
Format Painter is a tool that allows users to copy the formatting of a section of a Word document and apply it to another area. This feature is similar to the copy and paste keyboard shortcut, but it duplicates visual formatting instead of text content. For example, if you want to use a bold, Arial font in size 14 for your entire document, you could make these changes to one block of text and then use the Format Painter tool to apply the same style throughout your file.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Use | Copy the format used in a section of a Word document and apply it to another area |
| Use | Copy and paste formatting styles throughout Word documents |
| Use | Duplicate formatting and apply it to multiple sections of a Word document |
| Use | Apply the same formatting, such as color, font style and size |
| Use | Copy formatting from a picture, such as the picture's border |
| Use | Copy and paste paragraph-level formatting options, such as numbered and bulleted lists, spacing, alignment, indentation, shading and borders |
| Use | Copy formats with colors and font characteristics, such as bold, italic and underline |
| Use | Apply formatting to more than one thing, double-click |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Alt+Ctrl+C to copy a format |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Alt+Ctrl+V to paste a format |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Ctrl+Shift+C to copy a format |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Ctrl+Shift+V to paste a format |
| Button | Paintbrush icon |
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What You'll Learn

How to use Format Painter in Word
The Format Painter is a tool in Microsoft Word that allows users to copy the formatting of a section of a document and apply it to another area. This feature is similar to the copy and paste keyboard shortcut, but it duplicates visual formatting instead of text content. For example, if you want to use a bold, Arial font in size 14 for your entire document, you could make these changes to one block of text and then use the Format Painter tool to apply the same style throughout your file.
To use the Format Painter in Word, follow these steps:
- Open the Word document you want to format and click on the "Home" tab in the upper left corner of your screen. The "Home" tab may appear underlined if you already have the home menu view selected.
- Locate the "Paragraph" group of tools in your home menu ribbon. This typically appears between the "Font" and "Styles" tool groups at the top of your screen.
- Click on the "Show/Hide" button (¶) in the "Paragraph" group to reveal the paragraph marks in your document.
- Highlight the text with the format you want to copy. If you want to copy the paragraph-level formatting along with the font-level formatting, make sure to include the "¶" symbol in your highlighted text.
- Locate the "Format Painter" button in the "Clipboard" group of tools in the home menu ribbon. The button has a paintbrush icon next to it.
- Use the paintbrush cursor to highlight the text you want to apply the same formatting to.
- Once you're done, click on the "Show/Hide" button in the "Paragraph" group again to remove the paragraph marks from your document. This will turn off the "Format Painter" feature.
- Save your Word document.
If you want to duplicate your formatting and apply it to multiple sections of your document, you can use the Format Painter continuously throughout your document. To do this, double-click the "Format Painter" button before applying the formatting. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcuts Alt+Ctrl+C to copy a format and Alt+Ctrl+V to paste it. To stop formatting, press Esc.
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How to use Format Painter in Excel
Format Painter is a tool that allows you to copy the format used in a section of your document and apply it to another area. This feature is similar to the copy and paste keyboard shortcut, but it duplicates visual formatting instead of text content. For example, if you want to use a bold, Arial font in size 14 for your entire document, you could make these changes to one block of text and then use the Format Painter tool to apply the same style throughout your file.
To use Format Painter in Excel, follow these steps:
- Select the cell(s) from which you want to copy the formatting.
- Go to the "Home" tab -> "Clipboard" group -> click on the "Format Painter" button. You can identify the "Format Painter" button by its paintbrush icon.
- Select the cell(s) where you want to copy the formatting.
- Instantly, the formatting from the selected cell(s) will be copied to the destination cell(s).
Note that when you click on the Format Painter icon in the ribbon, the cursor changes, and you can see a brush in it. This indicates that the Format Painter is active. Format Painter only copies the formatting and not the value in the cell.
If you want to copy the formatting and apply it to multiple non-adjacent cells, double-click the "Format Painter" icon. This will allow you to copy from a range of cells and paste that formatting multiple times until you disable the Format Painter by clicking the "Format Painter" icon again or pressing the Escape key.
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How to apply formatting to multiple sections
The Format Painter is a tool that allows you to copy the formatting of a section of your Word document and apply it to another area. It is similar to the copy and paste keyboard shortcut, but it duplicates the visual formatting instead of text content. For example, if you want to use a bold, Arial font in size 14 for your entire document, you could make these changes to one block of text and then use the Format Painter tool to apply the same style throughout your file.
To use the Format Painter in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:
- Open the Word document you want to format and click on the "Home" tab in the upper left corner of your screen.
- Locate the "Paragraph" group of tools in your home menu ribbon, which typically appears between the "Font" and "Styles" tool groups at the top of your screen.
- Click on the "Show/Hide" button (¶) in the "Paragraph" group to reveal the paragraph marks in your document.
- Highlight the text with the format you want to copy. If you want to copy paragraph-level formatting in addition to font-level formatting, make sure to include the "¶" symbol in your highlighted text.
- Click on the "Format Painter" button in the "Clipboard" group of tools. This button has a paintbrush icon next to it.
- Use the paintbrush cursor to highlight the text or multiple sections of text you want to apply the same formatting to in your document.
- When you're done, click on the "Show/Hide" button (¶) in the "Paragraph" group again to remove the paragraph marks from your document. This turns off the "Format Painter" feature.
