Cleaning Up a Document that Mixes Styles with Direct Formatting

When a document is formatted with styles, it is much easier to create and maintain a consistent format. When someone adds direct formatting, it can create some formatting problems. If you are using Word 2002, Word 2003, or Word 2007 there is a relatively easy way to locate the direct formatting. Perform these steps if you are using Word 2002 or Word 2003:

1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. Word displays the Options dialog box.
2. On the Edit tab, make sure the Keep Track of Formatting check box is selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Click OK.
4. Open the document you want to work on.
5. Choose Styles and Formatting from the Format menu. Word displays the Styles and Formatting task pane at the right side of your screen.
6. At the bottom of the task pane, in the Show box, select Available Formatting. (If the Available Formatting option is not available, you didn't follow steps 1 through 3.)
7. In the task pane, scroll down your list of styles to locate any entry that does not have either the paragraph mark symbol or raised letter a. These entries will generally display a style name plus some other formatting. These entries indicate direct formatting. For example, Body Text + Right indicates a Body Text paragraph that has been directly formatted as right aligned.
8. Point to the item in the list, and a drop-down arrow appears at the right side of the item. Click the arrow.
9. From the menu that appears, choose Select All Instances. Word highlights all occurrences of the formatting.

If you are using Word 2007, follow these steps, instead:

1. Click the Office button and then click Word Options. Word displays the Word Options dialog box.
2. At the left side of the dialog box click Advanced. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. In the Editing section of the options, make sure the Keep Track of Formatting check box is selected.
4. Click OK.
5. Open the document you want to work on.
6. Choose Styles and Formatting from the Format menu. Word displays the Styles and Formatting task pane at the right side of your screen.
7. At the bottom of the task pane, in the Show box, select Available Formatting. (If the Available Formatting option is not available, you didn't follow steps 1 through 3.)
8. In the task pane, scroll down your list of styles to locate any entry that does not have either the paragraph mark symbol or raised letter a. These entries will generally display a style name plus some other formatting. These entries indicate direct formatting. For example, Body Text + Right indicates a Body Text paragraph that has been directly formatted as right aligned.
9. Point to the item in the list, and a drop-down arrow appears at the right side of the item. Click the arrow.
10. From the menu that appears, choose Select All Instances. Word highlights all occurrences of the formatting.

Once you have all this text selected you have several options. You can reapply the original style, in which case the Modify Style dialog box may appear and you'll have the option of updating the style to reflect the recent changes or reapplying the formatting of the style to the selection. (You want the latter option.)

You can also use Ctrl+Q to set the paragraphs back to their original format, or you can use Ctrl+Spacebar to remove any direct character formatting from the selections.