Excel 2013 starts every new workbook in Calibri 11. If you always switch to another font, you can set your own default so new workbooks start the way you like. Office 2013 reached end of support on April 11, 2023, so it no longer receives security updates. The same setting exists in newer versions of Excel.
Quick Answer
Open File, Options, General, choose a font in Use this as the default font and a size in Font size, click OK, then close and reopen Excel.
How to Change the Default Font in Excel 2013
- Click File, then Options.
- Stay on the General page.
- Under When creating new workbooks, choose a font in Use this as the default font.
- Pick a size in Font size.
- Click OK, then close and restart Excel. New workbooks use the new font.
Font Settings in Excel
| Setting | Affects |
|---|---|
| Default font (Options) | New workbooks after restarting |
| Normal style | The current workbook |
| Theme fonts (Page Layout) | Headings and body in the current workbook |
| Home, Font box | Only selected cells |
Troubleshooting
- Existing workbooks did not change: the default only applies to new workbooks. For an open workbook, right-click the Normal style on the Home tab and choose Modify.
- The font reverted: make sure you restarted Excel, and that no template (Book.xltx) in the XLSTART folder overrides it.
- For fonts in Word, see how to set Times New Roman as the default in Word.
- To change letter case in cells, read how to make text uppercase in Excel 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel say it must restart?
The default font is loaded when Excel starts, so it applies after you reopen the program.
Can I use a font I downloaded?
Yes. Install the font in Windows first, and it will appear in the list.
Will others see my font?
Only if the font is installed on their computer. Otherwise Excel substitutes another font.
Summary
- Open File, Options, General.
- Choose a default font and size.
- Click OK.
- Restart Excel.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
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