What changing your default font means
When you open a blank document in Microsoft Word, it automatically uses a font called Calibri in size 11. Changing your default font means telling Word to use a different typeface — like Arial, Times New Roman, or Georgia — every time you start a new document, without you having to select it manually each time.
This is different from changing the font in a document you already have open. When you change the default, Word remembers your choice and applies it to every new blank document you create from that point forward. Documents you created before the change stay in their original font.
People change their default font because they prefer how a different typeface looks, because their workplace requires a specific font for all documents, or because they find certain fonts easier to read on screen.
Key Takeaways
- The default font is what Word uses automatically when you open a blank document, and you can change it to any font installed on your computer.
- You change the default through the Font dialog box, which you reach from the Home tab, not by straightforward selecting a font in an open document.
- After you change the default, Word applies the new font to all new blank documents you create, but not to documents you already have open.
- The change stays in effect until you change it again — Word remembers your choice even after you close and reopen the program.
How to change the default font in Word on Windows
Open Microsoft Word and create a new blank document, or open any document you have. Go to the Home tab at the top of the screen. On the left side of the ribbon, you will see a small arrow in the bottom right corner of the Font section — this arrow is straightforward to miss because it is tiny. Click it.
The Font dialog box will open. This is where you make the change. At the top, you will see a dropdown that says "Font:" with the current default font name next to it. Click that dropdown and scroll to find the font you want. Select it. You can also change the font size in this same dialog if you want a different default size — most people leave it at 11, but you can pick anything from 8 to 72 points.
Once you have chosen your font and size, look at the bottom left of the dialog box. You will see a button that says "Set As Default". Click it. Word will ask you to confirm — it will say something like "Do you want to change the default font to [your font name]?" Click Yes. Close the dialog box.
The next time you open a new blank document in Word, it will use your new default font. Any document you create from that moment forward will start in that font.
How to change the default font in Word on Mac
Open Microsoft Word and create a new blank document. Click the Home tab at the top. In the Font section of the ribbon, you will see the current font name displayed. Click the small arrow next to it to open the font dropdown.
Select the font you want from the list. If you want to change the size as well, click the font size dropdown next to the font name and pick your size. Once you have made your choices, go to the Word menu at the very top left of your screen and click Preferences.
In the Preferences window, look for an option called "View" or "General" — the exact name varies by Word version. Click it. You should see a section for default fonts. Select the font you just chose from the dropdown menu there. Click OK to save your changes.
On some newer versions of Mac Word, you may instead find the default font setting by clicking Format in the menu bar, then clicking Font, then looking for a "Set As Default" button at the bottom of the dialog. The steps are similar to Windows, but the menu path is different.
Why the font you pick matters
Not every font is equally readable on screen or in print. Serif fonts like Times New Roman have small lines at the ends of letters and are traditionally used for printed books and formal documents. Sans-serif fonts like Arial and Calibri have no lines and are often easier to read on a computer screen.
If you write a lot of emails or documents you will read on screen, a sans-serif font is usually a better choice. If you write documents that will be printed and read on paper, a serif font is often preferred. Some workplaces have a specific font requirement — if yours does, that is the font you should set as your default.
Keep in mind that if you send a document to someone else and they do not have the font you used installed on their computer, Word will substitute a different font automatically. This can change how the document looks. Sticking with common fonts like Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, or Verdana reduces the chance of this happening.
What to do if you change your mind
Changing your default font back is exactly the same process. Open a new blank document, go to Home, click the Font dialog arrow, pick the font you want to use, and click "Set As Default". You can do this as many times as you want. Word will always use whatever you set most recently.
If you want to go back to Word's original default (Calibri, size 11), follow the same steps and select Calibri from the font list, set the size to 11, and click "Set As Default".
Changing font in a document you already have open
If you want to change the font in a document you are currently working on — without changing the default for future documents — you do not need the Font dialog. straightforward select all the text you want to change (Ctrl+A on Windows, Command+A on Mac, selects everything), then click the font dropdown on the Home tab and pick a new font. This changes only that document.
You can also select just part of a document and change only that text. Highlight the text you want to change, then pick a new font from the dropdown. The rest of the document stays in its original font.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my default font affect documents I already created?
No. Documents you created before you changed the default will stay in whatever font they were originally in. The change only affects new blank documents you create after you make the change.
What if I do not see the font I want in the dropdown?
The dropdown shows only fonts that are installed on your computer. If you want to use a font that is not there, you will need to read and install it first. You can find free fonts on websites like Google Fonts or DaFont, then install them through your computer's font settings before you try to use them in Word.
Can I set different default fonts for different types of documents?
Word does not have a built-in way to do this. You set one default font for all new blank documents. If you need different fonts for different purposes, you can create document templates with different fonts and open those templates instead of a blank document.
Does the default font change affect documents I share with other people?
Only if you send them a new document you created after you changed the default. If you send them a document you created before the change, it will still be in the old font. The person receiving the document will see whatever font the document was created in, as long as they have that font installed.
Why does Word keep reverting to the old default font?
This usually happens if you did not click "Set As Default" in the Font dialog, or if you only changed the font in the current document. Make sure you are opening the Font dialog (the small arrow in the Font section), selecting your font, and clicking "Set As Default" before closing the dialog.