How to Apply OpenType Stylistic Sets in Word

OpenType fonts can include multiple design variations of the same character, called stylistic sets. These sets let you change the look of letters, numbers, or symbols without switching to a different font. For example, a font may offer an alternate lowercase ‘a’ or ‘g’ that gives your document a more elegant or modern appearance. This article explains what OpenType stylistic sets are and how to apply them using the Font dialog in Word.

What Are OpenType Stylistic Sets

OpenType is a font format developed by Microsoft and Adobe. It supports advanced typographic features that go beyond basic character mapping. A stylistic set is a predefined group of alternate glyphs (character shapes) within an OpenType font. Font designers create these sets to give users control over the visual style of text.

Not all OpenType fonts contain stylistic sets. Common fonts that include them are Gabriola, Palatino Linotype, Calibri, and many professional typefaces from foundries like Adobe, Monotype, and Google Fonts. Each font defines its own sets, and the available sets vary by font. Some fonts offer only one or two sets, while others offer up to twenty.

How Stylistic Sets Differ From Other OpenType Features

Word supports several OpenType features in the Font dialog under the Advanced tab. Stylistic sets are distinct from:

• Ligatures: Combined character pairs like ‘fi’ or ‘fl’ that merge into a single glyph.
• Number spacing: Controls whether numbers have fixed (tabular) or proportional widths.
• Number forms: Switches between lining (uppercase-height) and old-style (lowercase-height) numerals.
• Swash: Decorative flourishes on capital letters, often used for headings.

Stylistic sets are broader: they replace a set of characters with alternate designs. A single set might change the look of several letters, numbers, or punctuation marks simultaneously.

Steps to Apply OpenType Stylistic Sets in Word

You apply stylistic sets through the Font dialog. The feature is available in Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2019, Word 2016, and Word for Mac. The steps below work for Windows and Mac versions.

1. Select the text you want to modify
   Highlight the paragraph, heading, or sentence where you want to apply the stylistic set. The feature works on any text selection, including a single character.
2. Open the Font dialog
   On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the small diagonal arrow in the bottom-right corner. This opens the Font dialog box. Alternatively, press Ctrl+D on Windows or Command+D on Mac.
3. Go to the Advanced tab
   In the Font dialog, click the Advanced tab at the top. This tab contains all OpenType settings.
4. Locate the Stylistic sets dropdown
   Under the OpenType features section, find the Stylistic sets dropdown. It is labeled “Stylistic sets.” Click the dropdown arrow to see the list of available sets for your selected font.
5. Choose a stylistic set
   Select a set from the list. The sets are named Default, Set 1, Set 2, and so on up to Set 20. The preview area at the bottom of the Font dialog shows how the selected text will look with that set applied. If the font has descriptive names (e.g., “Set 1: Elegant”), those names appear in the dropdown.
6. Apply the change
   Click OK to close the Font dialog and apply the stylistic set to the selected text. The text updates immediately in your document.

Applying Multiple Stylistic Sets

You can combine multiple stylistic sets on the same text. Word allows you to select more than one set from the dropdown. For example, you could enable Set 1 and Set 3 simultaneously if the font supports both. To do this, hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) while clicking additional sets in the dropdown. Not all fonts support multiple sets together, so test the combination on a small sample.

Common Mistakes and Limitations

The Stylistic Sets Dropdown Is Grayed Out

If the dropdown is disabled, the selected font does not contain any OpenType stylistic sets. Try a different font such as Gabriola or Palatino Linotype. You can also check the font’s documentation or preview in a font manager to confirm it includes stylistic sets.

The Text Does Not Change After Selecting a Set

Some stylistic sets affect only specific characters. If your selected text does not include those characters, the set has no visible effect. For example, a set might only change the lowercase ‘a’ and ‘e’. If your text has no ‘a’ or ‘e’, the text looks the same. Try applying the set to a word that contains common letters like ‘a’, ‘g’, ‘q’, or ‘y’.

Stylistic Sets Are Lost When Sharing the Document

If the recipient does not have the same font installed, Word substitutes a different font and the stylistic sets are lost. To preserve the appearance, embed the font in the document. Go to File > Options > Save and check “Embed fonts in the file.” Note that embedding increases file size and may not be allowed for all fonts due to licensing.

Item	Stylistic Sets	Alternate Ligatures
What it changes	Multiple characters across the alphabet	Specific two- or three-character combinations
Number of options	Up to 20 sets per font	Typically 2 to 5 ligature types
Visible effect	Subtle to dramatic redesign of letterforms	Merged glyphs for pairs like fi, fl, ffi
Word location	Font dialog > Advanced > Stylistic sets	Font dialog > Advanced > Ligatures
Works with	OpenType fonts only	OpenType and some TrueType fonts

You can now apply OpenType stylistic sets to give your Word documents a custom typographic look. Experiment with different fonts and set combinations to find the style that fits your project. For advanced typography, also explore the Swash and Number spacing options in the same Advanced tab of the Font dialog.