Once again: 'default' fonts

[RHead]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

The helpful Microsoft folks keep telling us that Powerpoint does not 'have a default font'. This is a bit irritating, because it clearly does: Calibri. That's the font that comes if you don't do anything else = default.

Apparently, one can create a blank theme template using other fonts, and manually select it each time one creates a new presentation, which gets one out of the default theme template that uses Calibri (which I personally dislike). It's only five steps to create, and another extra three to deploy for each new presentation, but it does work.

But is there really no way to change the default Theme to choose a font we actually like? Is this simply impossible?

(PS to friendly Microsoft help staff: instructions to Mac users that involve the term 'right-click' are not likely to be helpful!)

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

The helpful Microsoft folks keep telling us that Powerpoint does not 'have a default font'. This is a bit irritating, because it clearly does: Calibri. That's the font that comes if you don't do anything else = default.

Apparently, one can create a blank theme template using other fonts, and manually select it each time one creates a new presentation, which gets one out of the default theme template that uses Calibri (which I personally dislike). It's only five steps to create, and another extra three to deploy for each new presentation, but it does work.

But is there really no way to change the default Theme to choose a font we actually like? Is this simply impossible?

(PS to friendly Microsoft help staff: instructions to Mac users that involve the term 'right-click' are not likely to be helpful!)

Hi,

This may work for you.

Open a new, blank presentation.
View > Master > Slide Master
Edit > Select All
On the formatting palette choose whatever font you wish to have as the
default.
Repeat for the Notes master and Handout master
View > Normal
File > Save As [give the file a name and a location in Finder] > Save
Quit PowerPoint
In Finder, single-click the saved file's icon
Apple+i (or File > Get Info)
In GetInfo General section click the Stationery Pad button
Close the GetInfo window
Drag the saved file's icon to the Dock

Whenever you want a new, blank presentation with font you like, click
the dock icon.

-Jim

 

[RHead]

Jim,

Interesting workaround, and I appreciate the suggestions.

When I do it, having set all fonts on the Master page to Times, set as stationery, then open, I get as my font....Ariel!

Nice try, though. At least it's not Calibri!

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

The helpful Microsoft folks keep telling us that Powerpoint does not 'have a default font'. This is a bit irritating, because it clearly does: Calibri. That's the font that comes if you don't do anything else = default.

Apparently, one can create a blank theme template using other fonts, and manually select it each time one creates a new presentation, which gets one out of the default theme template that uses Calibri (which I personally dislike). It's only five steps to create, and another extra three to deploy for each new presentation, but it does work.

But is there really no way to change the default Theme to choose a font we actually like? Is this simply impossible?

(PS to friendly Microsoft help staff: instructions to Mac users that involve the term 'right-click' are not likely to be helpful!)

Hi,

This may work for you.

Open a new, blank presentation.
View > Master > Slide Master
Edit > Select All
On the formatting palette choose whatever font you wish to have as the
default.
Repeat for the Notes master and Handout master
View > Normal
File > Save As [give the file a name and a location in Finder] > Save
Quit PowerPoint
In Finder, single-click the saved file's icon
Apple+i (or File > Get Info)
In GetInfo General section click the Stationery Pad button
Close the GetInfo window
Drag the saved file's icon to the Dock

Whenever you want a new, blank presentation with font you like, click
the dock icon.

-Jim

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Jim,

Interesting workaround, and I appreciate the suggestions.

When I do it, having set all fonts on the Master page to Times, set as stationery, then open, I get as my font....Ariel!

Nice try, though. At least it's not Calibri!

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

The helpful Microsoft folks keep telling us that Powerpoint does not 'have a default font'. This is a bit irritating, because it clearly does: Calibri. That's the font that comes if you don't do anything else = default.

Apparently, one can create a blank theme template using other fonts, and manually select it each time one creates a new presentation, which gets one out of the default theme template that uses Calibri (which I personally dislike). It's only five steps to create, and another extra three to deploy for each new presentation, but it does work.

But is there really no way to change the default Theme to choose a font we actually like? Is this simply impossible?

(PS to friendly Microsoft help staff: instructions to Mac users that involve the term 'right-click' are not likely to be helpful!)

Hi,

This may work for you.

Open a new, blank presentation.
View > Master > Slide Master
Edit > Select All
On the formatting palette choose whatever font you wish to have as the
default.
Repeat for the Notes master and Handout master
View > Normal
File > Save As [give the file a name and a location in Finder] > Save
Quit PowerPoint
In Finder, single-click the saved file's icon
Apple+i (or File > Get Info)
In GetInfo General section click the Stationery Pad button
Close the GetInfo window
Drag the saved file's icon to the Dock

Whenever you want a new, blank presentation with font you like, click
the dock icon.

-Jim

Hi,

I just followed my own step-by-step and when I double-clicked the
template file in Finder I got Times New Roman when I opened the
Stationery Template.

There's probably a theme file somewhere that controls the default theme,
but I looked once and could not find it.

=Jim

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP


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[RHead]

Jim,

As far as I can tell, even when I create a custom theme with Times as the selected font in all fields, I _still_ get Calibri when I click a new text box.

In short: no one has been able to provide a method to escape Calibri except rechoosing the font you want EVERY SINGLE TIME you create a text box. That's just how it is, as far as I can determine.

Perhaps this is something that MS can address some day, but for now, PowerPoint has one unavoidable default font: Calibri.

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Jim,

As far as I can tell, even when I create a custom theme with Times as the selected font in all fields, I _still_ get Calibri when I click a new text box.

In short: no one has been able to provide a method to escape Calibri except rechoosing the font you want EVERY SINGLE TIME you create a text box. That's just how it is, as far as I can determine.

Perhaps this is something that MS can address some day, but for now, PowerPoint has one unavoidable default font: Calibri.

Aha!

You added a little tidbit here that I didn't pick up on in the previous
messages.

All you have to do to fix the new textbox problem is to follow the
procedure discussed earlier, but before saving the template file you
should add a text box, format the text box as your desired font, then
right-click on the frame of the text box and choose "Set as default text
box." I think you can delete the textbox before saving if you don't need
to have it in the template.

-Jim