How to change default view in Word to my preferred font settings?

[Gill]

I have recently been involved in preparing several documents using Track
Changes, zapping documents back and forth via Outlook till we were satisfied
with the results. All of a sudden, my standard default settings on Word
changed so that instead of having Ariel font 10 as my normal font, I now have
a drop down menu showing Normal + Courier, Heading 1, 2, 3 etc and font 12.
When I type anything and amend its size etc, this appears as a new option on
this drop down menu. I guess this must be something to do with me using
Track Changes and maybe Windows XP, trying to be 'helpful' has amended my
settings.

I don't want it like this! I want to set up my Word settings so that I can
have my old view back, with a choice of Font types available in the menu bar
rather than via format/font, with Ariel as the default setting, and can
change my font size myself instead of having the computer tell me what I can
and can't do! I just can't see anywhere in the Windows help pages how to get
rid of this annoying feature. Please advise.

 

[Graham Mayor]

Difficult to understand what your problem is from this description, but my
guess is that you have acquired a check mark in tools > options > edit >
keep track of formatting.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Stefan Blom]

Do you have a default printer installed?

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message
news:[email protected]...

 

[Gill]

In answer to Stefan, yes. See above to answer to Graham's suggestion.

 

[Gill]

well, Graham, thanks very much for your input and you are right, I did have a
check mark against that setting, but it hasn't solved the problem.

Basically, for normal, everyday use (rather than editing documents using
track changes), in my Formatting Toolbar, I now have what I have just found
out is a Style and Formatting Task Pane - which is where these annoying 'I
know better than you do' options appear. I don't want to use it, I just want
to use the standard formatting tools - i.e. a nice little drop down box with
the different fonts in it from which I can choose, rather than a box which
simply shows 'normal', heading 1, heading 2 etc. Apart from anything else, :
a. I use different fonts depending on the type of document I am typing, so
there is no such thing as 'normal';
b. the default settings in the S & F TP is not the one I want to use and I
can't for the life of me figure out how to change this and
c. I like to take control of my own formatting, not have the PC do it for me.

Thanks in anticipation!

 

[Stefan Blom]

Are you saying that the Font box is missing from your Formatting
toolbar? In Tools | Customize (Toolbars tab), try to Reset the
toolbar. If that doesn't work, see
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/apperrors/MissingMenusEtc.htm.

If you are not familiar with templates and styles, you may also want
to take a look at the following articles:

Creating a Template – The Basics (Part I)
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart1.htm

Tips for understanding Microsoft Word styles
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/styles/TipsOnStyles.html

Why use Microsoft Word's built-in heading styles?
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/UseBuiltInHeadingStyles.html

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

 

[Graham Mayor]

I'm still not 100% certain what you are asking here. Word is a style based
application. *All* text in the document will be formatted with a style - by
default the 'normal' style. You cannot avoid styles and you would do well to
learn how to take advantage of them.

You can apply manual formatting to text (if you must) but this makes
re-editing documents complicated. To this end there are several tools on the
formatting toolbar, including the 'font' picking tool, which is what you may
be trying to describe as missing.

From tools > customize > options put check marks in 'Show standard and
formatting toolbars on two rows' and 'Always show full menus' which will
give you enough real estate on screen to display the toolbars in full.

You don't even have to use the formatting task pane. Replace that toolbar
command with the older FormatStyle command from the all commands set (Tools

customize > commands).

If you don't want Word to second guess your formatting requirements -
uncheck just about everything in tools > autocorrect options > autoformat as
you type - especially the 'Define styles based on your formatting'.

Finally in the format style dialog, ensure that 'automatically update' is
not checked.


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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Gill]

well, it just goes to show, you should always check the obvious first, before
getting too complicated. I have been struggling with this for some time now
and have just sent a screen dump of my Word screen to a pal - who immediately
suggested I drag the formatting bar on to the line below - when miraculously
the missing 'font' box appeared.

Doh. I hadn't thought of that..........

To be fair, Stefan's suggestion that it might be the 'font' box that was
missing put me on the right track, so many thanks for all your help. Glad I
didn't go interfering with too many settings first though!