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Word’s Format Painter helps you copy formatting from one part of your document to another. It’s generally used to copy text formatting. But you can also use it to copy formatting of other elements.
What is Format Painter, and how does it work?
Format Painter is a quick and easy way to apply formatting in your document. That’s because it removes the need to format individual settings.
So instead of taking several steps to format text or an element, you only need to take one. For example, if I want other text formatted in the same way as Heading 2 (as shown here) …
… I’d use Format Painter to copy and paste the formatting.
This means I don’t need to apply each setting individually. That is, I don’t need to apply the font colour, then add bold text, and then add italics. And then repeat the process for each heading I want the formatting applied to.
Format Painter is especially effective when you use it alongside text styles. That’s because it removes the need to access and apply text styles via the Quick Styles gallery or Styles task pane. This streamlines the document formatting process a great deal. And makes it easier to maintain consistent formatting throughout your document.
How to use Format Painter
To copy and paste formatting in your document:
- Select the text / element that contains the formatting you’d like to copy;
- Click the Format Painter button (Home > Clipboard) – the cursor now appears as a paintbrush icon;
- Select the text / element you’d like to copy the formatting to.
The selected text / element now has the same formatting as the original text / element.
Apply Format Painter multiple times
Do you need to copy formatting to multiple places in your document? If yes, double click the Format Painter button in the second step above. You can then apply the copied formatting multiple times, as required. When you’re done, click the Format Painter button once more (or press Esc).
Use a shortcut instead
To avoid having to navigate the Word Ribbon, use the Format Painter shortcut instead. Or use the repeat last action shortcut.
