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All Microsoft Word documents contain styles – even if you haven’t applied one. New blank Word documents are based on the Normal template, and text that you type uses the Normal style. One way of seeing what styles are in your document is to expose the Style Area Pane in the Draft and Outline views. In Word 2010, go to the File tab, click Options, and click Advanced. Under Display, set the width of the Style area pane width in Draft and Outline views to 1 inch or so. Click OK. Now when you go to Draft or Outline view, you’ll see the style for each paragraph shown in the column to the left of your text.
All Microsoft Word documents contain styles – even if you haven’t applied one. New blank Word documents are based on the Normal template, and text that you type uses the Normal style.
One way of seeing what styles are in your document is to expose the Style Area Pane in the Draft and Outline views.
In Word 2010, go to the File tab, click Options, and click Advanced. Under Display, set the width of the Style area pane width in Draft and Outline views to 1 inch or so.
Click OK. Now when you go to Draft or Outline view, you’ll see the style for each paragraph shown in the column to the left of your text.
To remove the Style area pane, grab the vertical black line with your cursor and drag it to the left.
If all the paragraphs in your document show as the Normal style, your Word doc and your work flow may not be all it can be. Watch this video for a quick overview on how to apply styles in Word 2010.
-- Ron O.
Comments: (12) Collapse
This is not working for me. I have multiple styles in the same line, and sometimes MS WOrd 2010 will allow that and sometimes it won't. I've tried everything. Any suggestions?
Dear Barbara,
I'm wondering whether you're trying to use paragraph styles on the same line. Word has both paragraph styles and character styles. The character styles will work on the same line, but not the paragraph styles. For a much better explanation of all this, see the article Style basics in Word--specifically, this section: office.microsoft.com/.../style-basics-in-word-HA010230882.aspx.
Best wishes!
-- Joannie
How do I get rid of these millions of styles word is now creating? I used to be able to turn off styling by font and now I apparently can't.
cwalker --
I'm don't entirley understand what you mean by "turn off styling by font," but I'm thinking you might be able to hide some of those million fonts listed in the style pane by clicking Options (click the Styles Dialog Box Launcher, and then click Options at the bottom of the pane that opens).
Readers, any other ideas?
But this style pane (over on the left) doesn't have much in common with the Word XP style pane (on the right) where one could browse through the styles and even select one to apply to a particular paragraph. It also supported the notion of modifying and adding styles. Where is that functionality hidden in Word 2010?
Okay. The link on style basics has a hint on how to do that.
Nancy, glad you found the help you needed in Style Basics article.
-- Ron
Is there a way to print the draft docx showing the style pane?
dlchamb0 --
The only way I know of for printing your document with the Style pane showing is to first do a screen grab and then print the screen grab. Word 2010 has a built-in screen clipping tool, but that might not be practical for a long document. Another option (suggested by one of my colleagues) would be to use TechSmith's Snagit screen capture tool. It has the ability to capture long scrolling windows. I haven't used the tool, but TechSmith offers a free 30 day trial so it might be worth a try.
Hey Ron, For the Word 2007 Expert exam I have to know how to Manage Styles, Manage Style Sets, Manage Multilevel Lists, and Manage Templates. For Styles I have to know how to update a style based on selected text, copying styles from on document or template to another and setting outline levels for styles. You have something that helps in these areas as well as in Office Online or Word Inside Out 2007?
@ Rblack40
I think you'll find it pretty easy to update a style based on a selection:
To set an outline level for a style that you’ve created (can’t change the level on the built in styles), here’s what you do:
Copying styles from on document or template to another takes more than three steps, so I’ll send you here.
We have a Training Course for Word 2007 at Office.com that you might find helpful.
Good luck with the exam.
When I change the setting and close and relaunch Word the setting reverts to it's prior value. Where is this setting stored - normal.dotm; officeui; or the registry and how can I push the change to other users.
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