- Save your Word document.
To apply formatting to multiple sections of your document, you can use the Format Painter keyboard shortcuts. Here are the steps:
- Open the Word document and click on the "Home" tab in the upper left corner of your screen.
- Locate the "Paragraph" group of tools in your home menu ribbon.
- Click on the "Show/Hide" button (¶) in the "Paragraph" group to reveal the paragraph marks.
- Highlight the text you want to copy the formatting from, including the "¶" symbol if you want to copy paragraph formatting as well.
- Use the keyboard shortcut "Alt+Ctrl+C" to copy the format.
- Highlight the multiple sections of text you want to apply the formatting to.
- Use the keyboard shortcut "Alt+Ctrl+V" to paste the format to the selected text. You can repeatedly select text and paste formatting to multiple areas without re-copying.
- To stop formatting, press "Esc" on your keyboard.
- Remember to save your document by pressing "Control + S" on your keyboard.
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How to copy and paste formatting styles
The Format Painter is a tool that allows you to copy the formatting style from a section of a Word document and apply it to another area. This feature works similarly to the copy and paste keyboard shortcut, but it duplicates visual formatting instead of text content. For example, you can use the Format Painter to apply a bold, Arial font in size 14 throughout your entire document.
To use the Format Painter in Microsoft Word, first, open the Word document you want to format and click on the "Home" tab in the upper left corner of your screen. Then, find the "Paragraph" group of tools in your home menu ribbon—this usually appears between the "Font" and "Styles" tool groups at the top of your screen. Next, click on the "Show/Hide" button in the "Paragraph" group to reveal the paragraph marks in your document. This button has a "¶" symbol on it. Highlight the text with the format you want to copy. If you want to copy the paragraph-level formatting, make sure to include the "¶" symbol in your highlighted text. Now, locate the "Clipboard" group of tools in the home menu ribbon, usually in the upper left corner of your screen, and click on the "Format Painter" button—this button has a paintbrush icon next to it. Use the paintbrush cursor to highlight the text you want to apply the same formatting to. When you're done, click on the "Show/Hide" button in the "Paragraph" group again to remove the paragraph marks from your document. This turns off the "Format Painter" feature. Finally, save your Word document.
To use the Format Painter across multiple sections of your document, double-click or use the keyboard shortcut Alt+Ctrl+C to copy a format and Alt+Ctrl+V to paste it. To stop formatting, press Esc.
If you are using a Mac, instead of Command + V, hit Command + Option + Shift + V to paste and match formatting. For PCs, there is no catch-all shortcut that works across every application. However, you can use Control + Shift + V in Chrome and Firefox. In Microsoft Office, you can click on the "Paste Options" button that appears next to the pasted text and select "Match Destination Formatting" or "Keep Text Only".
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How to use Format Painter continuously
The Format Painter is a tool that allows you to copy the formatting of a section of your Word document and apply it to another area. This feature duplicates visual formatting, such as font size, style, colour, and other text effects, instead of text content.
To use the Format Painter continuously throughout your document, follow these steps:
- Open the Word document you want to format and select the "Home" tab in the upper left corner of your screen by clicking on it. The "Home" tab may appear underlined if you already have the home menu view selected.
- Find the "Paragraph" group of tools in your home menu ribbon. This usually appears between the "Font" and "Styles" tool groups at the top of your screen.
- Click on the "Show/Hide" button in the "Paragraph" group to reveal the paragraph marks in your document. This button has a "¶" symbol on it.
- Highlight the text with the format you want to copy. If you want to copy the paragraph-level formatting along with the font-level formatting, be sure to include the "¶" symbol in your highlighted text.
- Double-click on the "Format Painter" button to activate it for continuous use. The button has a paintbrush icon next to it.
- Use the paintbrush cursor to highlight blocks of text throughout your document that you want to apply the same format to.
- When you're done formatting, click on the "Format Painter" button again to turn it off. Then, click on the "Show/Hide" button in the "Paragraph" group to remove the paragraph marks from your document.
- Save your Word document. Use "Control + S" to save your document, and remember to do this every few minutes to protect your work.
By using the Format Painter tool, you can quickly apply the same formatting to multiple sections of your document without having to re-copy the format each time.
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Frequently asked questions
Format Painter is a tool that allows you to copy the formatting of a section of a document and apply it to another area.
To use Format Painter in Microsoft Word, first, open the document you want to format and click on the "Home" tab in the upper left corner of your screen. Then, locate the "Paragraph" group of tools in your home menu ribbon, which typically appears between the "Font" and "Styles" tool groups. Next, highlight the text with the format you want to copy, and click on the "Format Painter" button, which has a paintbrush icon next to it. Finally, use the paintbrush cursor to highlight the text you want to apply the formatting to.
Yes, you can use Format Painter to continuously apply the same formatting throughout your document. To do this, double-click on the "Format Painter" button before highlighting the text you want to apply the formatting to.
Format Painter can be used to copy and paste font-level formatting, such as font size, style, and colour. It can also copy and paste paragraph-level formatting options, including numbered and bulleted lists, spacing, alignment, indentation, shading, and borders.
Yes, Format Painter can be used with graphics. It works best with drawing objects, such as AutoShapes, but you can also copy formatting from a picture, such as its border.











































