Using Themes, How Styles Change

Every Word 2010 document has a Theme. If you haven’t actually chosen a Theme, then you’re probably using the default – Office. To see the Theme applied to your document, click on the Page Layout tab, and then click the Themes button.

Themes provide a coordinated set of formatting choices so your documents look great.

But wait. Isn’t that what Style Sets do?

Yes, at first glance it may seem that Themes and Style Sets are doing the same thing, but there are differences. Knowing how they relate to one another can help you feel more in control of the design of your document.

When you choose a document Theme, you're choosing a set of colors, fonts, and effects for your document (effects show up when you have charts or SmartArt in your document). When you choose a Style Set, you're choosing a set of formatting characteristics for your headings, paragraphs, line spacing and so on. Some styles even include borders and shading.

Generally speaking, you notice a big difference in the layout when you choose a new Style Set, but the fonts and the overall color palate will still be consistent with your choice of Theme.

I find it's best to choose a Theme before I choose a Style Set when setting up a new document. Themes control font and color, and font and color go a long way towards defining the mood or character of a document.

You can find more information about applying, customizing, and saving document Themes at Office.com.

– Ron Owens