Fix Stubborn Formatting in MS Word

Dennis Faas's picture

Have you ever tried to modify a block of text in MS Word that refuses to comply to your editing?

Here's a really useful tip: you can 'start with a clean slate' by removing *all* formatting from the paragraph selection; simply select the block of text and press Ctrl-Shift-N to start fresh.

Alternatively, you can use Word's Reveal Formatting task pane to modify the formatting. In Word 2003, hit Shift-F1; in Word 2002, select Reveal Formatting from the Format menu.

When you click on an underlined link, an options dialog will display settings that you can modify. By checking the Distinguish style source option, you can view whether formatting was applied directly or via a style.

You can also see which styles are applied to multiple paragraphs. Choose either Normal or Outline under the View menu. Then select Options from the Tools menu, go to the View tab, and enter a value of 0.5 inches or more next to the field labeled Style area width. A panel at the left edge of the window will display the style associated with each paragraph.

Visit Carol's web site to learn more tips like this one!

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