How do you remove a custom number format from the numbering button drop-down gallery?

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 14, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365

There may be times when you want to remove the list formatting you previously applied to some of your text. For instance, you may have a numbered list that you want to reformat as regular text. Word provides an easy way for you to remove list formatting:

Select the list items you want to no longer be a part of the list. It doesn't matter if it is a numbered or bulleted list.
If the list is a numbered list, click on the Numbering tool located on the Home tab of the Ribbon, in the Paragraph group. Word displays a drop-down list.
Choose None from the Numbering Library group. Word removes the numbering format from the selected text.
If the list is a bulleted list, click on the Bullets tool located on the Home tab of the Ribbon, in the Paragraph group. Word displays a drop-down list.
Choose None from the Bullet Library group. Word removes the bullet format from the selected text.

If you remove the bullets or numbering from only a portion of the list, the remainder of the list maintains the list formatting. If required, Word adjusts the numbering on any remaining part of a numbered list.

Note that this method only works if the original list was an automatic Word numbered or bulleted list. If the list was created manually, then you will have to remove each of the numbers or bullets manually since they were added manually.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (5918) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365.

Author Bio

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

What about Lists Ordered by Letters?

This tutorial refers to “list numbers” because Word organizes all ordered (hierarchical) list options in the Numbering Library. However, all the steps shown here also apply to lists organized by letters.

This tutorial is available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 150 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac. These steps will be similar in Word 2021 for Mac, Word 2019 for Mac, and Word 2016 for Mac.

Important Note: This tutorial assumes you have already created your numbered list. We will cover the basics of creating a numbered list in Word for Mac in a separate tutorial.

Select an existing number in the list level you want to customize. The entire level should then be selected.

Figure 1. Selected list level

Select the Home tab in the ribbon.

Figure 2. Home tab

Select the Numbering menu arrow.

Figure 3. Numbering menu arrow

Select Define New Number Format from the drop-down menu.

Figure 4. Define New Number Format option

(Optional) Select a new style from the Number style menu in the Customize Numbered List dialog box.

Figure 5. Number style menu

Add letters, words, or punctuation before or after the number in the gray shading in the Enter formatting for number text box. Do not delete or alter the number in the gray shading.

If you delete or alter the number in the gray shading, the automatic list numbering will stop functioning.

Figure 6. Enter formatting for number text box

(Optional) Select the Font button.

Figure 7. Font button

7.a. Select a new (A) font, (B) font style, (C) font size, (D) font color, (E) underlining style, and (D) underlining color in the Font dialog box.

Figure 8. Font options

7.b. Select the OK button.

Figure 9. OK button

(Optional) Select Left, Centered, or Right from the Number Position menu.

Figure 10. Number Position menu

Select the OK button.

Figure 11. OK button

The list level you selected in step 1 should change to your custom formatting.

Figure 12. Custom list numbers

Repeat steps 1 through 9 for existing list levels, as necessary.

Your new list number format will be automatically added to the Numbering Library (i.e., the drop-down menu for the Numbering button) and will be available in other documents.

If you want to remove a format from the Numbering Library, Control-click or right-click it and then select Remove from the shortcut menu.

Figure 13. Remove option

Pro Tip: How to Remove Extra Space between List Numbers and List Items in Word for Mac

By default, Word inserts a tab between list numbers and list items. Sometimes this tab produces unwanted space when paired with custom list numbers. However, we can fix the problem by replacing the tab with a regular space.

Select a number in the list level with the extra space.

Figure 14. Numbered list with extra space

Control-click or right-click the selected list numbers and then select Bullets and Numbering from the shortcut menu.

Figure 15. Bullets and Numbering option

Select the Outline Numbered tab in the Bullets and Numbering dialog box.

Figure 16. Outline Numbered tab

Select the single number outline style from the Outline Numbered screen. (Alternatively, select your customized style, if available.)

Figure 17. Single number outline style

Select the Customize button.

Figure 18. Customize button

If necessary, reenter your custom style by adding letters, words, or punctuation before or after the number in the gray shading in the Enter formatting for number text box. Do not delete or alter the number in the gray shading.

Figure 19. Enter formatting for number text box

Select the expansion arrow at the bottom of the Customize Outline Numbered List dialog box.

Figure 20. Expansion arrow

Select Space from the Follow number with menu.

Figure 21. Follow number with menu

Select the OK button.

Figure 22. OK button

The tab spaces should be replaced with regular spaces in your numbered list level.

Figure 23. Numbered list level with tab spaces replaced by regular spaces

Related Resources

How to Turn On and Turn Off Automatic List Numbering in Word for Mac

How to Adjust the Space between Words in Word for Mac

How do you change numbering in Word?

Change the numbering in a numbered list.

Double-click the numbers in the list. The text won't appear selected..

Right-click the number you want to change..

Click Set Numbering Value..

In the Set value to: box, use the arrows to change the value to the number you want..

How do I change bullet numbers in Word?

Choose a new bullet or numbering format.

Click a bullet or number in the list that you want to change. ... .

On the Home tab, under Paragraph, click the arrow next to Bullets or Numbering..

Click the bullet or numbering list format that you want in the Bullet Library or the Numbering Library..

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