Template Issues

How to Manage and Reuse Custom Styles in Excel Workbooks

Algirdas Jasaitis Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

How to reuse and apply custom styles to existing workbooks without manually removing unwanted standard styles.

How to Manage and Reuse Custom Styles in Excel Workbooks

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Standardizing spreadsheet formatting across multiple workbooks by reusing defined custom cell styles.
Observed behavior: Merging styles simply adds custom styles to the destination file while retaining existing default styles, making it tedious to manually delete unwanted styles from every workbook.

Before you start

Ensure you have a master workbook ready that contains all the exact custom cell styles you want to reuse, with any unwanted standard styles already deleted.

Solution 1Recommended

Use an Excel Template to Apply Custom Styles Cleanly

Since merging styles retains default formatting, creating a master template is the best way to apply only your preferred custom styles to existing data.

Excel's default style merging feature adds new styles but does not overwrite or remove existing standard styles from the destination workbook. Deleting these unwanted styles individually across multiple files is highly inefficient.

To keep your workbook's styles clean, you should save your preferred styles into a custom template. You can then create new workbooks based on this template and migrate your existing data into it to inherit the clean styles.

Create a Style Master Workbook

Open a new Excel workbook, set up all your preferred custom cell styles via the 'Home' tab, and delete any default styles you no longer need.

Save the Workbook as a Template

Click 'File' > 'Save As'. Choose your preferred save location, click the file format drop-down menu, and select 'Excel Template (*.xltx)'. Name the file and click 'Save'.

Create a New Workbook from the Template

Go to 'File' > 'New'. Click on the 'Personal' or 'Custom' tab below the search bar, and select the template you just created to open a fresh, cleanly-styled workbook.

Transfer Your Existing Worksheets

Open the workbook containing your existing data. Right-click the sheet tab at the bottom, select 'Move or Copy', choose your new template-based workbook from the 'To book' drop-down, check 'Create a copy', and click 'OK'.

Use an Excel Template to Apply Custom Styles Cleanly

Moving vs. Copying Data: Checking 'Create a copy' ensures your original workbook remains safely intact while transferring the data to the newly styled template environment.

Manage Excel Styles Easily

Manage Styles and Templates Efficiently with WPS Office

WPS Spreadsheet makes managing cell styles, merging formats, and handling templates effortless. Enjoy a lightweight application that handles all your data formatting needs while remaining perfectly compatible with Microsoft Excel files.

1. Set Up Custom Formatting: Open WPS Spreadsheet, navigate to the 'Home' tab, and use 'Cell Styles' to configure and apply your preferred custom looks.
2. Save as a Custom Template: Click 'Menu' > 'Save As' and select 'Excel Template (*.xltx)' or 'WPS Spreadsheet Template (*.ett)' to preserve your personalized styles.
3. Start from Your Template: Create a new document by selecting your saved template from the 'New' tab, instantly loading your clean, custom style palette.
4. Migrate Data Easily: Right-click any worksheet tab in your older files and choose 'Move or Copy Worksheet' to transfer the data safely into your newly styled template.

Easily save workbooks as custom templates to standardize your team's reporting.Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xltx) formats and style configurations.Clear, intuitive tabbed interface for seamless worksheet and template management.Free and lightweight, avoiding performance slowdowns when handling large datasets.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Does merging styles in Excel replace existing styles?

No, Excel's style merging feature only appends custom styles from the source workbook to the destination workbook. It retains all existing standard and custom styles in the destination file, which means it will not automatically clean up unwanted formatting.

How do I remove an unwanted custom style from a workbook?

To remove a single custom style, go to the 'Home' tab, click on 'Cell Styles', right-click the style you wish to delete, and select 'Delete'. This action must be performed individually for each unwanted style.

Where can I find my saved custom Excel templates?

By default, custom templates are saved in the 'Documents\Custom Office Templates' folder on Windows. You can access them directly within Excel by going to 'File' > 'New' and selecting the 'Personal' or 'Custom' tab.

Document & File Issues