How to Clear Formatting in Word

You can easily clear all formatting in a Word document (such as bold, underline, italics, color, superscript, subscript, and more) from your text and return your text to its default formatting styles.

Why do you need formatting? It allows you to add style and flair to your documents. For example, if you've ever had to read a huge, raw block of text, then you know how straining it is on the eyes and you'd want to make it simpler and easy to read. 

Using styles provides your audience with a more welcoming first impression and better readability. Yet, formatting can often cause problems. For example, when inserting text that was previously formatted, it will keep its original formatting by default once inserted.

In this article, we're looking at how to clear formatting in word, and how to Clear all text formatting. This article also explains how to remove the formatting from a document.

Let's go!

Example of heavily formatted text

This type of text can be frustrating. Formatting should be consistent in order to keep your document looking uniform. It can become chaotic when multiple formats are used for titles and paragraphs.

No formatting is just as bad as mismatched or excessive formatting. Likewise, using too many fonts or different colors can be distracting and take away from the message.

There are other times where you or a client have decided to go in another direction and the formatting needs cleared and changed.

To make things simple, Microsoft Word includes multiple options to clear formatting.

 

In Microsoft Word, the Clear Formatting command removes any formats you've applied to the text. These can include font, size, text attributes (bold or italic), and color among others. More specifically, it restores characters to the formatting defined by the style you're using. Clear formating makes sure that your text is either back to its original format or improved for better "readability."

 

Summary: Clear formatting from text

Clearing Formatting in Word

Select the text which you want to remove the formatting from. If you want to select all the text in your document, just press the Ctrl + A keys on your keyboard. Alternatively, use the Select button on your Home tab and click on Select Text With Similar Formatting.

On your Home tab, you can see a Styles group. You can open a dialog menu by clicking on the arrow button in the bottom right corner of this group.

Select Clear All from the menu. This will set you back to clear, non-formatted text.

You can also clear formatting by clicking on the Clear All Formatting button in your Font group on the Home tab.

Clear all Formatting

1. Highlight the text you want to clear formatting from.
1. You can select multiple instances of text by holding down the Control key on your keyboard as you make new selections.
2. If you want to select similarly formatted text (such as paragraphs or titles) you can do so by going to the Home tab.
   
   
   Click on Select from the Editing group, and choose Select Text With Similar Formatting.
   
3. If you want to select all the text in your document, press Control + A on your keyboard.
2. Now, select the Home tab from your menu ribbon.
   
   
3. From the Fonts group, select the Clear All Formatting button.
   
   

All of your selected text will now revert to the default formatting used in your document.

Clear Formatting Via Styles

1. Highlight the text you want to clear formatting from.
1. You can select multiple instances of text by holding down the Control key on your keyboard as you make new selections.
2. If you want to select similarly formatted text (such as paragraphs or titles) you can do so by going to the Home tab.
   
   
   Click on Select from the Editing group, and choose Select Text With Similar Formatting.
   
3. Do you want to select all the text in your document? Press Control + A on your keyboard.
2. If not already on it, select the Home tab from your menu ribbon.
   
   
3. Locate the Styles group.
4. Click on the arrow button in the bottom-right corner of the group.
5. Click on the Clear All option. Because this is the first option, you might not see it right away. If this happens, just scroll upwards.
   
   

Paste Text Without Formatting

1. In your document, right-click where you want to insert your text.
2. Under Paste Options, click on the Keep Text Only symbol. Alternatively, you can press the T key on your keyboard.
   
   

Can't clear formatting in Word?

Did you follow every step correctly, yet you still were unable to change the formatting of your text? This might be because the document you’re editing is protected from any formatting changes. To be able to edit protected documents, you need to enter the correct password to unlock it. If the document isn’t originally yours, contact the author for help.

If you’re looking for a software company you can trust for its integrity and honest business practices, look no further than SoftwareKeep. We are a Microsoft Certified Partner and a BBB Accredited Business that cares about bringing our customers a reliable, satisfying experience on the software products they need. We will be with you before, during, and after all the sales.

Alternate Way to Clear All Formatting [No Matter the Version of Word]

Final Word

Hopefully, with the methods we've mentioned above you've managed to clear formatting in Word. 

We have other articles and blog posts that can help you with trips, tricks, and troubleshooting methods for Word and other Microsoft products. Visit our help center or blog section to learn more. 

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