Use paragraph styles

Numbers includes built-in paragraph styles that specify a font and size, color, and other attributes for text. These paragraph styles are designed to match your spreadsheet template. Applying paragraph styles to text ensures a consistent look for the text in your spreadsheet.

If you make changes to text that uses a paragraph style, you can create a new paragraph style based on the changes. For example, if you change a paragraph that uses the “Subtitle” style so the text is blue and bold instead of regular black text, you can create a new paragraph style (Subtitle 2) that incorporates the changes. You can then easily apply the new style to other text in your spreadsheet.

Paragraph styles in the Text pane of Format inspector

The style names show you how the style looks.

Note: Numbers also includes built-in character and list styles. These styles are similar to paragraph styles, and the tasks below apply to character and list styles as well.

Apply a paragraph style

  1. Select the text box or shape with the text you want to change.

  2. In the Text pane of the Format inspector, click Paragraph styles button at the top of the pane, then choose a style from the Paragraph Styles menu.

Create a new paragraph style

  1. Select the text you want to base the new style on.

  2. In the Text pane of the Format inspector, click Paragraph styles button next to the paragraph style name at the top of the pane.

  3. Click New style button at the top of the Paragraph Styles menu.

    If New style button is dimmed, make sure some text is selected.

  4. Enter a name for the new style, then click away from the menu to close it.

Assign a shortcut to a style

You can assign a shortcut key (F1-F8) to a paragraph style.

  1. In the Text pane of the Format inspector, click Paragraph styles button next to the paragraph style name at the top of the pane.

  2. Move the pointer over the style you want to assign a shortcut to, then click More button.

  3. Choose Shortcut from the menu, then choose a key (for example, F8).

    Shortcut keys are unique to each spreadsheet and aren’t saved in templates.

To use a shortcut, select text, then press the fn key and your shortcut key (for example, F1).

To remove a shortcut key, move the pointer over the style, click the More button that appears, choose Shortcut, then choose None.

Remove changes from a paragraph style

When you change the formatting of text that has a paragraph style applied to it, an asterisk appears next to the style name at the top of the Text pane of the Format inspector. This asterisk indicates the selected text has been modified from its original style. If you don’t want to keep the changes (called overrides), you can revert to the original style.

  1. Click the paragraph with the override.

  2. In the Text pane of the Format inspector, click Paragraph styles button next to the paragraph style name at the top of the pane.

  3. Click the style name (it has a gray checkmark to indicate an override).

    The override is cleared and the text again matches the style.

Update a paragraph style

If you change the formatting of text that has a paragraph style applied to it, you can update that style to reflect your changes. You can use the new paragraph style to format other text.

In many cases, when a style can be updated, you see an Update button next to the style name at the top of the Text pane. Click the button to update the style. If you see an asterisk next to the style name instead, you can still update the style.

  1. Click the text that uses the style you want to update.

  2. In the Text pane of the Format inspector, click the paragraph style name at the top of the pane.

  3. In the Paragraph Styles pop-up menu, move the pointer over the style name (it has a checkmark), then click the arrow that appears.

  4. Choose Update Style.

Rename a style

  1. Click a paragraph that uses the style you want to rename.

  2. In the Text pane of the Format inspector, click Paragraph styles button next to the paragraph style at the top of the pane.

  3. In the Paragraph Styles menu, move the pointer over the style you want to rename, then click the arrow button that appears.

  4. Choose Rename Style, then enter a new name.

Delete a style

You can delete a style. If the style is being used in your spreadsheet, you can designate a replacement style for it.

  1. Select any text.

  2. In the Text pane of the Format inspector, click Paragraph styles button next to the paragraph style name at the top of the pane.

  3. Move the pointer over the name of the style you want to delete, then click the arrow button that appears.

  4. Choose Delete Style.

If you try to delete a style that’s being used, you are asked to choose a style to replace the one you’re deleting.