Change the Default Format of Lines and Shapes in Word
Nov 24, 2021 13:26:04 GMT -5
kateblank likes this
Post by drcard on Nov 24, 2021 13:26:04 GMT -5
Change the Default Format of Lines and Shapes in Word
Purpose:
Change the default formatting of lines and shapes inserted into a Word document to the formatting you use so you can stop re-formatting every time a line or shape is inserted.
Overview:
The default formatting of lines and shapes that are inserted into a Word document are in the Normal.dotm template. Changing the default formatting of lines and shapes in the Normal.dotm template will change the default for all documents created with the changed Normal.dotm template. The following instructions explain how to change the default formatting in Normal.dotm.
Special Note:
This was based upon Word 2019, but will work with versions since 2010.
Quick Take:
• Open Word and within Word open Normal.dotm template with the Open command and the default location of &appdata%/Microsoft/Templates in the File Explorer window.
• Insert a line into the document and format the line as you want.
• With the line still selected, place the crosshair cursor on the line and right click.
• Select Set as Default Line
• Insert a shape into the document and format the shape as you want.
• With the shape still selected, place the crosshair cursor on the shape and right click
• Select Set as Default Shape
• Press the Save icon to save the new default settings to the template
• Select the shape and Delete it
• Select the line and Delete it
• Press the Save icon to save the template without the line or shape, but the default setting is still saved.
Detailed Instructions:
• Open Word and select File > Open and select Browse, which will open an Explorer Open window.
• In the address bar at the top of the Open window, click the dropdown arrow to the right of the current location shown. This will highlight the location in the bar to allow you to replace it.
• Replace the location with: %appdata%/Microsoft/Templates and press the Enter key. If you haven’t moved your templates the above address is the default location of the templates.
• Select Normal.dotm (do not select ~Normal.dotm if present) to open the template.
• Select Insert tab on the ribbon. Click the dropdown arrow next to Shapes in the Illustrations group and select the line type you use most often (for me it is the one with the arrow point at one end).
• Use the crosshair cursor to draw a line anywhere in the document. The line will be drawn in the default format of blue color and 0.5pt thickness.
• With the line selected the Shape Format tab will appear on the ribbon above. In the Shape Styles group, click the dropdown arrow to the right of the Shape Outline icon (looks like a pen drawing a box) to show the shape outline options. Change the following aspects of the line to get the line you want:
• Color of the line
• Weight (thickness) of the line
• Type of line (solid, dashed, etc.)
• Type of arrowhead, direction, or double-headed.
• With the line still selected, right click the Layout Options icon (looks like the top half of a circle with lines thru it) that is next to the line. Select how the line will appear with text (for me it is in front of text and fix position on page…always on top and stays where I put it).
• When finished adjusting the formatting of the line and with the line still selected, place the crosshair cursor over the line and right click. Select Set as Default Line from the context menu.
• Click anywhere in the document to unselect the line and return to the document.
• Select Insert tab on the ribbon. Click the dropdown arrow next to Shapes in the Illustrations group and select the shape type you use most often (for me it is the oval circle).
• Use the crosshair cursor to draw the shape anywhere on the document. It will be drawn in the default format of solid blue color, outline 0.5 pt thick.
• As with the line above, the Shape Format tab will appear when the shape is selected. The shape will have additional formatting of the Fill (space inside the shape outline) that the line didn’t have. Click the dropdown arrow of the Shape Fill icon (looks like can of paint) which is just above the Shape Outline icon in the Shape Styles group. You can change the fill color, remove any fill and see thru the shape, or even fill the shape with a photo (for me I chose no fill).
• After setting the Fill formatting, proceed to the Shape Outline icon to format the line around the shape as you did the line above.
• After setting the Outline formatting, adjust the Layout Options as you did with the line above.
• When finished formatting the shape to the way you want and the shape still selected, place the crosshair cursor in the shape and right click. Select Set as Default Shape form the context menu.
• Press the Save icon at the top left of the document. This will save the Normal.dotm template without opening a save as window. This will save your default formatting for both lines and shapes.
• Select the line and press the Delete key to delete the line.
• Select the shape and press the Delete key to delete the shape.
• Press the Save icon at the top left of the document. This saves the template without the added line and shape in the document, but the default formatting you set up will remain in the template.
• Close the Normal.dotm template.
• Any document that you start based on this template will insert lines and shapes with the formatting you set as default.
• The default formatting you saved will be the formatting for all lines and shaped, so if you insert a different line such as a double arrowhead line, it will insert with the same color and thickness you set for the single arrowhead line. The same for shapes, any shape inserted will have the same formatting as shape you made the default.
It is much easier to read this tip with screen captures and graphics pointing out the important steps. The link below is to the same instructions with screen captures and graphics in a pdf file for downloading.
