{"id":5527,"date":"2016-02-29T04:00:33","date_gmt":"2016-02-29T09:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/americaneditor.wordpress.com\/?p=5527"},"modified":"2016-09-19T19:10:29","modified_gmt":"2016-09-20T01:10:29","slug":"lyonizing-word-taming-styles-in-microsoft-word","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/lyonizing-word-taming-styles-in-microsoft-word\/","title":{"rendered":"Lyonizing Word: Taming Styles in Microsoft Word"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>by Jack Lyon<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Microsoft Word includes a powerful feature for marking the various levels of a manuscript (such as headings, block quotations, poetry, and so on). That feature is styles, which are valuable for many reasons, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>They make it possible to reformat a whole document simply by redefining styles or applying a different template using those styles.<\/li>\n<li>They make it possible to find and replace only text using a certain style. For example, you might want to find source citations by searching for parentheses in text styled as block quotations.<\/li>\n<li>They make it possible to generate a table of contents based on specified styles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So styles are very useful. The problem is that Microsoft Word, in its usual \u201chelpful\u201d way, tries to manage which styles are available, in which document, and how those styles can be accessed. Finally growing tired of this nonsense, I decided to take the matter firmly in hand by writing this article.<\/p>\n<p>My first gripe is that Word decides which styles to show in the Styles area of the Home ribbon, which decision seems to be based on nothing that makes any sense. Right now, it\u2019s showing the following:<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5528\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-1-quick-style-gallery.png?ssl=1\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5528\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5528\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5528\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-1-quick-style-gallery.png?resize=300%2C30&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Quick Style Gallery\" width=\"300\" height=\"30\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-1-quick-style-gallery.png?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-1-quick-style-gallery.png?resize=300%2C30&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-1-quick-style-gallery.png?resize=768%2C77&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-1-quick-style-gallery.png?resize=1024%2C103&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-1-quick-style-gallery.png?resize=600%2C60&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-1-quick-style-gallery.png?w=1400&amp;ssl=1 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5528\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Quick Style Gallery<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Of the styles available, I use Normal and Heading 1. But Strong? Subtle Emphasis? Intense Emphasis? Who makes this stuff up? Not an actual writer or editor, that\u2019s for sure. So the first thing to do is get rid of the icons for the styles I never use:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click the icon (such as that for Strong).<\/li>\n<li>Click \u201cRemove from Quick Style Gallery\u201d (which, evidently is what the Styles area is called).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div id=\"attachment_5529\" style=\"width: 292px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-2-remove-from-quick-style-gallery.png?ssl=1\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5529\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5529\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5529\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-2-remove-from-quick-style-gallery.png?resize=282%2C174&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Remove from Quick Style Gallery\" width=\"282\" height=\"174\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5529\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Remove from Quick Style Gallery<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Now, the question is, when I restart Word or create a new document, does the Strong icon come back? Let\u2019s find out. (Now restarting Word.)<\/p>\n<p>Ha! It\u2019s gone! But what happens if I create a new document? (Now creating a new document.)<\/p>\n<p>Shoot, Strong is back again. So we can conclude that removing a style from the Quick Style Gallery applies only to the document in which we remove the style.<\/p>\n<p>I could get rid of Strong and then save what I\u2019ve done as a Quick Style Set:<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5530\" style=\"width: 169px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-3-save-as-quick-style-set.png?ssl=1\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5530\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5530\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5530\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-3-save-as-quick-style-set.png?resize=159%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Save as Quick Style Set\" width=\"159\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-3-save-as-quick-style-set.png?w=278&amp;ssl=1 278w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-3-save-as-quick-style-set.png?resize=159%2C300&amp;ssl=1 159w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 159px) 100vw, 159px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5530\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Save as Quick Style Set<\/p><\/div>\n<p>But I\u2019d like to get rid of Strong once and for all. How can I do that?<\/p>\n<p>Well, I\u2019ll start by showing Word\u2019s task pane (by clicking the little arrow at the bottom right of the Styles area):<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5531\" style=\"width: 124px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-4-words-task-pane.png?ssl=1\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5531\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5531\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5531\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-4-words-task-pane.png?resize=114%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Word's task pane\" width=\"114\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-4-words-task-pane.png?w=325&amp;ssl=1 325w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-4-words-task-pane.png?resize=114%2C300&amp;ssl=1 114w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-4-words-task-pane.png?resize=227%2C600&amp;ssl=1 227w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 114px) 100vw, 114px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5531\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Word's task pane<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Now I should be able to click the drop-down arrow next to Strong and delete it, right? Nope. Word won\u2019t let me. How annoying!