How to Make Times New Roman the Default Font in Microsoft Word

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Times New Roman is a classic, professional, and widely accepted font for reports, essays, business documents, and official letters. If you find yourself constantly changing the font in Word, you can save time by setting Times New Roman as your default font. This guide will show you how to make Times New Roman the default in Word for all new documents.

Why Set Times New Roman as the Default Font?

  • Saves time from manually changing fonts every time

  • Ensures consistency in professional and academic documents

  • Helps maintain standardized formatting across all your Word files

  • Avoids accidental font changes when creating new documents

Step-by-Step Guide: Make Times New Roman the Default in Word (Windows)

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word

Launch Word and open a blank document.

Step 2: Open the Font Dialog Box

  1. Go to the Home tab in the toolbar.

  2. Click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Font group.

    • This opens the Font dialog box with advanced options.

Step 3: Select Times New Roman

  1. In the Font dropdown, choose Times New Roman.

  2. Select your preferred Font Style (Regular, Bold, Italic, etc.)

  3. Choose your Font Size (commonly 12 pt for documents).

Step 4: Set as Default

  1. At the bottom of the dialog box, click Set As Default.

  2. A new popup will appear asking:

    • “This document only?” or

    • “All documents based on the Normal template?”

  3. Choose All documents based on the Normal template to apply Times New Roman to all future Word files.

Step 5: Confirm Your Selection

Click OK to save the changes.
Now, every new Word document you open will use Times New Roman automatically.

Step-by-Step Guide: Make Times New Roman Default on Mac

  1. Open Microsoft Word and a blank document.

  2. Go to Format → Font from the top menu.

  3. Select Times New Roman as the font.

  4. Choose your preferred style and size.

  5. Click Default… at the bottom of the dialog box.

  6. Confirm by selecting All documents based on the Normal template.

This ensures all future documents open in Times New Roman by default on Mac as well.

Tips for Consistent Formatting

  • Check Styles: Ensure that the Normal style is set to Times New Roman, as some templates override default font settings.

  • Save Templates: For specific formatting (e.g., reports or letters), save your document as a template (.dotx) with Times New Roman as default.

  • Update Existing Documents: Changing the default font only affects new documents. For existing files, select all text (Ctrl + A) and change the font manually.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Choosing Set as Default → This document only instead of applying it to all documents

  • Forgetting to adjust the Normal style, which may override your font

  • Using older Word templates that have custom styles pre-applied

Why Times New Roman Is Still Popular

  • Professional and formal appearance

  • Easy to read in print and digital documents

  • Recognized standard for academic papers and business reports

Final Thoughts

Making Times New Roman your default font in Word is a simple tweak that saves time and ensures consistency across your documents. Whether you’re writing essays, reports, or business letters, this setting helps you start every document with the classic, professional look of Times New Roman automatically.

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