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Fonts and Size Editing in MS Word

Fonts and font sizes are among the most basic yet powerful formatting tools in Microsoft Word. They determine the appearance, readability, and professionalism of your document. Understanding how to choose and edit them effectively is essential for creating well-structured documents.

1. What is a Font?

A font refers to the style or design of text characters (letters, numbers, and symbols).
Each font has its own unique appearance. For example:

  • Times New Roman – Traditional and formal.
  • Arial – Clean and modern.
  • Calibri – Simple and widely used (default in many MS Word versions).
  • Comic Sans MS – Casual and informal.
  • Courier New – Typewriter-style font used in coding or technical documents.

2. Changing the Font

To change the font in MS Word:

  1. Select the text you want to modify.
  2. Go to the Home tab on the ribbon.
  3. In the Font group, click the Font drop-down menu.
  4. Choose a font from the list (you can preview fonts as you hover over them).

Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut:

  • Ctrl + D → opens the Font dialog box for advanced font options.

3. What is Font Size?

The font size determines how large or small the text appears. It is measured in points (pt) — 1 point equals 1/72 of an inch.
Common font sizes:

  • 10–12 pt: Standard for body text in reports or letters.
  • 14–18 pt: Used for subheadings.
  • 20–72 pt: Used for titles or headings.

4. Changing Font Size

To modify the font size:

  1. Select the desired text.
  2. On the Home tab → Font group, click the Font Size drop-down.
  3. Choose a size (e.g., 12, 14, 16) or type a custom size manually.
  4. You can also use shortcuts:
    • Ctrl + Shift + > → Increase font size
    • Ctrl + Shift + < → Decrease font size

5. Font Formatting Options

MS Word offers several formatting commands to customize the appearance of fonts:

  • Bold (Ctrl + B): Makes text darker and thicker.
  • Italic (Ctrl + I): Slants text for emphasis.
  • Underline (Ctrl + U): Draws a line under text.
  • Strikethrough: Draws a line through text.
  • Subscript: Places text slightly below the baseline (e.g., H₂O).
  • Superscript: Places text slightly above the baseline (e.g., X²).
  • Text Effects: Adds shadows, glow, and reflection to text.

6. Advanced Font Settings

Open the Font dialog box (Ctrl + D) to access more settings:

  • Font style: Regular, Bold, Italic, Bold Italic.
  • Character spacing: Adjust spacing between characters.
  • Text effects: Apply decorative styles.
  • Preview box: Shows how changes will look before applying.

7. Best Practices

  • Use consistent fonts throughout the document for a professional look.
  • Avoid using too many fonts — two or three styles are sufficient.
  • Maintain readable font sizes (usually 11 or 12 pt for body text).
  • Use serif fonts (like Times New Roman) for printed documents and sans-serif fonts (like Arial, Calibri) for online reading.

Conclusion

In MS Word, fonts and font size editing play a crucial role in improving the document’s appearance, readability, and effectiveness. By mastering these features, users can ensure their reports, letters, and presentations look clear, organized, and professional.