Office Settings & Configuration

How to Stop Excel from Changing Calibri to Aptos Narrow Font

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to prevent Excel from automatically switching the default font from Calibri to Aptos Narrow in new workbooks and headers.

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating a new workbook or configuring headers where a specific default font like Calibri is preferred.
Observed behavior: Excel automatically applies the new default theme font, Aptos Narrow, instead of the previously used Calibri font.

Before you start

Ensure you have all your important workbooks saved and closed, as you will need to completely restart the application for the new default font settings to take full effect.

Solution 1Recommended

Change the Default Font in Excel Options

Modify the default font settings for new workbooks directly in Excel's general options menu to restore Calibri as your primary font.

Microsoft recently updated its default Office theme, replacing Calibri with Aptos. You can manually override this change by explicitly setting your preferred font for all future workbooks.

Open Excel Options

Launch Excel, click on 'File' in the top left corner of the ribbon, and select 'Options' at the bottom of the left-hand menu.

Locate General Settings

In the Excel Options dialog box, ensure the 'General' tab is selected on the left panel.

Change Default Font

Scroll down to the 'When creating new workbooks' section. Click the 'Use this as the default font' dropdown menu and change it from 'Aptos Narrow' to 'Calibri' (or any other preferred font).

Apply and Restart

Click 'OK' to save your changes. Close all open Excel windows and restart the application for the new default font settings to take effect.

Header and Footer Limits: Changing the default font will apply to standard cells and new headers. Keep in mind that headers and footers might still have inherent character limits depending on your Excel version and page setup restrictions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Excel suddenly change my default font to Aptos?

Microsoft recently updated the default theme font across all Microsoft 365 applications from Calibri to Aptos. This update automatically applies to new workbooks unless you manually override the default font settings in the Excel Options menu.

Will changing the default font affect my existing Excel files?

No, changing the default font in Excel's General Options only affects newly created blank workbooks. Your previously created files will retain the fonts and formatting that were originally used when they were saved.

How do I change the default font for headers and footers in Excel?

Headers and footers typically inherit the default body font of the workbook. By changing the 'When creating new workbooks' font setting to Calibri and restarting Excel, your new headers and footers will automatically use the updated Calibri font.

Can I completely delete or uninstall the Aptos font from Excel?

Aptos is a built-in cloud font for Microsoft 365 and cannot be completely deleted or uninstalled from the system. However, you can effectively stop using it by changing your default theme and font settings back to your preferred typeface.

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