Changing the default font in Google Docs allows you to customize the look and feel of your documents. The default font is Arial 11, but you can easily change it to suit your preferences or branding needs.
Benefits of changing the default font:
- Makes your documents look more visually appealing
- Aligns with your personal preferences or company’s brand guidelines
- Improves readability for certain fonts (especially if you change the size)
- Adds visual interest to monotonous documents
Follow these simple steps to change the default font in Google Docs:
Select the Desired Font
- Open an existing or new Google Docs document
- Highlight any text (or simply type something if it’s a new doc)
- Click the font drop-down menu in the toolbar and select your desired font style
Some popular font ideas:
- Times New Roman
- Calibri
- Georgia
- Trebuchet MS
- Comic Sans
- Courier New
Feel free to browse the extensive font list and test out a few options. You’ll see the changes reflected live in your document.
Set the Font as Default
- With your ideal font still selected, highlight the text
- Click “Format” > “Paragraph Styles” > “Normal Text”
- Hover over “Update to match” and select that option
This tells Google Docs to format all body text to match the font you currently have highlighted.
Save the Font as Default
- In the Paragraph Styles menu, click “Options”
- Select “Save as my default styles”
Now whenever you create a new Google Doc, your chosen font will automatically apply to all body text.
The default font size and style (bold, italic, etc) will stay the same unless you manually change those as well before saving the default styles.
Customizing Other Text Elements
You can also change default styling for:
- Headings: Highlight heading text > Update styles to match > Save as default
- Titles: Change title text > Update Title style > Save as default
Resetting to Original Default Font
If you ever want revert back to the original Google Docs default font (Arial 11):
- Go to “Format” > “Paragraph Styles” > “Options”
- Select “Reset styles”
This will undo any custom default formatting.
Tips for Choosing Fonts
When selecting a new default font, keep these tips in mind:
- Readability: Choose a font size and style that’s easy on the eyes.
- Length: Avoid very long documents in fancier font styles.
- Consistency: Stick to one or two fonts for most documents.
- Audience: Consider your readers when selecting a font.
Changing up the default font is an easy way to give your Google Docs an instant visual upgrade. Experiment until you find the perfect font styles to represent your personal or business brand.
