How to Change the Default Font in Excel

Microsoft Excel is one of the most widely used spreadsheet applications in the world, relied upon for everything from simple lists to complex financial models. While Excel offers powerful calculation and data analysis tools, its appearance and readability are equally important—especially when you work with spreadsheets daily or share them with others. One of the most common customization needs is changing the default font.

By default, Excel uses a standard font (such as Calibri or Aptos, depending on the version), but this may not always align with your organization’s branding, personal preferences, or readability requirements. Instead of manually changing the font every time you create a new workbook, Excel allows you to modify the default font settings so that all new workbooks automatically use your preferred font style and size.

This article provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to change the default font in Excel, explains how default fonts work, discusses limitations, and offers best practices for maintaining consistency across files and teams.

Understanding Default Fonts in Excel

Before changing the default font, it is helpful to understand what “default font” means in Excel.

The default font in Excel is the font applied automatically to:

• New workbooks
• New worksheets
• Empty cells before any formatting is applied

It does not affect:

• Existing workbooks
• Cells that already contain formatting
• Imported or linked data with predefined styles

Excel’s default font is part of the Office theme settings, and Microsoft occasionally changes it with major updates. For example:

• Older versions of Excel used Calibri (11 pt)
• Newer versions may use Aptos (11 pt)

Changing the default font ensures that every new workbook starts with a consistent look without repetitive manual formatting.

Why Change the Default Font?

There are several practical reasons to change Excel’s default font:

1. Improved Readability

Some fonts are easier on the eyes, especially for long working sessions or large datasets. Fonts like Arial or Verdana may be preferred for clarity.

2. Professional or Corporate Standards

Many organizations have brand guidelines specifying approved fonts. Changing the default font ensures all spreadsheets comply with these standards.

3. Consistency Across Files

If you frequently create reports, templates, or dashboards, a consistent font improves visual coherence and professionalism.

4. Time Savings

Manually formatting fonts for every new workbook can be time-consuming. Setting a default font eliminates repetitive steps.

How to Change the Default Font in Excel (Windows)

Changing the default font in Excel on Windows is straightforward and only takes a few minutes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open Microsoft Excel

   • You do not need to open an existing file; starting Excel alone is enough.

2. Go to the File Tab

   • Click File in the top-left corner of the Excel window.

3. Open Options

   • In the left-hand menu, select Options.
   • This opens the Excel Options dialog box.

4. Select the General Category

   • In the Excel Options window, click General from the left sidebar.

5. Locate “When creating new workbooks”

   • Look for the section titled When creating new workbooks.

6. Change the Default Font

   • Choose your preferred font from the Use this as the default font dropdown.
   • Select your desired font size from the Font size dropdown.

7. Confirm Your Changes

   • Click OK.

8. Restart Excel

   • Excel will prompt you to close and reopen the application.
   • This step is required for the new default font to take effect.

Once Excel restarts, all new workbooks will use the selected font and size by default.

How to Change the Default Font in Excel (Mac)

The process on macOS is similar, though the interface looks slightly different.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Mac

1. Open Excel
2. Click Excel in the top menu bar.
3. Select Preferences
4. Click General
5. Find the Default font option
6. Choose your preferred font and font size
7. Close Preferences
8. Restart Excel

After restarting, new workbooks will automatically use the updated default font.

Important Limitations to Be Aware Of

Changing the default font is powerful, but it has limitations you should understand to avoid confusion.

1. Existing Workbooks Are Not Affected

Changing the default font does not update existing files. Any workbook created before the change retains its original formatting.

2. Templates Override Default Fonts

If you open a workbook based on a template (.xltx or .xltm), the template’s font settings will override your default font.

3. Cell Styles May Use Different Fonts

Excel’s built-in cell styles (such as Heading, Title, or Total) may use their own font definitions. These styles are not automatically updated when you change the default font.

Changing the Default Font Using Templates

If you want even more control, using templates is often the best approach.

Creating a Default Workbook Template

Excel allows you to define a template that opens automatically whenever you create a new workbook.

Steps Overview

1. Create a new workbook
2. Set your preferred font, size, styles, margins, and formatting
3. Save the file as Book.xltx
4. Place it in Excel’s startup template folder

When Excel starts, it will use this template instead of the standard default workbook.

Benefits of Using Templates

• Control over fonts, colors, and styles
• Ideal for teams and organizations
• Ensures absolute consistency

Changing Fonts for Specific Use Cases

Sometimes, changing the default font globally is not ideal. Here are alternative approaches.

1. Using Cell Styles

Cell Styles allow you to define consistent formatting without changing the default font.

• Modify the Normal style to reflect your preferred font
• Apply styles selectively to headers or totals

2. Using Themes

Excel themes control fonts, colors, and effects together.

• Go to Page Layout > Themes
• Choose or customize a theme
• Save it for reuse

Themes are especially useful when working across Word, PowerPoint, and Excel for consistent branding.

Best Practices for Choosing a Default Font

Choosing the right default font depends on your work context.

Recommended Fonts for Excel

• Calibri / Aptos – Modern, balanced, and designed for Office
• Arial – Clean and widely supported
• Verdana – Excellent readability for large datasets
• Segoe UI – Modern and professional appearance

Font Size Considerations

• 10–11 pt: Compact datasets and dashboards
• 11–12 pt: General-purpose spreadsheets
• 12+ pt: Reports and presentations

Avoid overly decorative fonts, as they reduce readability and may not display consistently across systems.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When changing default fonts, users often encounter avoidable issues.

• Forgetting to restart Excel after changing settings
• Expecting existing files to update automatically
• Choosing fonts not installed on other users’ computers
• Overriding default fonts when a template would be more appropriate

Being aware of these pitfalls helps ensure a smoother experience.

How Default Fonts Affect Collaboration

If you frequently share Excel files with others, default font choices matter.

• Stick to widely available fonts to avoid substitution issues
• Use templates for shared reports
• Document formatting standards for team use

When a font is unavailable on another system, Excel substitutes it with a similar font, which may change spacing and layout.

When You Should Not Change the Default Font

Changing the default font is not always necessary.

Avoid changing it if:

• You work with many external templates
• Your organization already enforces formatting via templates
• You rarely create new workbooks from scratch

In these cases, using styles or templates provides better flexibility.

Final Thoughts

Changing the default font in Excel is a simple yet impactful customization that can improve readability, consistency, and efficiency. Whether you prefer a cleaner look, need to comply with branding guidelines, or want to save time formatting new workbooks, adjusting the default font is a practical solution.

By understanding how Excel handles default fonts—and when to use templates, styles, or themes instead—you can choose the approach that best fits your workflow. For individual users, changing the default font through Excel Options is often sufficient. For teams and organizations, templates provide the highest level of control and consistency.

Mastering small customization features like this contributes significantly to creating professional, polished spreadsheets that are easier to read, share, and maintain.