Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Adding Individual Styles to the Template.

Adding Individual Styles to the Template

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated December 12, 2020)

Templates are used in Word to define how you want your menus, toolbar, glossary, and default styles to appear. When you are either adding new styles or changing existing styles, Word allows you to update the template to reflect those style changes. To do this, follow these steps if you are using Word 97 or Word 2000:

  1. Select Style from the Format menu. Word displays the Style dialog box.
  2. Using the list of styles, select the name of the style you want to change.
  3. Click on Modify. The Modify Style dialog box appears.
  4. Make sure the Add to Template check box is selected.
  5. Make any changes to the style you desire.
  6. Click on OK.
  7. To add or update other styles in the template file, repeat steps 2 through 6.
  8. When you have finished changing styles, click on Close.

If you are using Word 2002 or Word 2003 you should instead follow these steps:

  1. Select Styles and Formatting from the Format menu. Word displays the Styles and Formatting task pane.
  2. In the task pane, scroll through the list of styles until you see the style you want to change.
  3. Move the mouse pointer over the style name and then click on the down-arrow at the right side of the style name.
  4. Click on Modify. The Modify Style dialog box appears. (See Figure 1.)

    5. Figure 1. The Modify Style dialog box.

  5. Make sure the Add to Template check box is selected.
  6. Make any changes to the style you desire.
  7. Click on OK.
  8. To add or update other styles in the template file, repeat steps 2 through 7.
  9. When you have finished changing styles, close the Styles and Formatting task pane.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (3387) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Adding Individual Styles to the Template.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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