Change your default font before you start typing

To set a new default font in Microsoft Word, open a blank document, go to the Home tab, click the small arrow in the bottom right corner of the Font group, then select a font from the list and click "Set As Default" at the bottom of the dialog. Word will ask you to confirm — choose "All documents based on the Normal template" and click OK. Every new document you create will now open with that font.

This method works the same way in Word for Windows and Word for Mac. The default font Microsoft ships with is Calibri, but you can change it to any font installed on your computer. The change applies only to your user account, not to other people using the same computer.

Key Takeaways

  • The font dialog's "Set As Default" button is the fastest way to change what font appears when you open a new document.
  • You must confirm that you want the change to affect "All documents based on the Normal template" or the change will only apply to the current document.
  • Changing your default font does not affect documents you have already created — only new documents going forward.
  • If you share documents with others, they will see your chosen font only if that font is installed on their computer.
  • You can revert to Calibri at any time by following the same steps and selecting Calibri as your default.

Finding the font dialog in Word

In Word for Windows, click the Home tab at the top of the screen. In the Font group — the section with font names and sizes — look for a small arrow pointing down and to the right in the bottom right corner. Click that arrow. A dialog box titled "Font" will open.

In Word for Mac, the process is identical. Click Home, find the Font group, and click the small arrow in the bottom right corner of that group. The Font dialog will open the same way.

Selecting a font and setting it as default

Inside the Font dialog, you will see a list of fonts under the "Font" tab. Scroll through the list and click the font you want to use. You can see a preview of how it looks in the preview area at the bottom of the dialog. Once you have chosen a font, look for the "Set As Default" button at the bottom left of the dialog and click it.

Word will show a confirmation message asking whether you want to change the default font for "This document only" or "All documents based on the Normal template." Choose "All documents based on the Normal template" if you want the change to apply to every new document you create. Click OK to confirm.

What happens to documents you have already written

Changing your default font does not change the font in any document you have already created or saved. The new default only applies to blank documents you create after making the change. If you want to change the font in an existing document, you need to select all the text in that document and change the font manually.

To change the font in an existing document, press Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac) to select all text, then choose a new font from the Font dropdown in the Home tab. This will change only that document, not your default for future documents.

Fonts that may not appear the same on other computers

If you choose a font that is not built into Windows or Mac — such as a specialty font you downloaded — other people who open your document may not see it the way you do. Their computer will substitute a different font if yours is not installed on their system.

To avoid this problem, stick with fonts that come standard with Windows and Mac, such as Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, Georgia, or Verdana. These fonts are almost always available on any computer. If you use a less common font, you can embed it in the document so others see it correctly, but that requires a few extra steps in the Save As dialog.

Reverting to Calibri or choosing a different default later

If you want to go back to Calibri or switch to a different default font, follow the same steps: open the Font dialog, select the font you want, click "Set As Default," and confirm that you want to change all documents based on the Normal template. You can change your default font as many times as you want.

Some people set different defaults for different types of work — for example, a serif font like Times New Roman for formal writing and a sans-serif font like Arial for everyday documents. You can switch between them whenever you need to by repeating the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my default font affect documents other people have already sent me?

No. Documents other people created will keep whatever font they chose. Your default font only affects new blank documents you create yourself. When you open a document someone else made, it will display in whatever font they selected.

What if I set a default font but it does not appear in my new documents?

Make sure you clicked "All documents based on the Normal template" in the confirmation dialog, not "This document only." If you chose "This document only," the change applied only to that one document. Open the Font dialog again, select your preferred font, click "Set As Default," and choose the correct option this time.

Can I set a different default font size along with the font?

Yes. In the Font dialog, you can change both the font name and the size before clicking "Set As Default." Both settings will apply to all new documents. For example, you could set your default to Arial 12-point or Times New Roman 11-point.

Will my default font change if I update Microsoft Word?

No. Your default font setting is stored in your user profile and will remain the same after updates. Microsoft may change what font comes pre-selected in a fresh installation of Word, but it will not override a default you have already set.