Office Settings & Configuration

How to Set Times New Roman as the Default Font in Microsoft Word

WPS Content Manager Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to configure Microsoft Word (and potentially Excel) to automatically use Times New Roman at 12 points for all new documents, which is a common requirement for academic papers.

How to Set Times New Roman as the Default Font in Microsoft Word

Product: Microsoft Word / Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating new academic papers or standard documents that require specific, strict font formatting.
Observed behavior: New documents automatically use Microsoft's newer default font (Aptos) instead of the required Times New Roman font.

Before you start

Ensure you have a blank document open in Microsoft Word or a blank workbook in Excel to access the necessary font settings menus.

Solution 1Recommended

Change the Default Font in Microsoft Word

Set Times New Roman as the default font for all future Word documents using the Font dialog box.

This method updates the Normal.dotm template in Word, ensuring that every time you create a new blank document, it will automatically start with your preferred font settings.

Open the Font Dialog Box

Go to the 'Home' tab on the ribbon. Click the small diagonal arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Font group, or press the 'Ctrl + D' keyboard shortcut to open the Font dialog box.

Select the Desired Font and Size

In the Font tab, scroll through the Font list and select 'Times New Roman'. Then, in the Size list, select '12'.

Set as Default

Click the 'Set As Default' button located at the bottom-left corner of the dialog box.

Apply to All Documents

A prompt will appear. Select 'All documents based on the Normal template' and click 'OK' to save your changes.

Change the Default Font in Microsoft Word

Template Updated: Your future Word documents will now automatically use Times New Roman 12pt.

Solution 2

Change the Default Font in Microsoft Excel

If you also need Times New Roman to be the default font when creating new spreadsheets, modify the font settings through Excel Options.

Set Default Fonts Easily in WPS Office

WPS Office provides a highly compatible, free, and lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office. You can easily set Times New Roman as your default font for all new academic papers and documents in WPS Writer, using a very similar and familiar interface.

1. Open a Blank Document: Launch WPS Writer and click to create a new blank document.
2. Open Font Settings: Navigate to the 'Home' tab and click the Settings icon in the bottom right corner of the Font section, or press Ctrl+D.
3. Choose Font Preferences: Select 'Times New Roman' from the font list and set the size to '12'.
4. Save as Default: Click the 'Default' button in the bottom left corner of the window, and confirm you want to apply this to the Normal template.

100% format compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx) and Excel (.xlsx)Familiar user interface makes finding font and paragraph settings effortlessLightweight application that runs smoothly on Windows, Mac, and LinuxFree to use for everyday document creation and editing

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my default font suddenly change to Aptos?

Microsoft recently rolled out an update that changed the default Office font theme from Calibri to Aptos across Microsoft 365 apps. You can always manually revert to Times New Roman or Calibri by changing your default font settings in the Font dialog box.

Will changing the default font alter the formatting of my older documents?

No, changing the default font only affects new documents created after you apply the setting. Your previously saved documents will retain their original formatting and fonts.

How do I reset my default font back to the original Office settings?

To revert to the original settings, open the Font dialog box (Ctrl+D), select Aptos (or Calibri, depending on your version), choose your preferred size (usually 11 or 12), click 'Set As Default', and apply it to all documents based on the Normal template.

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