Automatic formatting results
This topic describes how Microsoft Word automatically formats various elements in your document.
- quotation marks
- Changes straight quotation marks (' and ") to smart (curly) quotes ( and ).
- en dash ( – )
- Changes text, a space, one or more hyphens ( - ), one or no spaces, and more text, such as pages 3 - 10, to text with an en-dash, such as pages 3–10.
- em dash (
— ) - Changes two hyphens immediately preceded by text, such as "pines--ponderosa, for example--grow" to text and an em-dash (
— ), such as "pines — ponderosa, for example — grow." - bold formatting
- Applies bold formatting to text that's surrounded by asterisks (*):
Example: *solar system* becomes solar system
- This option is on by default only when using Word as your e-mail editor.
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You can customize the format result of bold text
— for example, make it larger and bold — by changing the Strong character styles that Word applies. - italic formatting
- Applies italic formatting to text that's surrounded by underlines (_):
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Example: _solar system_ becomes solar system
- This option is on by default only when using Word as your e-mail editor.
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You can customize the format result of italic text
— for example, make it larger and italic — by changing the Emphasis character styles that Word applies. - hyperlinks
- An Internet, network, or e-mail address becomes a hyperlink.
- Example: http://example.microsoft.com/
- borders
- Applies a border above a paragraph as you type three or more of the following characters:
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Hyphens or underscores for a single line
- Equal signs for a double line
- Asterisks for a dotted line
- Tildes (~) for a single wavy line
- Number signs (#) for a decorative line
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Note Automatic borders can only be applied as you type (AutoFormat As You Type tab).
- numbered lists
- Applies numbered list formatting when you type a number followed by a period, hyphen, closing parenthesis, or greater-than sign (>), and then a space or tab and text.
Note To end the list, press ENTER twice.
- bulleted lists
- Applies bullets to any of the following that occur before a space or tab and text:
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An asterisk
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One or two hyphens
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A greater-than sign (>)
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An arrow created with a greater-than sign and a hyphen or equal sign (-> or =>)
Note To end the list, press ENTER twice.
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- lists with decorative bullets
- Applies decorative bullets
— where the symbol or picture is followed by two or more spaces and then text. - The symbols must be inserted with the Symbol command (Insert menu), or an inline picture (must be within 1.5 times the height of the line).
- lead-in lists
- Repeats the same formatting to the lead-in text of the next list item when you type a bullet, asterisk, or similar character, followed by a space, followed by bold, italic, or underlined text, followed by a period, colon, hyphen, em dash, question mark, exclamation point, or similar character, and then a space or tab, and then plain text.
- Paul: Catch the ball.
- George: I refuse!
Note Lead-in lists can only be applied as you type (AutoFormat As You Type tab).
- ordinal numbers
- Formats an ordinal number with superscript text; for example, 1st becomes .
- fractions
- Formats a fraction as a single character; for example, 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4 becomes ¼, ½, or ¾.
- tables
- Inserts a table when you type a plus sign, a series of hyphens, another plus sign, and so on (ending the series with a plus sign), and then press ENTER:
+---+----------+----------------+
- Note Tables can only be applied as you type (AutoFormat As You Type tab).