Customising Your Document’s Appearance
Whether you are drafting a formal corporate report, formatting a university essay to meet strict academic guidelines, or simply designing a large, easy-to-read poster for a community event, controlling the size of your text in Microsoft Word is a fundamental skill.
By default, modern versions of Microsoft Word start typing in an 11-point font (usually Calibri or Aptos). While this is perfectly fine for basic on-screen reading, it is often too small for printed documents, and certainly not large enough to serve as a clear, attention-grabbing title or heading.
Changing the font size in Word takes only a few seconds, and you can either change it for text you have already written, or set a new size before you even begin typing.
Method 1: Using the Ribbon Toolbar (The Standard Way)
The most common method for adjusting text size is using the primary formatting tools located at the very top of the Word interface.
- If you have already typed your text, highlight it using your mouse. (If you want to change the size before you start typing, just click exactly where you want the new text to begin).
- Look at the main toolbar at the top of the screen. Ensure you are on the Home tab.
- Look in the Font section of the toolbar. You will see a small box displaying a number (usually “11”).
- Click the small downward-facing arrow next to this number to open the dropdown menu.
- Select your desired size from the list (e.g., choose 12 for standard academic essays, or 24 for a large heading).
Pro Tip: You are not restricted to the numbers in the dropdown list. If you need a very specific, custom size (like 13.5 or 150), simply click directly inside the number box, type the number on your keyboard, and press Enter.
Method 2: Using the Quick Increase/Decrease Buttons
If you are visually designing a document (like a flyer) and you are not exactly sure what specific number size you need, guessing from the dropdown menu can be tedious. Word provides two dedicated buttons specifically for visually adjusting text on the fly.
- Highlight the text you want to resize.
- Look at the Home tab in the Font section, right next to the number box.
- You will see two buttons: a large ‘A’ with an upward arrow, and a slightly smaller ‘A’ with a downward arrow.
- Click the large ‘A’ to incrementally increase the font size, or the small ‘A’ to decrease it. Keep clicking until the text looks visually correct on your screen.
Method 3: Using Keyboard Shortcuts (The Fastest Way)
If you write frequently, taking your hands off the keyboard to use the mouse slows down your productivity. Professional writers and editors rely on keyboard shortcuts to resize text instantly without ever breaking their typing flow.
- Highlight the text you wish to change.
- To make the text larger: Hold down the Ctrl key and the Shift key, then press the Right Angle Bracket (>) key.
- To make the text smaller: Hold down the Ctrl key and the Shift key, then press the Left Angle Bracket (<) key.
Note for Mac Users: Use the Command (Cmd) key instead of the Ctrl key.
How to Change the Default Font Size Permanently
If you find yourself constantly changing the size from 11 to 12 every single time you open a new, blank document, you can actually reprogram Word’s internal default settings to save yourself the hassle.
- Open a blank Word document.
- On the Home tab, look in the bottom right corner of the Font section. You will see a tiny, diagonal arrow icon. Click it to open the advanced Font dialogue box. (Alternatively, press Ctrl + D on your keyboard).
- In the new window, select your preferred font and your preferred size (e.g., 12).
- Click the Set As Default button in the bottom left corner of the window.
- Word will ask you if you want this applied to only this document, or all future documents based on the Normal template. Select All documents based on the Normal template.
- Click OK.
From now on, every time you open a new document, Word will automatically start typing in your preferred, larger size.
