How to Change Font Styles and Sizes in Excel

Fonts play a critical role in how information is perceived and understood in Microsoft Excel. While Excel is often associated with numbers, calculations, and data analysis, its formatting capabilities—especially font styles and sizes—are just as important. Proper font usage improves readability, highlights key data, and makes worksheets look professional and well-organized.

Whether you are creating a simple budget, a complex financial model, or a report meant for presentation or printing, knowing how to change font styles and sizes effectively is a foundational Excel skill. This guide provides a comprehensive explanation of how to modify fonts in Excel, from basic formatting to advanced techniques and best practices.

Understanding Fonts in Excel

In Excel, a font defines how text appears in a cell. Font formatting includes several elements:

• Font family (such as Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman)
• Font size
• Font style (bold, italic, underline)
• Font color
• Additional effects like strikethrough or superscript

By default, most modern versions of Excel use Calibri, size 11 as the standard font. While this default works well for many purposes, different scenarios often require different font choices.

Why Changing Font Styles and Sizes Matters

Before diving into the steps, it is important to understand why font customization matters:

• Improved readability: Larger fonts make data easier to read, especially in printed worksheets.
• Visual hierarchy: Using different sizes and styles helps distinguish headers, subheaders, and data.
• Professional appearance: Consistent fonts give spreadsheets a polished, business-ready look.
• Emphasis: Bold or larger text draws attention to totals, headings, or key figures.
• Accessibility: Proper font size improves usability for users with visual impairments.

How to Change Font Style and Size Using the Ribbon

The Ribbon is the most commonly used method for formatting fonts in Excel.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Select the cell or range of cells

   • Click a single cell, or click and drag to select multiple cells.
   • You can also select entire rows or columns by clicking their headers.

2. Go to the Home tab

   • The Home tab contains most basic formatting tools.

3. Locate the Font group

   • This section includes font name, font size, and style options.

4. Change the font style

   • Click the font dropdown (e.g., Calibri).
   • Choose a different font from the list.

5. Change the font size

   • Use the font size dropdown.
   • Select a predefined size (such as 12, 14, or 16).
   • Alternatively, type a custom size and press Enter.

Changes apply immediately to the selected cells.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts for Font Formatting

Keyboard shortcuts can significantly speed up formatting tasks.

Common Font Shortcuts in Excel

• Bold: Ctrl + B
• Italic: Ctrl + I
• Underline: Ctrl + U
• Increase font size: Ctrl + Shift + >
• Decrease font size: Ctrl + Shift + <

These shortcuts work on selected cells and are ideal for quick adjustments while working with large datasets.

Changing Fonts Using the Format Cells Dialog Box

For more control over font formatting, Excel provides the Format Cells dialog box.

How to Open the Format Cells Dialog

• Select the cell(s)
• Press Ctrl + 1
• Or right-click and choose Format Cells

Font Tab Options

The Font tab allows you to:

• Choose a font family
• Set font style (Regular, Bold, Italic, Bold Italic)
• Select font size
• Apply underline styles
• Add color and special effects

This method is especially useful when you want precise control or need to apply multiple formatting changes at once.

Applying Font Styles to Headers and Titles

Headers and titles should stand out clearly from data.

Best Practices for Headers

• Use a larger font size (14–18 points)
• Apply bold formatting
• Choose a clean, professional font
• Maintain consistency across the worksheet

For example, column headers often look best when bolded and slightly larger than the data below them.

Changing Font Styles for Entire Rows, Columns, or Worksheets

Excel allows you to apply font formatting beyond individual cells.

Formatting an Entire Row or Column

• Click the row number or column letter to select it
• Change font style or size using the Ribbon or Format Cells

Formatting the Entire Worksheet

• Click the Select All button (the small triangle between row numbers and column letters)
• Apply font formatting

This is useful when you want to standardize the appearance of an entire sheet.

Setting Default Font Style and Size in Excel

If you frequently use a specific font, you can change Excel’s default settings.

How to Change the Default Font

1. Click File

2. Go to Options

3. Select General

4. Under When creating new workbooks, choose:

   • Default font
   • Default font size

5. Click OK

6. Restart Excel for changes to take effect

All new workbooks will now use your preferred font settings.

Using Font Styles for Data Emphasis

Font formatting is a powerful tool for highlighting important data.

Examples of Effective Use

• Bold totals or summary values
• Italic notes or comments
• Larger font sizes for key metrics
• Consistent font style for categories

Avoid overusing different fonts or sizes, as this can make worksheets cluttered and harder to read.

Conditional Formatting and Font Styles

Excel allows fonts to change automatically based on conditions.

How Conditional Formatting Affects Fonts

You can set rules so that:

• Values above a threshold appear in bold
• Negative numbers display in a different font color
• Specific text uses a distinct style

To apply this:

• Select cells
• Go to Home → Conditional Formatting
• Create a rule that includes font formatting

This feature is especially useful in dashboards and reports.

Font Size Considerations for Printing

Font size affects how worksheets appear when printed.

Printing Tips

• Use font sizes between 10 and 12 for data tables
• Increase header sizes for clarity
• Preview before printing using Print Preview
• Adjust scaling instead of shrinking fonts too much

Small fonts may save space but can make printed worksheets difficult to read.

Choosing the Right Font for Excel

Not all fonts are equally suitable for spreadsheets.

Recommended Fonts

• Calibri: Modern and clean (default)
• Arial: Widely supported and readable
• Segoe UI: Professional and clear
• Times New Roman: Traditional, often used in reports

Avoid decorative or script fonts, as they reduce readability in data-heavy sheets.

Maintaining Consistency Across Workbooks

Consistency is key in professional spreadsheets.

Tips for Consistent Font Usage

• Use one primary font throughout the workbook
• Limit font sizes to 2–3 variations
• Apply styles using cell styles when possible
• Document formatting standards for shared files

This is especially important when collaborating with others.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced users make formatting mistakes.

Font-Related Pitfalls

• Using too many font styles in one sheet
• Mixing fonts without purpose
• Making fonts too small to read
• Relying solely on font size instead of layout

Clear formatting should support data, not distract from it.

Advanced Tip: Using Cell Styles

Excel’s Cell Styles feature lets you apply consistent font formatting with one click.

• Found under Home → Styles → Cell Styles
• Includes preset styles for headings, titles, and totals
• You can create custom styles with specific fonts and sizes

This is one of the best ways to maintain consistency in large workbooks.

Conclusion

Changing font styles and sizes in Excel is more than a cosmetic adjustment—it is a vital skill that enhances readability, organization, and professionalism. From basic Ribbon tools to advanced formatting options like conditional formatting and cell styles, Excel offers flexible ways to control how text appears in your worksheets.

By understanding when and how to adjust font styles and sizes, you can make your spreadsheets clearer, more accessible, and more visually appealing. Whether you are a beginner learning Excel fundamentals or an experienced user refining your workflow, mastering font formatting will significantly improve the quality of your work.

As part of a broader Excel skill set, thoughtful font usage helps transform raw data into information that is easy to understand and ready to share.