For over a decade, Microsoft Word forced everyone to use Calibri as their default font. Recently, Microsoft updated their software to default to a new font called Aptos. If you are a student required to submit essays in Times New Roman, or a professional whose company style guide demands Arial, constantly changing the font every time you open a blank document is a highly frustrating waste of time.
Fortunately, you do not have to settle for Microsoft’s preferences. You can permanently change the default font for all future documents by modifying Word’s underlying template file (known as the Normal.dotm template). This process takes less than a minute and will save you hundreds of unnecessary clicks in the future.
How to Set a New Default Font
These instructions apply to Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016 on both Windows and macOS.
- Open Microsoft Word and create a Blank document.
- Ensure you are on the Home tab in the ribbon at the top of the screen.
- Look at the “Font” section of the ribbon (where you normally go to make text bold or change the text size). In the bottom-right corner of this section, click the small diagonal arrow (the Dialog Box Launcher). Note: On a Mac, you can press Command + D or click Format > Font from the top menu bar instead.
- A large Font dialogue box will appear. Here, select your preferred Font (e.g., Times New Roman).
- Select your preferred Font style (leave this as Regular unless you want everything you type to be bold).
- Select your preferred Size (e.g., 12).
- Crucial Step: Look at the bottom-left corner of this window and click the button that says Set As Default.
- A warning box will appear asking how broadly you want to apply this change. Select the option that says All documents based on the Normal template (or “All documents based on the Normal.dotm template”).
- Click OK.
To verify the process worked, close Microsoft Word completely (you do not need to save the blank document you were just looking at). Open Word again and create a new blank document. Your cursor should immediately default to your chosen font and size, rather than reverting to Aptos or Calibri.
What to Do If the Font Keeps Changing Back
If you followed the steps above but Word keeps reverting to its original settings the next time you restart your computer, it means another program is actively blocking Word from modifying the Normal template file.
This is almost always caused by third-party add-ins (such as grammar checkers like Grammarly or citation managers like EndNote) or overly aggressive antivirus software protecting your system files. Try temporarily disabling your Word Add-ins (via File > Options > Add-ins), repeat the font-changing process, and then re-enable your Add-ins once the template has successfully updated.
