How to Change Default Font, Size, and Spacing in Google Docs

Key Takeaways 

• Google Docs allows you to update the headings or text size, font, and spacing.
• When you update, you may set it as your default to apply to any new files you work on.
• The easy-to-locate reset setting will revert all changes to defaults.

Change Default Text Font Type, Size, and Spacing in Google Docs

You may believe the default text is too small, and the 1.15 spacing is a bit wider than you want. To change this, follow the step-by-step instructions below.

Step 1: Open Google Docs, create a new document, and type a few sentences with default text.

Step 2: Select the whole paragraph from start to end.

Step 3: Click the default font in the toolbox and select a new one.

Step 4: Click the Font size option and select a new size.

Step 5: Click the spacing menu and select your preferred spacing option. You may also choose where the space should happen or explore more options by choosing Custom spacing.

Step 6: Click on the Format tab located on the toolbar.

Step 7: Navigate to Paragraph Styles > Normal Text > select Update ‘Normal Text’ to match.

Step 8: Move to the menu bar. Open Format > Paragraph styles > Options > Save as my default style.

When you compose a document in Google Docs, the system will use the set font type, size, and spacing.

Revert to Default Google Docs Style Settings

You have now changed the default Text on Google Docs. You have also changed the spacing to your preference. If you didn’t like the new change, you could easily return to the original Google Docs settings. Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Open Google Docs and open a new document.

Step 2: Click on Format in the menu bar.

Step 3: Navigate to Paragraph styles > Options > Reset styles.

Now, Google Docs will use the default Title, Heading, and Normal Text font type and size. The spacing, too, will revert to the defaults.

Change Default Title Font Type and Size in Google Docs

The default title type and size in Google Docs is Arial, 26. If you feel the 26 font size looks rather big and tacky. Follow the steps to make changes.

Step 1: Open Google Docs > open a document or create a new one.

Step 2: Write the title and change the font size to your preference, as we did above.

Step 3: Select the title to highlight the text.

Step 4: Click on the Format tab located on the toolbar.

Step 5: Navigate to Paragraph Styles > Title > select Update Title to match.

Step 6: Move to the menu bar. Open Format > Paragraph styles > Options > Save as my default style.

That’s it. From now on, Google Docs will use the selected Title font type and size as default.

Change Default Heading Font Type and Size in Google Docs

During the write-up, you primarily use Heading 2 for the sub-title. By default, the Heading 2 font is 16, which may be too small. Here is how to change it.

Step 1: Open Google Docs > compose a new document > select Heading 2 from the menu bar.

Step 2: Start typing a few words in Heading and select them.

Step 3: Click on the Format tab located on the toolbar.

Step 4: Navigate to Paragraph Styles > Heading 2 > Update ‘Heading 2’ to match.

Step 5: Move to the menu bar. Open Format > Paragraph styles > Options > Save as my default style.

Using the same trick above, you can change the default font type and size for Heading 1/2/3/4/5/6 in Google Docs.