What would you like to do?
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Define a new bullet format
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Define a new number format
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Define a new multilevel list
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Define a new list style
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Turn off automatic numbering for lists
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Related information
Format lists in Numbers on Mac
Numbers detects when you’re creating a list if you begin a sentence with a dash or with a number or letter followed by a period. You can also select text, then format it as a simple list or one with a complex hierarchy. Tiered lists, such as those used in legal documents, use nested numbers or letters [for example, 3., 3.1., 3.1.1.].
You can change the number or letter style, change the indentation, and create your own text and image bullets to customize a list. If you create a list whose formatting you want to use again in the same spreadsheet, you can save it as a new list style.
How to Format the Numbers or Bullets in a List in Microsoft Word
- Lori Kaufman
@howtogeek
Changing the type of numbers used in a numbered list is easy, but what if you want to change the formatting on just the numbers–say, make the numbers bold, but not the text? It’s not obvious how to do that, but it can be done.
RELATED: How to Change the Type of Numbers Used in a Numbered List in Word
This trick works on both numbered and bulleted lists.
The formatting for a number in a numbered list is contained in the paragraph mark at the end of that item. So, before you change the formatting of the numbers on a numbered list, you need to show the paragraph marks in your document. Click the “Home” tab and then click the “Show/Hide ¶” button in the Paragraph section.
To change the formatting for one number in the list, select only the paragraph mark at the end of that item.
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Then, you can apply formatting to that paragraph mark, and the number.
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For example, we made the number on the first item red and bold in our example.
If you want to change the formatting for more than one number, but not all of them, hold down the Ctrl key while you select the paragraph marks for the numbers you want to change. Then, apply the desired formatting.
If you want to change the formatting for all the numbers in the list, put the cursor directly over one of the numbers in the list and click. All the numbers in the list are selected. Apply the formatting as usual.
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When you apply formatting to the items in the list, that formatting is also applied to the numbers. But, the formatting you applied only to the numbers is also kept. For example, if we select the items in the list in the our example and apply italics, the text of the items will be italic, but the numbers will now be red, bold, and italic. If you remove formatting applied to the items in the list, the formatting you applied to just the numbers remains.
To remove the formatting specific to the numbers, follow these steps again to select one of the numbers or multiple numbers and turn off the formatting.
Lori Kaufman
Lori Kaufman is a technology expert with 25 years of experience. She's been a senior technical writer, worked as a programmer, and has even run her own multi-location business. Read Full Bio »
Customizing numbered lists
If you need to customize an existing numbered list [see how to create a numbered list] or apply your specifications to the number format, use the Define New Number Format dialog box.
I. To create a custom numbering format, do the following:
1. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, choose the Numbering button:
2. In the Numbering list, click Define New Number Format... item to display the Define New Number Format dialog box:
3. In the Define New Number Format dialog box:
- Number style - Specifies the numbering style that you want. Choices include Arabic numerals, uppercase and lowercase Roman numerals, uppercase and lowercase alphabet letters, and word series [1st, One, and First]. You can also choose no numbers at all, killing the sequential numbering.
- Font... - Specifies the special font or font attributes [such as bold, italic, and underline] and the point size for the numbers. A standard Font dialog box appears when this button is chosen.
- Number format - Types the characters, if any that you want to come before each number. If you want each number enclosed in parentheses, for example, type an opening parenthesis before the number in this box.
Do not type over this number in this box! If you do so, even replacing it with another number, you will break the automatic numbering; each number in the list will be the same. - Alignment - Sets the distance from the left, centered or right margin that Word places the number.
II. To create a custom multilevel list format, following:
On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, choose the Multilevel List button and click Define New Multilevel List... item to display the Define new Multilevel List dialog box:
If the button in the lower-left corner is the More >> button, click it. Word displays an extra panel at the right of the dialog box, so you see the full dialog box, as shown here. Word also changes the More >> button to a