The shortcut to increase font size in Word is Ctrl + Shift + >. Select the text and press it; each press moves to the next size in the font list, such as 11, 12, 14, 16. Ctrl + Shift + < makes the text smaller in the same steps.
For finer control, Ctrl + ] adds exactly one point and Ctrl + [ removes one. To remove all character formatting from a selection, including size, bold and colour, press Ctrl + Space.
Quick facts
Increase size
Ctrl + Shift + >Decrease size
Ctrl + Shift + <Up one point
Ctrl + ]Down one point
Ctrl + [Font size box
Ctrl + Shift + PFont dialog
Ctrl + DClear character formatting
Ctrl + Space
Set an exact font size
- Select the text.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + P. The size box on the Home tab becomes active.
- Type the size, such as 13 or 10.5.
- Press Enter.
Word accepts half sizes and sizes not in the list, up to 1638 points. Typing the number is quicker than stepping when you know what you want, such as 14 for headings in a school assignment. Many colleges and offices specify sizes, often 12 point body text with 14 or 16 point headings, so setting them through styles once saves checking every page before submission.
Clear formatting shortcut key
| Keys | What it removes |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Space | Character formatting: size, font, bold, colour |
| Ctrl + Q | Paragraph formatting: alignment, indents, spacing |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Applies the Normal style to the paragraph |
| Home tab eraser button | Clears all formatting from the selection |
Clearing is the fastest way to tidy text pasted from websites or emails, which often brings odd sizes and colours along. Pasting as plain text in the first place avoids the problem; see paste special shortcut.
Font size in PowerPoint, Excel and on Mac
Ctrl + Shift + > and Ctrl + Shift + < work in PowerPoint and Outlook too. Excel uses the ribbon: Alt, then H, then F, then G grows and Alt, then H, then F, then K shrinks the font. On a Mac, Word uses Command + Shift + > and Command + Shift + <. To make everything on screen bigger rather than the document itself, use zoom instead; see zoom shortcut key.
When font size will not change
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Nothing happens | Select the text first; with no selection, only new typing changes |
| Size changes back | A style is reapplied; modify the style instead |
| Keys type the angle signs | Ctrl was not held down |
| Text looks small but size is large | The view is zoomed out; check the zoom slider |
Frequently asked questions
What is the shortcut to increase font size in Word?
How do I decrease font size with the keyboard?
How do I change font size by one point?
What is the clear formatting shortcut key?
How do I type an exact font size?
Press Ctrl + Shift + P, type the number and press Enter.