Office Settings & Configuration

How to Change Office Theme Fonts from Aptos to Calibri

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to modify the built-in Office theme to use Calibri instead of Aptos as the default font across all Microsoft Office applications, including Access.

How to Change Office Theme Fonts from Aptos to Calibri

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting a universal default font for all new documents, spreadsheets, and databases to maintain consistent formatting.
Observed behavior: Changing the default font in one application like Word or Excel does not apply globally to all Office apps, and programs like Access lack a standard theme font option.

Before you start

Keep in mind that Microsoft Office does not offer a single, universal setting to change the default font across all applications at once. You will need to adjust the theme or default font settings individually for Word, Excel, and Access.

Solution 1Recommended

Change and Save Default Theme Fonts in Word or Excel

Customize your document theme to use Calibri for headings and body text, and set it as the default for all new files in Word or Excel.

This method updates the design theme applied to new documents or workbooks in the specific application you configure.

Open Document Formatting

Open Word or Excel and navigate to the Design tab (in Word) or the Page Layout tab (in Excel).

Customize Fonts

Click on Fonts in the Document Formatting group, then select Customize Fonts at the bottom of the drop-down menu.

Set Calibri as Default

Under both Heading font and Body font, select Calibri from the list. Name your new custom theme font (e.g., "Calibri Default") and click Save.

Apply to All New Documents

To make this the default for all future documents in Word, click the Set as Default button on the Design tab and confirm your choice.

Application Scope: This setting applies only to new documents created in the specific application where you saved the default theme. You must repeat these steps in Excel if you configured Word first.

Solution 2

Configure the Default Font via Excel Options

Use the built-in General Options in Excel to force the default font to Calibri for all new workbooks.

Solution 3

Adjust Datasheet Font Settings in Access

Since Access does not share the same theme font settings as Word or Excel, you must adjust its default datasheet font manually.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my Microsoft Office font suddenly change to Aptos?

Microsoft recently updated its default Office theme font from Calibri to Aptos across Microsoft 365 applications to modernize the visual appearance of documents. This update was rolled out automatically to users.

Can I change the default font for all Office apps with one click?

No, Microsoft Office does not offer a universal setting to change the default font across all its applications simultaneously. Programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access must be configured individually.

How do I change the default font for existing Office documents?

Changing the default font or theme only applies to new documents created after the change. To update the font in an existing document, you must open it, apply the new theme, or manually select all text and change the font to Calibri.

Will my font changes in Word affect Microsoft Access?

No. Access operates entirely independently of Word and Excel's document theme settings. You must modify the default font in Access manually through File > Options > Client Settings.

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