This tutorial shows how to create bulleted lists in Microsoft Word.
[Typewriter sounds]
Hello, my name is Erin.
I’m a technical writer and editor who shares step-by-step software tutorials and writing tips for the real world
on this channel and on my blog at erinwrightwriting.com.
Today we’re going to look at two ways to create bulleted lists in Microsoft Word.
We'll also look at how to change list levels and how to change the size and color of bullets.
Please note that there are many ways to manipulate bullets in Word,
so in this tutorial we will focus on the methods I believe will be most useful for the majority of Word users.
We will create custom bullets using Word’s other built-in symbols and using your own images in a separate tutorial.
I’ll be using Word for Microsoft 365.
These steps will also work in Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, and Word 2010.
However, your interface may look slightly different in those older versions of the software.
This is the basic method of creating a bulleted list in Word.
This method requires that you type each item as you create the list.
If you have already typed your list items,
be sure to watch the next section which shows how to create bulleted lists from existing text.
To begin, place your cursor where you want to start your bulleted list.
Then, select the Home tab in the ribbon.
Followed by the menu arrow next to the Bullets button.
Now, choose a bullet style from the Bullet Library.
The first bullet will appear in your document.
Type your first list item after the bullet and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
The next bullet will appear.
Continue typing your list items and pressing the Enter key until your list is complete.
After typing the final item, press the Enter key twice to remove your cursor from the list.
Now we’re going to look at how to create a bulleted list from existing text already formatted as a list.
To begin, select and then right-click the text.
Next, select the menu arrow next to the Bullets button in the Mini toolbar.
Once again, choose a bullet style from the Bullet Library.
Your selected items should become a bulleted list.
Word lets you create bulleted lists with up to nine nested levels.
So, we’re going to quickly look at two ways to change the levels of your list items.
Please note that this first method won’t work for the very first item in your list.
To begin, select one or more list items.
Then, press the Tab key in your keyboard.
Each time you press the Tab key, the bullet will move one level.
To use this second method, select one or more list items.
And then, select the Home tab if you’re not already there,
and then select the menu arrow next to the Bullets button.
Now, select Change List Level from the drop-down menu.
And choose a list level from the submenu.
Your list item or items should move to the next level.
By default, the size and color of your bullets will be the same as your text.
However, you can manually change the size and color of bullets by selecting them separately from the text.
To begin, select one bullet. All bullets on that level will also be selected.
Then, select the Home tab in the ribbon and choose a new font size, font color, or both from the Font group.
Your bullets should change to the new formatting without affecting the list item.
Repeat these steps for each level in your list, as necessary.
I have created many other videos about Microsoft Word, including “How to Create and Customize Charts in Microsoft Word”
and “How to Create and Update a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word.”
Please see the playlist titled “How to Use Microsoft Word,” which is linked below, for the complete list.
The companion blog post for this video showing all the steps we just performed
appears on erinwrightwriting.com, which is also linked below.
Feel free to leave me a comment if there’s a specific topic related to Microsoft Word, Adobe Acroabt, or Google Docs
that you would like me to talk about in the future.
And please subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss future tutorials and give this video a thumbs-up if you found it helpful.
Thank you so much for watching!
[Typewriter sounds]