Text formatting in outline view
In outline view, Microsoft Word simplifies the text formatting to help you focus on the structure of your document. The following list describes what formatting appears in outline view, and what formatting changes you can make.
- Each heading level is formatted with the appropriate built-in heading style (Heading 1 through Heading 9) or outline level (Level 1 through Level 9). You can apply these styles or levels to your headings as usual. Or, in outline view, you can automatically apply heading styles by dragging the headings to the appropriate levels. If you want to change the appearance of a heading style, you can modify its formatting.
- Word indents each heading according to its level. The indentations appear only in outline view; Word removes the indentations when you switch to another view.
- Paragraph formatting doesn't appear. Also, the ruler and the paragraph formatting commands are not available. (You can apply styles, although you might not be able to see all the style formatting.) To view or modify paragraph formatting, switch to another view.
- If you find character formatting (such as large fonts or italic) distracting, you can display the outline as plain text. On the Outlining
toolbar, click Show Formatting
.
Notes
- To insert a tab character in outline view, press CTRL+TAB.
- To see the actual formatting of a document while you work in outline view, you can split the document window. Work in outline view in one pane and in print layout view or normal view in the other pane. Any changes you make to the document in outline view are visible in the second pane.