How To Copy Formatting in MS Word

Microsoft office makes it very easy to copy and paste content, including text and images. With all these basic copy pasting feature, it also provides the ability to copy and paste formatting of text and even drawing objects.

This feature can be extremely handy when you need to apply the same formatting to another area of your document. Otherwise, you will have to manually look for what kind of formatting is used in a single paragraph and then apply them same in another.

For example, you can copy formatting of a “heading” in your document and then apply the same formatting to all “headings”.

In this tutorial, we are going to show you how you can copy formatting in Word and also how to apply it in multiple areas.

Note: This Tutorial, is written using Microsoft Word 2007, the instructions are same for other versions of Microsoft Word.

Copy and Apply Formatting

To get started, highlight the text of which you would like to copy formatting. Once highlighted, click on the paintbrush icon located in Clipboard panel under the “Home” tab. It should say, “Format painter” when you will hover your mouse cursor over it and in the latest versions of Microsoft Word “Format Painter” is written next to the paintbrush icon.

Note: When you will highlight text, make sure you copy everything of which you would like to copy formatting, such as numbering, bullets, style, indications, etc. If you will just copy formatting of text, then only the formatting related to it will be copied, such as underline, bold, font or italic.

Click on it and the formatting will be copied. You will see a paint brush icon next to your mouse cursor. Now, highlight the area to which you would like to apply the formatting and leave. The new formatting will be applied instantly.

Apply Formatting to Multiple Areas

Repeating the above process again and again can be a tedious task, good thing there is a way to apply same formatting multiple times.

Highlight the text of which you would like to copy formatting and “Double-click” on the paintbrush (Format Painter) icon.

Now, just highlight the area where you would like to copy formatting and when you will leave the mouse click, it will be applied. However, the paintbrush icon next to your cursor will still stay, meaning you can now apply formatting to other areas as well.

Apply formatting to all the areas where you need just by highlighting. When you are done, click on the paintbrush icon again and the feature will be turned off.

The Word will not only copy formatting of characters and text, it is also capable of copying borders of the pictures.

Here is a Video Demonstration as well:

If you have any questions or you may like to add any further information, let us know in the comments section below.

Karar Haider
Categories: Computers
Tags: Microsoft, word