Google Docs is a free, web-based word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation application offered by Google. It was first released on April 1, 2006.
As part of the Google Apps suite, Docs allows users to create and edit files online while collaborating with other users in real time.
Although Google Docs is not a desktop application like Microsoft Office, you can still set it as your default word processor, and you can adjust the various settings that it uses for documents by default.
If you’re looking to save time when working with documents, one thing you can do is update your default settings.
This way, you won’t need to make the same changes to every new document – which can be a real time-saver.
So if you’re wondering how to change your default font on Google Docs, read on for our easy guide.
How to Change Default Font in Google Docs
- Open the document.
- Select some text.
- Click the Font and choose Times New Roman.
- Choose Format.
- Select Paragraph styles, then Normal text, then Update normal text to match.
- Click Format again, then Paragraph styles.
- Choose Options, then Save as my default styles.
Our article continues below with more information about how to make Times New Roman default in Google Docs, including images for this process.
Google Docs offers a wide range of settings and formatting options to give your text the desired appearance.
You can use different fonts and colors, subscript and superscript text, and modify spacing and margins with just a couple of clicks.
Not sure what your default Google Docs font is? Don’t worry – it’s probably Arial. ut if you don’t like that font or your school or job requires something else, you can fix that.
If you find yourself constantly changing the font when creating documents, you may prefer to use a different font.
Google Docs uses a system of styles to format text in your document. There are styles for things like titles, headings, and normal text. Most documents use the Normal text style for the majority of their text.
Looking to change up the font in your Google Docs document? Fortunately, it’s easy to do! Just follow our simple steps and you’ll be able to customize the font to your liking.
You can easily change the default font by following the steps below. Keep in mind that this guide only covers changing the font for normal text. If you want to change the default font for titles or headings, you’ll need to select that text type from the drop-down menu in the toolbar and repeat these steps.
How to Adjust the Google Doc Default Font (Guide with Pictures)
This guide was written in the desktop version of Google Chrome, but will also work in other desktop browsers such as Apple Safari or Mozilla Firefox.
These steps will show you how to change the default settings in Google Docs so that you are using the Times New Roman font.
Step 1: Open your document.
Open an existing Google Docs file or create a new one.
Step 2: Select the text that you wish to change.
Type new text and select it, it highlight existing text.
Step 3: To change the font, first click the Font dropdown menu in the toolbar. Then, select the desired font from the list of options.
Click Font, then choose Times New Roman.
Step 4: Choose the Format tab from the options at the top of the screen.
select Format from the menu bar.
Step 5: Click on Paragraph styles.
Choose Paragraph styles from the list of options.
Step 6: Highlight Normal text, then click Update normal text to match.
Click Normal text, then Update normal text to match.
Step 7: Choose the Format option again.
Select the Format tab for a second time.
Step 8: Select Paragraph styles.
Choose Paragraph styles again.
Step 9: Highlight Options, then choose Save as my default styles.
Click Options and Save as my default styles.
Now that you know how to make Times New Roman default on Google Docs you will be able to make this adjustment so that future documents all use that font.
More Information on Changing Default Font in Google Docs
When you change the default font in Google Docs it will only affect the documents that you write in the future.
Existing documents will keep the same font settings that they have previously.
Other styles in your document will not be affected by this change, so you may need to go through and update the other styles that you use if you want them to be in Times New Roman as well.
The next section discusses some of the more common questions that people have as they are exploring the style settings in their Google documents.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Set Times New Roman as Default Font in Google Docs
How do I change the default style in Google Docs?
If you’d like to change the font of the text in your document, there are a few different ways to go about it.
You can use the formatting toolbar, which is located in the upper-left corner of most Google Docs windows, or you can use the style menu.
Whichever route you choose, make sure to select the Normal text style from the list. Once you’ve made your selection, the font will be the default for all text in the document.
Can you change the font of an entire Google Doc?
Yes, you can do this by clicking inside your document and pressing Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select everything.
then you will just need to click the Font dropdown menu and select the font that you want to use.
Where is the Format menu in Google Docs?
You can find the Format menu at the top of the window, under your document title.
It’s in the menu bar with other options like File, Edit, View, Insert, and Tools.
Why does Google Docs change formatting?
This is an unusual situation that seems to have been resolved in 2021, but it was happening because of ad blockers and extensions that blocked certain scripts.
If you are noticing that your formatting is changing in a Google document then you may want to try disabling those extensions to see if that fixes the problem.
How do I switch back to the original default font in Google Docs?
The default font in Google Docs is Arial, so you will need to follow the steps above, but choose Arial when you are setting the normal text style in your document.
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Matthew Thomas has been writing tech content and guiding small businesses on their tech solutions for over a decade. He began working part-time as help desk support while he was in college, then proceeded to get his degree and moved into IT consulting.
These days Matthew spends most of his time writing about computers and mobile devices as a freelance online writer.