Change your default font before you open a new spreadsheet

Excel's default font is Calibri, 11 point. To change what font appears in every new spreadsheet you create, go to File > Options > General, then look for the section labeled "When creating new workbooks". There you'll see a dropdown for "Use this as the default font" — select the font you want, set the size if you need to, then click OK. The next spreadsheet you open will use your choice instead.

This change only affects new spreadsheets. Spreadsheets you've already created keep their original font unless you change them separately. If you want to change the font in a spreadsheet that's already open, you'll use a different method (covered below).

The fonts available depend on what's installed on your computer. Common choices are Calibri (the default), Arial, Times New Roman, and Courier New. If you pick a font that isn't on someone else's computer and you send them the file, Excel will substitute the closest match it can find — which may not look the way you intended.

Key Takeaways

  • To set a default font for all future spreadsheets, use File > Options > General and select your font under "When creating new workbooks".
  • Changing the default font only affects new spreadsheets you create after the change — existing files keep their current font.
  • To change the font in a spreadsheet that's already open, select all cells with Ctrl+A, then pick a new font from the Home tab.
  • If you share a spreadsheet with someone and they don't have your chosen font installed, Excel will substitute a different one automatically.
  • Font size and default font are set separately — you can change one without changing the other.

Change the font in a spreadsheet you're already working on

If you want to change the font in a file that's already open, select all the cells first. Press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac — this highlights every cell in the sheet. Then go to the Home tab at the top, find the font dropdown (it shows the current font name), click it, and pick a new one.

This method changes the font for the entire sheet at once. If you only want to change the font for certain cells — like a title row or a specific column — select just those cells instead of pressing Ctrl+A. Click the first cell you want to change, then hold Shift and click the last cell in the range you want. Then use the font dropdown the same way.

The font dropdown also shows you a preview of what each font looks like as you hover over it, so you can see your options before you commit to one.

Why you might want to change the default font

Calibri is clean and readable on screen, but some people prefer fonts that are easier to read in print, like Times New Roman. Others use Arial because it's one of the most widely available fonts across different computers and operating systems. If you work in a field with style guidelines — accounting, law, publishing — your organization might require a specific font for all documents.

Changing your default saves you from having to pick a font every time you create a new spreadsheet. If you always use the same font for work, setting it as your default means you won't have to remember to change it later.

Keep in mind that some fonts take up more or less horizontal space than others. A spreadsheet that fits neatly in Arial might need wider columns if you switch to Times New Roman, because Times New Roman letters are generally wider. You may need to adjust column widths after changing fonts.

What happens when you share a spreadsheet with a different font

When you send a spreadsheet to someone else and they open it on their computer, Excel looks for the font you used. If they have it installed, the spreadsheet looks the way you intended. If they don't have it, Excel automatically substitutes the closest font it can find — usually a sans-serif font if you used a sans-serif, or a serif font if you used a serif.

The substitution usually looks close enough that most people won't notice. However, if you're working with very specific formatting requirements — like a template for official documents — it's safer to stick with fonts that come with Windows or Mac by default, like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. These are installed on nearly every computer.

If you're unsure whether your audience has a particular font, you can also embed the font in the file itself. Go to File > Options > Save, then check the box that says "Embed fonts in the file". This makes the file larger, but it guarantees the font will look the same on any computer.

Font size is separate from font choice

When you set a default font in Excel's options, you can also set a default size at the same time. The default size is 11 point. If you want your spreadsheets to start with a larger or smaller size, you can change that in the same File > Options > General menu where you pick the font.

To change the size in a spreadsheet that's already open, select the cells you want to change, then use the font size dropdown next to the font dropdown on the Home tab. The size dropdown shows numbers like 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and so on. You can also type a custom size if you want something between the standard options.

Larger fonts make text easier to read but take up more space on the page. Smaller fonts fit more data in the same area but can become hard to read if they go below 9 or 10 point.

Resetting to Excel's original default

If you change your default font and later want to go back to Calibri, you can do that the same way you changed it. Go to File > Options > General, find the default font dropdown, select Calibri, and click OK. Any new spreadsheets you create after that will use Calibri again.

This doesn't change spreadsheets you've already created with a different font — it only affects new ones going forward. If you want to change an existing spreadsheet back to Calibri, select all cells with Ctrl+A and pick Calibri from the font dropdown on the Home tab.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my default font affect spreadsheets I've already saved?

No. Changing the default only affects new spreadsheets you create after the change. Spreadsheets you've already made keep their current font. To change the font in an existing file, open it and select all cells, then pick a new font from the Home tab.

What's the difference between a serif and sans-serif font?

Serif fonts like Times New Roman have small lines at the ends of letters. Sans-serif fonts like Arial don't have those lines. Sans-serif fonts are generally easier to read on screen, while serif fonts are often preferred in printed documents. Excel's default Calibri is a sans-serif font.

Can I set different default fonts for different types of spreadsheets?

No, Excel only lets you set one default font for all new spreadsheets. However, you can create a template with your preferred font, then use that template every time you need a spreadsheet with that specific font. Save a blank spreadsheet with your chosen font and formatting, then save it as a template file.

Will my spreadsheet look the same if I email it to someone using an older version of Excel?

Usually yes, as long as you use a common font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Older versions of Excel support these fonts. If you use a newer or less common font, there's a small chance it might display differently, but the text will still be readable.

How do I change the font for just the column headers?

Click on the first cell in your header row, then hold Shift and click the last header cell to select the entire range. Then use the font dropdown on the Home tab to pick a new font. This changes only the cells you selected, leaving the rest of the spreadsheet unchanged.