In our continued, yet short LibreOffice series, we are going to talk about how to use Styles. You see, the tool comes with several predefined styles, but you do not have to use those since it is possible to create and modify styles with ease.
How to use Styles in LibreOffice
So, the question is, then, what are Styles, and how can we use them to better format documents in LibreOffice on Windows PC?
OK, so from our understanding, Styles are a bunch of formats that users can apply to selected pages, frames, texts, and other elements within your documents to quickly alter the appearance. Whenever a style is applied, it usually means applying an entire group of formats all at the same time.
Most people using a word processor tend to manually format tables, page layouts, format paragraphs, words, and other sections of their document without ever looking at the Styles. This is common and we doubt it’ll change any time soon.
We suggest using styles because they improve the consistency of your document. Additionally, when the time comes to make major format changes, the job becomes much easier.
- Different ways to use Styles
- Use the Styles menu
- Take advantage of the Styles deck
- Use the fill format mode
Let us look at this from a more detailed perspective.
1] Different ways to use Styles
There are several ways for the user to apply styles to their document, and as such, we are going to discuss all of them today. Getting the job done is super easy, and as such, we expect everyone to get their heads around it in no time.
2] Use the Styles menu
OK, so one of the easiest ways to take advantage of Styles in LibreOffice Writer, for example, is to position the cursor in the right section of the document, then click on Styles via the menu above, and finally, select the required style.
Changes should be made right away after selecting the correct style for the job.
3] Take advantage of the Styles deck
When it comes down to the Styles deck, which is called Styles and Formatting in older installations, the user will have little problems learning how to use it. This section contains all the tools for styles, so you will never miss out.
In order to get it up and running, press F11, or View > Styles or Style > Manage Styles. You can also select the Styles tab from the sidebar by going to View > Sidebar.
4] Use the fill format mode
OK, so there is a feature in the Styles section that is called Fill Format, and many users may want to take advantage of it. You see, the Fill Format option will allow the user to apply styles to several different sections in a document quickly without having to revert back to the Style deck each time.
We can get this going by opening the Style deck, then choose the style needed for your document. You should now see the Fill Format button; just go on ahead and select it.
In order to apply a paragraph, page, or frame style, hover the mouse over the paragraph, page, or frame and click the mouse. To apply a character style, hold the mouse button down while selecting the characters. Clicking a word applies the character style for that word.
Finally, to quit the Fill Format Mode, just hit the Escape key and that’s it for that.
Now read: Best LibreOffice extensions to boost your productivity.
