To make bubble letters in Word, type your text in a thick, rounded font such as Cooper Black or Arial Rounded MT Bold, make it large, then go to Home > Text Effects and Typography > Outline to add a thick outline and set the fill to white or no fill. For a more cartoonish look, you can install a dedicated bubble font and use it like any other font.
Below are three ways to do it, from quickest to most customizable, plus tips for coloring and shading the letters for posters, signs, and coloring pages.
Method 1: Create hollow bubble letters with an outline
This works with fonts already on your PC and gives you outlined “hollow” letters you can print and color in.
- Open Word and type your text.
- Select the text and choose a heavy, rounded font from the font box on the Home tab. Good built-in choices include Cooper Black, Arial Rounded MT Bold, and Showcard Gothic, if they’re installed on your PC.
- Increase the size to 72 or larger. Type a number into the size box if you want bigger than the list allows, such as 150.
- Click the Text Effects and Typography button (the letter A with a glowing blue outline) on the Home tab.
- Hover over Outline, choose black, then hover over Outline > Weight and choose a thick line such as 3 pt or more.
- Change the Font Color to white. The letters now appear hollow with a thick black edge.
For more control, right-click the selected text, choose Font, click Text Effects, and adjust Text Fill and Text Outline separately. Setting the outline’s Join type to Round softens the corners for a more bubbly look.
Method 2: Use WordArt
- Go to Insert > WordArt and pick a style with an outline.
- Type your text in the box that appears.
- Select the text and change the font to a rounded, heavy font.
- Use the Shape Format tab to change Text Fill, Text Outline, and Text Effects.
- To curve the letters, go to Text Effects > Transform and choose an arch or wave.
WordArt sits in its own text box, so you can drag it anywhere on the page, which makes it handy for posters and flyers.
Method 3: Install a bubble letter font
Dedicated bubble fonts give puffy, rounded shapes that a regular font can’t match.
- Download a bubble font from a reputable font site. Search for terms like “bubble font” and check the license if the project is commercial.
- Open the downloaded ZIP file and extract it.
- Right-click the .ttf or .otf file and choose Install (or Install for all users). On a Mac, double-click the font and click Install Font.
- Close and reopen Word.
- Select your text and choose the new font from the font list.
Note that if you send the document to someone without the font, Word will substitute another one. To prevent that, go to File > Options > Save and check Embed fonts in the file (Windows), or export the document as a PDF.
Ways to style your bubble letters
| Effect | How to add it |
|---|---|
| 3D shadow | Text Effects and Typography > Shadow > an outer offset shadow |
| Gradient fill | Font dialog > Text Effects > Text Fill > Gradient fill |
| Glow | Text Effects and Typography > Glow |
| Rainbow letters | Select each letter and give it its own font color |
| Wider spacing | Font dialog > Advanced > Spacing > Expanded |
| Curved text | WordArt > Text Effects > Transform |
Tips for printing
- Coloring pages: Use a white fill and a thick black outline so kids have big shapes to color.
- One letter per page: For banners, set the font size to around 500 to 700 points and use landscape orientation (Layout > Orientation).
- Save ink: Hollow letters with a thin outline use far less ink than solid fills.
- Preview first: Use File > Print to check that large letters aren’t cut off at the margins.
Related: How to outline text in Word.
Related: How to curve text in Microsoft Word.
Frequently asked questions
Does Word have a bubble letter font?
Not a true one, but heavy rounded fonts such as Cooper Black or Arial Rounded MT Bold come close, especially with a thick outline.
Can I make bubble letters in Word on a Mac?
Yes. Select the text, go to Format > Font, click Text Effects, and set the fill and outline. WordArt is under Insert > WordArt.
Can I make bubble letters in Word for the web?
Word for the web has fewer text effects. You can use fonts available there, but outline settings are limited, so the desktop app is better for this.
How do I make the outline thicker?
Open the Font dialog, click Text Effects, go to Text Outline, and raise the Width.
Why does my bubble font look different on another computer?
The other computer doesn’t have the font installed. Embed fonts when saving, or share a PDF.
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.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.