# Change global default formatting (or "No Style") in the editor **URL:** \ **Category:** Scrivener\ **Tags:** support, text-editing, configuration\ **Created:** [February 7, 2023, 2:59pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498 "2023-02-07T14:59:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Vincent\_Vincent](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/vincent_vincent/32/19680_2.png) [@Vincent\_Vincent](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Vincent_Vincent)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 2:09pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/21 "2023-10-03T14:09:52Z")
Hi. You changed it here ? ![image](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/uploads/default/original/3X/4/8/487dd9949e0dd429ee7037f9f10e4baf7207eaf9.png) If so, after that you need to fix your documents, because they were set upon creation to format as how things were before. So, select your documents in the binder (all the ones you want to use the new formatting), and : ![image](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/uploads/default/original/3X/1/f/1fa576384ea43ee7e1ccd1d313d75b820e27236f.png) . . . . . . . . . . . You should also go to your project settings, and make sure it ain’t using the alternative formatting : ![image](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/uploads/default/original/3X/e/1/e119b4062e9c04c8b94a92a4acd97cb1e38d6f11.png) ![image](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/uploads/default/original/3X/2/6/263fcc5d11d3008f8ade57601e6ad0928223c2ee.png) > [@Tyra](#): > > I don’t know the word in english, If you meant this : ![image](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/uploads/default/original/3X/7/0/7025437ff590a92f90e43b2166fd262b47b9468f.png) That’s called an indent. ---
**Author:** ![Tyra](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@Tyra](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Tyra)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/22 "2023-10-03T14:27:38Z")
Thank you! Very clear. I will set it up now. Tyra ---
**Author:** ![CounselorCarl](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/counselorcarl/32/29565_2.png) [@CounselorCarl](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/CounselorCarl)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2024, 8:26pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/23 "2024-01-06T20:26:47Z")
Some how the default in my Tab setting has been change from the default (5 spaces for the begnning of a new paragrah) to 10 spaces. I do I change this or restore the default settings? ---
**Author:** ![AntoniDol](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/antonidol/32/15972_2.png) [@AntoniDol](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/AntoniDol)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2024, 11:14pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/24 "2024-01-06T23:14:29Z")
I do hope you’re using Indents and not Tabs. De­fault formatting is in File \> Options \> Editing \> Formatting. Move the top-most marker in the Ruler to the right. After that, select all documents in the Binder and choose Documents \> Convert \> Convert text To Default Formatting. Tabs are lost in e-books and interfere with Indent settings in the Compile Format. ---
**Author:** ![CounselorCarl](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/counselorcarl/32/29565_2.png) [@CounselorCarl](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/CounselorCarl)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2024, 4:57pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/25 "2024-01-13T16:57:27Z")
Thanks, AntoniDol, I appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Jedi\_Bail](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jedi\_Bail](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Jedi_Bail)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 6:51pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/26 "2024-01-18T18:51:45Z")
That may be one of the things I have to unlearn in Scrivener. For a few decades of Word-based writing, tabs were my means of creating indents. I still use them now in Scrivener. It’s easy enough to strip them out, at least. ---
**Author:** ![rms](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@rms](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/rms)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/27 "2024-01-18T19:06:31Z")
Tabs in Word was never a Best Practice either, but yes everybody did it. Stuck in the typewriter way of working. That being said I do love using my Smith Corona typewriter. ---
**Author:** ![Jedi\_Bail](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jedi\_Bail](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Jedi_Bail)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 1:19pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/28 "2024-02-06T13:19:45Z")
And, at least in Scrivener there’s that handy “strip leading tabs” command, so my not-best-practice is easy to fix! ---
**Author:** ![Jedi\_Bail](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jedi\_Bail](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Jedi_Bail)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 10:29pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/29 "2024-02-25T22:29:01Z")
I like my text to look a certain way when I’m typing. I like my headers to be indent-free and paragraphs to have an indent about 1/2 inch, or be separated by enough space that I can distinguish one paragraph from another. Is this where I need to bring styles into play? ---
**Author:** ![Vincent\_Vincent](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/vincent_vincent/32/19680_2.png) [@Vincent\_Vincent](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Vincent_Vincent)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 10:41pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/30 "2024-02-25T22:41:34Z")
If you type your headers directly in the editor, yes. You need them to have a style assigned, otherwise they’ll lose their formatting at compile. As for the body text paragraphs, no. No style needed, best practice is to set them with the space before and/or after that you want them to look like in the editor, as the default formatting for your documents, in the options. Options \> Editing \> Formatting. ---