Change the Default Format of Lines and Shapes in Word PDF
Purpose:
Change the default formatting of lines and shapes inserted into a Word document to the formatting you use so you can stop re-formatting every time a line or shape is inserted.
Overview:
The default formatting of lines and shapes that are inserted into a Word document are in the Normal.dotm template. Changing the default formatting of lines and shapes in the Normal.dotm template will change the default for all documents created with the changed Normal.dotm template. The following instructions explain how to change the default formatting in Normal.dotm.
Special Note:
This was based upon Word 2019, but will work with versions since 2010.
Quick Take:
• Open Word and within Word open Normal.dotm template with the Open command and the default location of &appdata%/Microsoft/Templates in the File Explorer window.
• Insert a line into the document and format the line as you want.
• With the line still selected, place the crosshair cursor on the line and right click.
• Select Set as Default Line
• Insert a shape into the document and format the shape as you want.
• With the shape still selected, place the crosshair cursor on the shape and right click
• Select Set as Default Shape
• Press the Save icon to save the new default settings to the template
• Select the shape and Delete it
• Select the line and Delete it
• Press the Save icon to save the template without the line or shape, but the default setting is still saved.
Detailed Instructions:
• Open Word and select File > Open and select Browse, which will open an Explorer Open window.
• In the address bar at the top of the Open window, click the dropdown arrow to the right of the current location shown. This will highlight the location in the bar to allow you to replace it.
• Replace the location with: %appdata%/Microsoft/Templates and press the Enter key. If you haven’t moved your templates the above address is the default location of the templates.
• Select Normal.dotm (do not select ~Normal.dotm if present) to open the template.
• Select Insert tab on the ribbon. Click the dropdown arrow next to Shapes in the Illustrations group and select the line type you use most often (for me it is the one with the arrow point at one end).
• Use the crosshair cursor to draw a line anywhere in the document. The line will be drawn in the default format of blue color and 0.5pt thickness.
• With the line selected the Shape Format tab will appear on the ribbon above. In the Shape Styles group, click the dropdown arrow to the right of the Shape Outline icon (looks like a pen drawing a box) to show the shape outline options. Change the following aspects of the line to get the line you want:
• Color of the line
• Weight (thickness) of the line
• Type of line (solid, dashed, etc.)
• Type of arrowhead, direction, or double-headed.
• With the line still selected, right click the Layout Options icon (looks like the top half of a circle with lines thru it) that is next to the line. Select how the line will appear with text (for me it is in front of text and fix position on page…always on top and stays where I put it).
• When finished adjusting the formatting of the line and with the line still selected, place the crosshair cursor over the line and right click. Select Set as Default Line from the context menu.
• Click anywhere in the document to unselect the line and return to the document.
• Select Insert tab on the ribbon. Click the dropdown arrow next to Shapes in the Illustrations group and select the shape type you use most often (for me it is the oval circle).
• Use the crosshair cursor to draw the shape anywhere on the document. It will be drawn in the default format of solid blue color, outline 0.5 pt thick.
• As with the line above, the Shape Format tab will appear when the shape is selected. The shape will have additional formatting of the Fill (space inside the shape outline) that the line didn’t have. Click the dropdown arrow of the Shape Fill icon (looks like can of paint) which is just above the Shape Outline icon in the Shape Styles group. You can change the fill color, remove any fill and see thru the shape, or even fill the shape with a photo (for me I chose no fill).
• After setting the Fill formatting, proceed to the Shape Outline icon to format the line around the shape as you did the line above.
• After setting the Outline formatting, adjust the Layout Options as you did with the line above.
• When finished formatting the shape to the way you want and the shape still selected, place the crosshair cursor in the shape and right click. Select Set as Default Shape form the context menu.
• Press the Save icon at the top left of the document. This will save the Normal.dotm template without opening a save as window. This will save your default formatting for both lines and shapes.
• Select the line and press the Delete key to delete the line.
• Select the shape and press the Delete key to delete the shape.
• Press the Save icon at the top left of the document. This saves the template without the added line and shape in the document, but the default formatting you set up will remain in the template.
• Close the Normal.dotm template.
• Any document that you start based on this template will insert lines and shapes with the formatting you set as default.
• The default formatting you saved will be the formatting for all lines and shaped, so if you insert a different line such as a double arrowhead line, it will insert with the same color and thickness you set for the single arrowhead line. The same for shapes, any shape inserted will have the same formatting as shape you made the default.
It is much easier to read this tip with screen captures and graphics pointing out the important steps. The link below is to the same instructions with screen captures and graphics in a pdf file for downloading.
Change the Default Format of Lines and Shapes in Word PDF
