You can choose not to track manual formatting in your document in the Styles task pane. You can also select an option that underlines inconsistent formatting with a blue squiggly underline.

Eliminate manual formatting items from the Styles task pane

If you want to keep the number of items listed in the Styles task pane to a minimum, keep these format tracking options turned off.

Note Unlike the character and paragraph entries that show up in the Styles task pane, the format tracking entries do not have an associated icon.

  1. On the Home tab, click the Styles Dialog Box Launcher, and then click Options.

    styles dialog box launcher

  2. Under Select formatting to show as styles, select or clear the Paragraph level formatting, Font formatting, and Bullet and numbering formatting check boxes.

    Any manual formatting that you made in the document, indicated in the Styles task pane with no associated icon, will no longer appear in the Styles task pane.

Show manual formatting in text

The Keep track of formatting and Mark formatting inconsistencies check boxes are a convenient way to track inconsistent formatting in your document. When you type in your document, any styles that are not consistent with the surrounding document formatting have a blue squiggly underline.

Note Unlike the character and paragraph entries that show up in the Styles task pane, the format tracking entries do not have an associated icon.

  1. Click the Microsoft Office Button button image, and then click Word Options.
  2. Click Advanced.
  3. Under Editing options, select the Keep track of formatting and the Mark formatting inconsistencies check boxes.