Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 21, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Fonts control how individual characters appear in your worksheet. These fonts are given names that are either dictated by tradition or loosely represent the appearance of the font. For instance, Courier is a common font, as is Helvetica and Times Roman. There are literally thousands of fonts on the market today, each being sold by different vendors. (You can even find some fonts on the Internet for free.)
In many respects, fonts are controlled outside of Excel. For instance, if you want to add or delete a font, you must do it within Windows, not within Excel. The application of these fonts within your worksheet, however, is completely under the control of Excel. Excel supports any font that you can load into Windows.
To change a font within Excel, you must first select the cells you want to format. If you are formatting entire cells, it's not important that the cells have anything in them; you can format the cells before they actually contain information. When you later add the information, it will assume the format you last set, including the font. Excel also allows you to change the font used by individual characters within a cell. All you need to do is select the text whose font you wish to change.
Once the cell (or information within a cell) is selected, you can change the font by clicking on the arrow next to the Font tool on the Formatting toolbar. When you do, you will see a pull-down list of fonts from which you can choose one. You can scroll through the available fonts the same way you scroll through many other options within Excel. When you select a font, the change is made immediately.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (1941) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Program Successfully in Excel! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!
There are any number of reasons to format different cells in different colors. Excel allows you to easily change the ...
Discover MoreApplying different formatting to the text within a cell can seem a bit confusing. This is certainly the case when it ...
Discover MoreThe ability to center text across a range of cells has long been a staple of experienced Excel users. Here's how to ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments