Change the default font Word uses for new documents
When you open a blank document in Microsoft Word, it starts with Calibri 11-point font. If you use a different font most of the time — like Times New Roman for academic work or Arial for business documents — you can change what Word opens with instead. This saves you from manually switching fonts in every new document.
The process is the same whether you use Word on Windows or Mac, though the menu locations differ slightly. You change the default through the font dialog box, not through the toolbar buttons. This matters because toolbar changes only affect the current document, while the dialog box change sticks to all future documents you create.
Key Takeaways
- Word's default font is Calibri 11-point, but you can change it to any font installed on your computer through the font dialog box.
- Changes made through the toolbar only affect the current document, while changes through the font dialog box become your permanent default.
- On Windows, open the font dialog by pressing Ctrl+D, then click "Set as Default" at the bottom left of the box.
- On Mac, go to Format menu, select Font, choose your font and size, then click the "Set as Default" button.
- Word saves your default font choice to the Normal template, so it applies to all new blank documents you create going forward.
How to set the default font on Windows
Start by opening Microsoft Word and creating a blank document. You do not need to type anything — the document just needs to be open so you have access to the formatting tools.
Press Ctrl+D on your keyboard. This opens the Font dialog box directly. You will see a list of available fonts on the left side, a size dropdown in the middle, and style options like Bold and Italic on the right. At the bottom left of this dialog box, you will see a button labeled "Set as Default" — this is the button that makes the change permanent.
Select the font you want from the list. Scroll through the fonts alphabetically, or type the first letter of the font name to jump to it. Once you have selected your font, choose the size you want from the size dropdown — most people use 11 or 12 point. If you want your default to include bold or italic, select that style now, though most people leave these as regular.
Click "Set as Default" at the bottom left. A small dialog will appear asking whether you want to change the default for the Normal template. Click "Yes". Word will now use this font and size for all new blank documents you create from this point forward.
How to set the default font on Mac
Open Microsoft Word and create a blank document. You do not need to type anything — just having the document open gives you access to the menus you need.
Click the Format menu at the top of the screen. From the dropdown, select Font. This opens the font panel on the right side of your screen. You will see a list of fonts, a size selector, and style options.
Choose your font from the list and select the size you want. Most people use 11 or 12 point. Once you have made your selections, look for the "Set as Default" button — on Mac, this button is usually at the bottom of the font panel. Click it, and Word will ask you to confirm that you want to change the default for the Normal template. Click "Yes".
Your new default font is now active for all future blank documents. If you ever want to change it again, follow the same steps with a different font.
What happens when you change the default font
When you set a new default font, Word changes what is called the Normal template. This template is the blueprint Word uses every time you create a new blank document. By changing the font in the Normal template, you are telling Word to use your chosen font instead of Calibri for all new documents going forward.
This change does not affect documents you have already created. If you have an old document that uses Calibri, it will keep using Calibri. Only new blank documents will open with your new default font. If you want to change the font in an existing document, you would select all the text (Ctrl+A on Windows, Command+A on Mac) and then change the font through the toolbar or the font dialog.
If you work with templates other than Normal — for example, a custom business letter template — those templates keep their own default fonts. Changing the Normal template default does not change fonts in other templates. If you want a specific font as the default in a custom template, you would need to change that template separately using the same process.
Why the toolbar button does not change your default
The font dropdown in the Word toolbar looks like it should change your default, but it only changes the font for the current document. This is a common source of confusion. When you select text and click a different font in the toolbar, Word applies that font to just the text you selected, or to the whole document if nothing is selected — but it does not change what Word opens with next time.
The reason is that toolbar changes are temporary. They affect only the document you are working on right now. The default font lives in the Normal template, which is a separate file that Word consults when you create a new document. To change the template, you have to use the font dialog box and click "Set as Default." That is the only way to make the change permanent across all future documents.
Troubleshooting if your default font is not changing
If you set a new default font but new documents still open with the old font, the most common cause is that you clicked "Set as Default" but then clicked "No" when Word asked you to confirm the change to the Normal template. Try the process again and make sure you click "Yes" when the confirmation dialog appears.
Another possibility is that you are opening a document based on a different template. If you use a template for business letters, resumes, or other specific documents, those templates have their own default fonts. Opening a new document from that template will use the template's font, not the Normal template's font. To check which template a document is based on, go to File > Properties (Windows) or File > Info (Mac) and look for the template name.
If you have multiple user accounts on your computer, each account has its own Normal template. Changing the default in one account does not change it in another. Make sure you are logged into the account where you want the change to take effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set different default fonts for different types of documents?
Not through the Normal template, but you can create custom templates with different default fonts. For example, you could create a "Business Letter" template with Times New Roman 12-point and a "Casual" template with Arial 11-point. When you create a new document, you would choose which template to base it on, and it would open with that template's default font.
What if I want to change the default font size but keep the same font?
Follow the same steps as changing the font itself. Open the font dialog (Ctrl+D on Windows, Format > Font on Mac), keep the font the same, change only the size, and click "Set as Default." Word will remember both the font and size together.
Does changing the default font affect documents I have already written?
No. Changing the default font only affects new blank documents you create after the change. Existing documents keep whatever font they were using. If you want to change the font in an old document, select all the text and change it manually through the toolbar or font dialog.
Can I set a default font that is not installed on my computer?
No. Word can only use fonts that are installed on your system. If you set a default font and then open Word on a different computer where that font is not installed, Word will substitute a different font automatically. To use a specific font reliably, make sure it is installed on every computer where you work.
Will my default font change if I update Microsoft Word?
Usually not. Your default font setting is stored in your user profile, separate from the Word program files. Updates to Word typically do not touch your personal settings. However, if you perform a complete uninstall and reinstall of Office, you may lose your custom default font and revert to Calibri.