Fix Word Footnote Italics Disappearing After Font Change
Question details
The user is losing italic formatting in their footnotes when changing the overall document font, such as from Times New Roman to Arial, for a thesis.
- Product
- Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Changing the global font of a large document like a thesis by selecting all text and applying a new font.
- Observed behavior
- Direct formatting, specifically italics applied to footnote text, disappears and reverts to regular text after the document font is changed.
Before applying major style modifications to a complex document, create a duplicate copy of your file so you can easily reference or restore the original footnote formatting if direct formatting is lost.
Modify the Normal Style Instead of Selecting All
Updating the base document style changes the default font globally without overwriting direct formatting like localized italics.
When you use the 'Select All' (Ctrl+A) method to change a font, it applies direct formatting to the entire document, which frequently overwrites localized styles and strips out italics. Changing the 'Normal' style ensures a safe global font update.
Navigate to the Home tab on the top ribbon. In the Styles group, click the small launcher arrow in the bottom right corner to open the Styles pane.
Locate 'Normal' in the list of styles. Right-click it and select 'Modify' from the context menu.
In the Modify Style dialog box, change the font drop-down (e.g., to Arial). Leave the formatting options like Bold or Italic unchecked. Click 'OK' to apply.
Update Footnote Styles Manually
Use this method if your italics have already been lost and you need to reset the baseline font settings for your footnotes.
Manage Thesis Formatting and Footnotes Easily with WPS Writer
WPS Writer provides an intuitive Styles and Formatting pane that makes it completely straightforward to update your global thesis font without wiping out the careful formatting of your footnotes.
- 1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open your thesis document containing the footnotes.
- 2. Open Styles and Formatting: Go to the Home tab and click the 'Styles and Formatting' icon to open the right-hand sidebar.
- 3. Modify global styles safely: Right-click the 'Normal' style, select 'Modify', and change the font to Arial. Click OK.
- 4. Check your footnotes: Scroll to your footnotes. Your font will be updated globally, but your original italics will remain perfectly intact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'Select All' remove my footnote italics?
Pressing Ctrl+A and selecting a new font from the ribbon applies what is called 'direct formatting' across the entire selection. This blanket override tells the program to make all selected text uniform, effectively erasing localized direct formatting like italics or bolding in your footnotes.
How can I change just the footnote font without affecting the rest of the thesis?
You should modify the 'Footnote Text' style directly. Open the Styles pane, ensure it is set to show all styles, find 'Footnote Text', right-click it, and select Modify. Change the font there, and it will automatically update all existing and future footnotes.
Can I recover the lost footnote italics after saving the document?
If you just saved the document but haven't closed it yet, you can still press Ctrl+Z repeatedly to undo the font change. However, if the document was saved and closed, the direct formatting is permanently overwritten. You will need to restore a previous backup file or manually reapply the italics.
