How to Change Font Size in Word: Step-by-Step

Updated 6 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

This guide shows you how to change the font size in Microsoft Word for both desktop and web versions. You’ll learn the quick toolbar method, the advanced Font dialog, and keyboard shortcuts, so you can format any document exactly the way you need.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word (2016, 2019, 2021, or Microsoft 365) or Word for the web
An open document with some text you want to resize

Step-by-Step

Select the text. Click and drag your cursor over the text whose size you want to change. To select the entire document, press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac).
Find the font size box. Look at the Home tab in the ribbon. In the Font group, you’ll see a small box with a number (like 11 or 12) next to the font name dropdown.
Use the dropdown. Click the small arrow next to the font size number. A list of common sizes (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 36, 48, 72) appears. Click the size you want.
Type a custom size. If you need a size not on the list (like 13.5 or 15), click directly on the number in the font size box, type your desired number, and press Enter. Word accepts values from 1 to 1638 points.
Use the Increase/Decrease buttons. Next to the font size box, you’ll see two buttons with a capital ‘A’ and an up arrow, and a smaller ‘A’ with a down arrow. Click the up arrow to increase the size by one point each time (or by the step set in the Font dialog). The down arrow decreases the size.
Keyboard shortcuts (Windows). Press Ctrl+] to increase the font size by one point, and Ctrl+[ to decrease it. To increase by the preset steps (e.g., 11 to 12, then to 14), use Ctrl+Shift+> and Ctrl+Shift+<.
Keyboard shortcuts (Mac). Use Cmd+] to increase and Cmd+[ to decrease. For preset steps, use Cmd+Shift+> and Cmd+Shift+<.
Use the Font dialog for more options. Click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Font group (or press Ctrl+D / Cmd+D). In the dialog, under ‘Size’, you can type a precise number, see a preview, and also set the font style and color. Click ‘OK’ to apply.
Change the default font size. If you want every new document to use a different size, open the Font dialog (as above), choose your size, click ‘Set As Default’ in the bottom-left, and select ‘All documents based on the Normal template’. Confirm with ‘OK’.

Common Mistakes

Not selecting text first. If you don’t select anything, the change applies only to the next character you type, not to existing text.
Confusing font size with zoom. Changing the zoom (bottom-right slider) does not change the actual font size; it only changes how large the text appears on your screen.
Using the wrong unit. Word uses points (pt) for font size. 72 points equal 1 inch. Don’t confuse points with pixels or inches.
Overriding the default. If you change the font size for a paragraph style (like ‘Normal’), it may affect other parts of your document unexpectedly. Use direct formatting for one-time changes.

Tips

Use styles for consistency. Instead of manually changing font size for headings, modify the built-in Heading 1, Heading 2, etc. styles. This keeps your document uniform and makes it easy to update later.
Preview before applying. In the Font dialog, the preview area shows how your text will look. Use it to check readability before you click OK.
Keyboard shortcuts save time. Learn the Ctrl+] and Ctrl+[ shortcuts for fine-tuning. They’re much faster than reaching for the mouse.
Set a sensible base size. For most documents, 12 pt is a standard body text size. For presentations or posters, you might want 24 pt or larger.

Troubleshooting

Font size doesn’t change. Make sure you’ve selected the text first. If you’re trying to change text inside a table or a text box, sometimes the selection is tricky—click inside the text box, then select the text.

Change applies to the whole document instead of a selection. This can happen if you have ‘Track Changes’ on and the selection isn’t recognized. Turn off Track Changes (Review tab) and try again.

Custom size won’t stick. If you type a size and press Enter but nothing changes, check that you didn’t accidentally type a decimal with a comma (e.g., 13,5 instead of 13.5). Use a period as the decimal separator.

Font size box is grayed out. This usually means your document is in a mode that doesn’t allow formatting, like ‘Read Mode’ or ‘Protected View’. Exit those modes by clicking ‘Edit Document’ or ‘Enable Editing’.

All new documents have the wrong size. If you accidentally changed the default, open the Font dialog, set the correct size, click ‘Set As Default’, and choose ‘All documents based on the Normal template’.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the maximum font size in Word?
A: The maximum is 1638 points (about 22.75 inches). The minimum is 1 point.

Q: Can I change the font size of a single word without affecting the rest?
A: Yes. Select just that word (double-click it) and change the size. The rest of the text remains unchanged.

Q: How do I change the font size in Word on my phone?
A: In the Word mobile app, tap the ‘Home’ tab (represented by an ‘A’ icon), then select text, and tap the font size dropdown to choose a size.

Q: Why does my font size change after I save and reopen?
A: This can happen if the document uses a font that isn’t installed on the computer you’re viewing it on. Word substitutes a different font, which may appear larger or smaller. Install the original font or embed fonts in the document.

Q: How do I set a different default font size for a specific style?
A: Right-click the style in the Styles gallery (e.g., ‘Normal’), choose ‘Modify’, set the font size, and click ‘OK’. The style will update everywhere it’s used.

Q: Can I change the font size for all headings at once?
A: Yes. Right-click ‘Heading 1’ in the Styles gallery, choose ‘Modify’, change the font size, and select ‘New documents based on this template’ if you want it to apply to future documents.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.