Creating an Accessible Template in Microsoft Word

For help, contact: Karen Sorensen

Below are instructions on how to format the heading styles in your documents, so they are the color, font and size you want, every time you create a new document. Instructions vary slightly between MS Word 2010 for Windows and MS Word 2011 for Mac.

In Microsoft Word 2010 for Windows

  1. Create your document.
  2. Apply Heading Styles to the headings in your document (See Format with Headings and Lists)
  3. Adjust the color, font and size to your taste. (Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Verdana, 12 pt or larger are recommended for accessibility)
  4. If you want to maintain a style throughout the document, right click on the style in the style ribbon and choose "Update Heading 1 (or whatever style it is you are changing) to Match Selection"
    Modify Style by right clicking style in the design ribbon
  5. If you want to make this your default style for future documents, right click on the style in the style ribbon that you want to change, and choose "Modify"
  6. Then in the Modify Style window, choose "New documents based on this template"
    Modify style window

In Microsoft Word 2011 for Macintosh

  1. Create your document.
  2. Apply Heading Styles to the headings in your document (See Format with Headings and Lists)
  3. Adjust the color, font and size to your taste. (Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Verdana, 12 pt or larger are recommended for accessibility)
  4. If you want to maintain a style throughout the document, right click on the style in the style ribbon and choose "Update the style to reflect recent changes"
    Style updates on MS Word 2011 for Macintosh
  5. If you want to make this your default style for future documents, check "Automatically update the style from now on.
  6. Click OK.