Tips for Managing Fonts in Word

Once you're comfortable with the basics, you can take more control over your document formatting with these advanced techniques.

Modify the "Normal" Style for More Control

Changing the default font is actually a shortcut for modifying the font attribute of the "Normal" style. The Normal style controls the base formatting for most text in your document. For more granular control, you can edit this style directly.

On the Home tab, find the Styles gallery.
Right-click on the style named "Normal" and choose "Modify...".
In the Modify Style window, you can change the font, size, colour, paragraph spacing, line spacing, and indentation.
Before clicking OK, select the option for "New documents based on this template" at the bottom of the window. This has the same effect as updating the Normal.dotm file.

Modifying the style directly is the professional way to manage document formatting, as it allows you to control more than just the font.

Create and Use Custom Templates

If you regularly create different types of documents (e.g., reports with one font, memos with another), changing the single default font isn't enough. In this case, create custom templates.

Set up a new document exactly how you want it—with the right fonts, styles, margins, headers, and footers.
Go to File > Save As.
Change the "Save as type" dropdown menu to Word Template (*.dotx).
Give your template a descriptive name (e.g., "Monthly Report Template") and save it.
Now, when you go to File > New, you can choose your custom template from the "Personal" tab instead of "Blank document".

Find and Back Up Your Normal.dotm File

For peace of mind, you can make a backup of your Normal.dotm file before making changes. If anything goes wrong, you can restore the original.

Close Microsoft Word completely.
Open File Explorer in Windows.
In the address bar, type %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates and press Enter.
You will see a file named Normal.dotm. Copy this file to a safe backup location.
To restore it, simply copy your backup file back into this folder, overwriting the modified one.

How To Change Word Default Font FAQ

What is the default font in Microsoft Word?

Since Word 2007, the default font has been Calibri, with a default size of 11 points. Before that, the longtime default was Times New Roman, size 12.

Can I change the default font back to the original?

Yes. To restore the original default, simply follow all the steps in this guide, but select Calibri as the font, Regular as the style, and 11 as the size before clicking "Set As Default".

Does changing the default font in Word affect Excel or PowerPoint?

No. This setting is specific to Microsoft Word and its Normal.dotm template. Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint have their own separate default settings and templates that are not affected by this change.

Why would I want to change the default font?

There are several reasons. Branding: Companies often require documents to use a specific brand font. Readability: Some people find fonts like Georgia or Verdana easier to read than Calibri. Academic Requirements: Many universities and publications require submissions in a specific font, such as Times New Roman. Personal Preference: You might simply prefer the look of a different font.

Is it better to change the default font or to modify the Normal style?

Using the "Set As Default" button is essentially a user-friendly shortcut that modifies the font settings within the Normal style. For a quick font change, it's perfect. If you want to also change default paragraph spacing, line height, or indentation for all new documents, it is better to modify the Normal style directly, as it gives you access to all these settings in one place.

Final Checklist for Changing Your Default Font

Use this quick checklist to ensure you've completed all the necessary steps correctly.

You started with a new, blank Word document.
You opened the Font dialog box using Ctrl+D or the ribbon menu.
You selected your preferred Font, Font style, and Size.
You clicked the "Set As Default" button.
You chose the crucial option: "All documents based on the Normal.dotm template".
You clicked OK to save the changes.
You have closed and restarted Word to verify that new documents now use your chosen font.