**Author:** ![AD](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/82dd89/32.png) [@AD](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/AD)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 11:25pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/31 "2024-05-04T23:25:40Z")
I’m working with Scrivener on a PC (not Mac) and came across this instruction from a Scrivener employee in a previous post: “Once you’ve formatted one paragraph to work the way you want, you can use the Project → Project Settings → Formatting pane to make it the default for this project, or Scrivener → Scrivener Preferences → Editing → Formatting to make it the default Scrivener-wide.” I want to do the latter, make the formatting in one paragraph the default Scrivener-wide, but I can’t find “Scrivener → Scrivener Preferences → Editing → Formatting” in the Scrivener program I use in Windows. If anyone could point me in the right direction, that would be great! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Vincent\_Vincent](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/vincent_vincent/32/19680_2.png) [@Vincent\_Vincent](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Vincent_Vincent)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 11:51pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/32 "2024-05-04T23:51:26Z")
Hi. Ctrl + , ( ← _That’s Ctrl + comma_, to open the options.) ![image](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/uploads/default/original/3X/1/4/14451b4219c054422cc1e6a547711621eefc476a.png) Note that setting the formatting in the options as seen above will only affect future documents. Documents that predate, you’ll have to use `Convert to default formatting` once done setting your desired default formatting in the options. Search the forum if that’s your case, it has been talked plenty. Note 2 : Projects that have their own formatting set in their `project settings` will ignore the above setup/formatting. ---
**Author:** ![AD](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/82dd89/32.png) [@AD](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/AD)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 3:40am UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/33 "2024-05-05T03:40:04Z")
Thanks Vincent. So, this dialogue box (which I think is also found under “File → Options → Editing → Formatting”) applies to all future Scrivener projects? Thanks again for your help. ---
**Author:** ![Vincent\_Vincent](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/vincent_vincent/32/19680_2.png) [@Vincent\_Vincent](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Vincent_Vincent)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 3:47am UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/34 "2024-05-05T03:47:15Z")
> [@AD](#): > > future Scrivener projects? It applies to all of your projects, past, future and present, effective immediately, except the ones that would have specified to use their own formatting, in the project settings of this or these hypothetical project(s). (You can set per project formatting this way.) (You’d know if you had tweaked such a setting, likely anyways. But, say a project is stubbornly refusing your new formatting, that’s the first thing you then want to check.) It is the pre-existing _DOCUMENTS_ (binder elements), that won’t be affected without action on your part. (Convert to default formatting.) Any documents you add to your projects will have the formatting you are about to specify in the options, starting from the moment you did. In an attempt to say it so that it doesn’t sound as complicated as I feel I’ve made it look: Documents are imprinted with what was the default formatting at the moment they were created, until you tell them to rather format to the new and actual default formatting. ---
**Author:** ![AD](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/82dd89/32.png) [@AD](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/AD)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 4:16am UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/35 "2024-05-05T04:16:42Z")
Thanks Vincent! Much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![YeadonYeadon](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/y/ecb155/32.png) [@YeadonYeadon](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/YeadonYeadon)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 2:32pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/36 "2024-06-14T14:32:43Z")
Hi I have cut and paste from PDF, microword etc a Manuscript, Is there a way of ensuring the whole novel has the same formatting? thanks dean ---
**Author:** ![AmberV](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/amberv/32/13021_2.png) [@AmberV](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/AmberV)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2024, 3:43pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/37 "2024-06-14T15:43:53Z")
Welcome to the forum! Please refer [above](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/default-formatting-in-the-editor-and-making-indents-even/132498/2) for tips on cleaning formatting, with a link to the FAQ page on it as well. ---
**Author:** ![bckalt](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/bckalt/32/19755_2.png) [@bckalt](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/bckalt)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 1:13pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/38 "2024-07-28T13:13:34Z")
Using Scrivener 3 – I’m typing text using the short story project template (very useful! thanks!). I can change the paragraph indent for the current file by dragging the first tab on the ruler, but in a new file, the indent is where it was (too small for me). How can I set the paragraph indent permanently for a project? ---
**Author:** ![Kevitec57](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/kevitec57/32/20364_2.png) [@Kevitec57](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Kevitec57)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/39 "2024-07-28T14:58:07Z")
File \> Options \> Editing \> Formatting. Play with the setting there, then… Use Formatting in Current Editor. ---
**Author:** ![xiamenese](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/xiamenese/32/23720_2.png) [@xiamenese](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/xiamenese)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498/40 "2024-07-28T15:05:54Z")
Or if you’re on a Mac it’s Scrivener \> Settings/Preferences (depending on which version of MacOS). 🙂 Mark Oh, and when you’ve set it, you can convert any existing paragraphs which don’t match with Documents \> Convert \> Text to Default Formatting (I think that’s the wording). [Previous page](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/change-global-default-formatting-or-no-style-in-the-editor/132498.md?page=3)