How to Import or Copy Styles in Microsoft Word

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated April 6, 2021

Applies to: Microsoft® Word® 2010, 2016, 2019 and 365 (Windows)

In Microsoft Word, you can store a set of styles in your own custom Style Set (also called a Quick Style Set) and then apply the styles easily in other Word documents. A style is a predefined combination of formatting that can be applied to selected text. The most common styles are paragraph styles which include character and paragraph formatting. The default style is the Normal style.

Style Sets are designed to include heading styles (such as Heading 1, Heading 2 and Heading 3), the Normal style, and a few other built-in styles (but not all styles).

Style Sets are affected by the overall theme, font theme and color theme used in your document.

You can use Word's built-in Style Sets or create your own.

Recommended article: How to Copy Styles Between Word Documents Using the Organizer

Applying styles

Before you can use Style Sets, you will need to apply styles in your document. Recommended styles that are used in Style Sets are Word's built-in heading styles and the Normal style.

To apply a built-in style:

  1. Select the text you want to format.
  2. Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
  3. In the Styles group, hover over each style in the Style gallery to see a live preview in the document. Click the More down arrow to see additional styles.
  4. Click the style you want to use. It's best to apply heading styles to headings in your document. You can use the Normal style for standard paragraphs.

Below is the Style gallery on the Home tab in the Ribbon:

Style Gallery in Micorsoft Word 2010.

Applying a Style Set

Style Sets include a combination of title, heading and paragraph styles and allow you to format all of the elements in your document at once (after you have applied styles).

To apply a Style Set in 2010:

  1. Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
  2. Click Change Styles in the Styles group. A drop-down menu will appear.
  3. From the drop-down menu, select Style Set.
  4. Select the Style Set you want to apply. The entire document will change (as long as you have applied styles in your document).

Below is the Style Set menu in Word 2010:

Style Set dropdown menu in Word 2010.

To apply a Style Set in 2013 and later versions:

  1. Click the Design tab in the Ribbon.
  2. In the Document Formatting group, click the More down arrow.
  3. Hover over the Style Sets to see a live preview.
  4. Click the Style Set you want to apply. The entire document will change (as long as you have applied styles in your document).

Below is the Style Set gallery in 2013 and later versions:

Style Set gallery in Microsoft Word 2013 or 2016.

Modifying styles

If you modify styles, you can then save them in a new custom Style Set and apply them quickly in other documents.

To modify a built-in style:

  1. Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
  2. In the Styles gallery, right-click the style you want to change and then select Modify from the drop-down menu. A dialog box appears.
  3. Make the desired changes.
  4. Click OK.

Below is the Modify Style dialog box:

Modify Style dialog box in Microsoft Word.

Saving a new Style Set

If you have modified built-in styles, you can save them in a new Style Set and then apply it in other Word documents.

To save a new Style Set in Word 2010:

  1. Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
  2. Click Change Styles in the Styles group. A drop-down menu will appear.
  3. From the drop-down menu, select Style Set.
  4. Click Save As Quick Style Set. A dialog box appears.
  5. Enter a name for the Style Set (be sure to save in the Quick Styles folder).
  6. Click Save. You will now be able to apply the Style Set in other documents using the same method described above.

To save a new Style Set in Word 2013 and later versions:

  1. Click the Design tab in the Ribbon.
  2. In the Document Formatting group, click the More down arrow.
  3. Click Save As a New Style Set. A dialog box appears.
  4. Enter a name for the Style Set (be sure to save in the Quick Styles folder).
  5. Click Save. You will now be able to apply the Style Set in other documents using the same method described above. Custom Style Sets will appear under Custom in the list of Style Sets.

If you apply a custom Style Set in another document, be sure that you have applied the same built-in styles and have used the same themes (overall theme, font theme and color theme). Themes appear on the Design tab in 2013 and later versions and in the Page Layout tab in 2010.

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Summary
Copy Styles Between Microsoft Word Documents Using Style Sets
Article Name
Copy Styles Between Microsoft Word Documents Using Style Sets
Description
In Microsoft Word, you can save a set of styles in your own custom Style Set (also called a Quick Style Set) and then apply the styles in other Word files. This method allows you to import styles in Word easily. Creating your own Style Sets is a great method for copying styles between Microsoft Word documents.
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Avantix Learning

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