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5532\" style=\"width: 306px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-5-delete-strong.png?ssl=1\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5532\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5532\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5532\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-5-delete-strong.png?resize=296%2C211&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Delete Strong\" width=\"296\" height=\"211\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5532\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Delete Strong<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Well, then, where does the Strong style live? In Word\u2019s Normal.dotm template, of course. Can I get rid of it there? I open the folder where the template lives, which on my computer is here:<\/p>\n<pre style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"color:#000000;\">C:UsersJackAppDataRoamingMicrosoftTemplates<\/span><\/pre>\n<p>Then I open the Normal.dotm template. <em>Now<\/em> can I delete the Strong style?<\/p>\n<p>No, I can\u2019t; same problem as before. Word really, really, really wants to keep its built-in styles \u2014 which is why they\u2019re called \u201cbuilt-in,\u201d I guess. So my only recourse is to (1) set how the style will be displayed and then (2) tell Word which styles to display. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open the Normal.dotm template, which is where your default styles are stored.<\/li>\n<li>Under Style Pane Options (the blue \u201cOptions\u201d link at the bottom of the task pane), set \u201cStyles to Show\u201d as \u201cRecommended.\u201d Select \u201cNew documents based on this template.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div id=\"attachment_5533\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-6-show-styles-as-recommended.png?ssl=1\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5533\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5533\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5533\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-6-show-styles-as-recommended.png?resize=300%2C280&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Show styles as recommended\" width=\"300\" height=\"280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-6-show-styles-as-recommended.png?w=430&amp;ssl=1 430w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-6-show-styles-as-recommended.png?resize=300%2C280&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5533\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Show styles as recommended<\/p><\/div>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li>Under Manage Styles (the third button at the bottom of the task pane), set all styles to \u201cHide\u201d or \u201cHide until used\u201d <em>except <\/em>those you want to show. (Even now, Word won\u2019t let you hide everything.) Select \u201cNew documents based on this template.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div id=\"attachment_5534\" style=\"width: 275px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-7-hide-strong.png?ssl=1\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5534\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5534\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5534\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-7-hide-strong.png?resize=265%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Hide Strong\" width=\"265\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-7-hide-strong.png?w=558&amp;ssl=1 558w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-7-hide-strong.png?resize=265%2C300&amp;ssl=1 265w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/image-7-hide-strong.png?resize=530%2C600&amp;ssl=1 530w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 265px) 100vw, 265px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5534\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hide Strong<\/p><\/div>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>Make any other adjustments you\u2019d like, such as the order in which the styles will appear in the task pane.<\/li>\n<li>Save and close the Normal.dotm template.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>After you\u2019ve done that, every time you start Word or create a new document, you\u2019ll get only the styles you want to see. I think. I hope. Maybe.<\/p>\n<p>How about you? Do you have any helpful hints about how to tame Word\u2019s styles? If so, I\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n<p><em>Jack Lyon (<\/em><a href=\"mailto:editor@editorium.com\"><em>editor@editorium.com<\/em><\/a><em>)\u00a0owns and operates the <\/em><a title=\"The Editorium\" href=\"http:\/\/www.editorium.com\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Editorium<\/em><\/a><em>, which provides macros and information to help editors and publishers do mundane tasks quickly and efficiently. He is the author of <\/em><a title=\"Microsoft Word for Publishing Professionals\" href=\"http:\/\/www.editorium.com\/msword4pubpros.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Microsoft Word for Publishing Professionals<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/wildcard-cookbook-for-microsoft-word-jack-lyon\/1122656660\" target=\"_blank\">Wildcard Cookbook for Microsoft Word<\/a>, <em>and of <\/em><a title=\"Macro Cookbook at Barnes &amp; Noble\" href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/macro-cookbook-for-microsoft-word-jack-m-lyon\/1107868228?ean=9781434103321\" target=\"_blank\">Macro Cookbook for Microsoft Word<\/a><em>.<\/em><em> Both books will help you learn more about macros and how to use them.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<a href=\"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/lyonizing-word-taming-styles-in-microsoft-word\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" title=\"Permalink to Lyonizing Word: Taming Styles in Microsoft Word\"><p>Styles are very useful. The problem is that Microsoft Word, in its usual \u201chelpful\u201d way, tries to manage which styles are available, in which document, and how those styles can be accessed. Finally growing tired of this nonsense, I decided to take the matter firmly in hand by writing this article, with the intent to solve the problems as I do so.<\/p>\n<\/a>","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[77,256,175,409],"tags":[767,267,1293,1294,1295],"class_list":{"0":"post-5527","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-computers-and-software","7":"category-contributor-article","8":"category-editing-tools-editorial-matters","9":"category-lyonizing-word","10":"tag-contributor-article-2","11":"tag-jack-lyon","12":"tag-managing-styles","13":"tag-microsoft-word-styles","14":"tag-word","15":"h-entry","16":"hentry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3gfno-1r9","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5527","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5527"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5527\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6217,"href":"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5527\/revisions\/6217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5527"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5527"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/editorium.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}