How to Fix Word Replacing Poppins Font with Times New Roman
Question details
Users are experiencing an issue where Microsoft Word automatically changes the font back to Times New Roman when typing new text, even after the Poppins font has been applied.
- Product
- Microsoft Word (Office 2016, Office 2019)
- Device & OS
- Windows 10
- Scenario
- Typing new text or editing existing paragraphs after applying the custom Poppins font.
- Observed behavior
- Word displays the Poppins font in the font list and applies it to selected text, but overrides it and reverts to Times New Roman as soon as new text is typed.
Verify that the Poppins font is correctly installed for all users on your Windows system, and close all active Microsoft Office applications before applying these fixes.
Change the Word Proofing Language Preference
Adjusting the default proofing language to English (United States) resolves font reverting issues caused by regional dictionary conflicts.
In many cases, Word reverts custom fonts to Times New Roman because the installed font does not perfectly align with the selected regional proofing dictionary (such as English - Europe). Changing this preference eliminates the conflict.
Open Microsoft Word, navigate to the 'Review' tab on the top ribbon, and click on 'Language' in the Language group.
Select 'Set Proofing Language' from the drop-down menu to open the Language dialog box.
Scroll through the language list and select 'English (United States)'.
Uncheck the box that says 'Detect language automatically' to prevent Word from switching the dictionary back while you type.
Click the 'Set As Default' button, confirm the prompt to apply this to the Normal template, and click 'OK'.
Modify the Normal Style Default Font
Updating the base Normal style ensures that Word defaults to Poppins instead of Times New Roman for all new paragraph text.
Use WPS Office for Seamless Custom Font Formatting
If Microsoft Word continues to struggle with formatting conflicts and custom fonts, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative with exceptional custom font support and a familiar user interface.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word keep changing my custom font back to Times New Roman?
Word often reverts to a default font like Times New Roman when there is a mismatch between the applied custom font and the active proofing language dictionary, or when the 'Detect language automatically' setting forces a style reset.
How do I ensure the Poppins font is correctly installed for Word?
To ensure Office recognizes the font, locate your downloaded Poppins font files, right-click them, and select 'Install for all users' rather than just 'Install'. Afterward, restart your computer.
Does this language preference issue only affect the Poppins font?
No, this is a known behavior in Microsoft Office 2016 and 2019 on Windows 10 that can affect various downloaded, third-party fonts when the regional language dictionary conflicts with the text input.
