MS Word

Change the Default Font in Normal.dot

The Problem:

The default font in all my documents is too small to read. I can zoom in, but I shouldn't need to. Anyway, I want to use Arial as the default font.

The Solution:

It's easy to bend Word to your will. Start a new, blank document, choose Format » Font, select the font and size that suit you, click the Default button, and then click Yes in the confirmation dialog box to update the Normal template.

Change the Default Layout in Normal.dot

The Problem:

Okay, so I've fixed the default font. That's an improvementbut there's a long way to go. What about getting Word to start with the view and the zoom I prefer?

The Solution:

Your wish is my commandwell, this time:

  1. Open Normal.dot. To find Normal.dot, choose Tools » Options, click the File Locations tab, and check the "User templates" readout. (The default location is the %userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates folder.) Open this folder in a Windows Explorer window, right-click Normal.dot, and choose Open from the shortcut menu.

  2. Set the view and zoom you want.

  3. Choose File » Save, and then choose File » Close.

  4. Restart Word, and enjoy the difference.