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Word 2007: How to Use the Format Painter

The Format Painter is a tool that allows you to copy formatting from text to text, or from one graphic or table to another. You can copy formatting between documents, too. It will copy text and paragraph formatting. It’s a tool I go to when numbered or bulleted lists don’t keep consistent indents in a document: you can copy the formatting from what’s right to what’s not rather than trying to figure out what’s wrong. You can find the Format Painter in the Home tab, Clipboard group.
Select the text or object to copy the formatting from.

1. Click the Format Painter button. The mouse shape will change to show that it’s on.
2. Move to where you want to past the formatting. Nothing will be pasted as long as you don’t click in the document anywhere; use the scroll bars to move through the document.
3. Click and drag to select the text to apply the formatting to.

Tips:

• To apply the formatting to multiple places, double-click the Format Painter button, then go back and click the button to turn off the Format Painter when you’re done.
• Use Undo (Ctrl + Z) if you apply formatting to the wrong text. If that happens, you’ll have to start over by selecting the formatted text again.
• To apply formatting to a single word, you can single-click on it.
• You can apply the copied formatting using the left margin area (you’re in the right place if you mouse turns into a right-pointing arrow, the mouse will not show the format painter icon) – point your mouse at a line of text and single-click, double-click for a paragraph.
• To be sure to select and apply paragraph formatting (like line and paragraph spacing, indents, or bullets and numbering), make sure your selection includes the hidden paragraph mark. If you can’t tell if you’re selecting it, either use the left margin area for selecting (which always includes the paragraph mark) or turn on the paragraph marks on the Home tab, Paragraph group, Show/Hide ¶ or push Ctrl + * to turn paragraph marks on and off.
• You can also paste formats from the keyboard. Select the formatted text to copy, press Ctrl + Shift + C to copy only the formatting. Select the text to apply the formatting to, press Ctrl + Shift + V to paste only the formatting.

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