Fix Word OpenType Stylistic Sets Reverting to Regular After Style Change

You applied an OpenType stylistic set to a font in Word, but after you change the paragraph style or character style, the stylistic set reverts to the regular font appearance. This happens because Word does not store stylistic set selections inside paragraph or character styles by default. This article explains the root cause and provides a reliable method to keep stylistic sets active even after style changes.

Why Stylistic Sets Revert When You Change a Style

OpenType stylistic sets are a font technology that lets you apply alternate glyphs — such as different letter shapes, swashes, or ligatures — to a supported font. In Word, you enable these sets through the Font dialog’s Advanced tab. However, the stylistic set setting is stored as direct formatting on the selected text, not inside the paragraph or character style definition.

When you apply a different paragraph style (like Heading 1) or character style (like Emphasis), Word overwrites the direct formatting with the formatting defined in the new style. Because the stylistic set is not part of the style definition, it disappears. The same issue occurs if you use the Style Gallery or the Styles pane to change the style of text that already has a stylistic set applied.

Word does expose the stylistic set setting in the Modify Style dialog, but many users never look there. The solution is to incorporate the stylistic set directly into the style that you plan to use on that text. This way, the stylistic set becomes part of the style’s formatting and persists through future style applications.

Steps to Store a Stylistic Set Inside a Style

Use the Modify Style dialog to add a stylistic set to an existing paragraph or character style. This method works in Word 2016, Word 2019, Word 2021, and Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows.

1. Open the Styles pane
   Press Alt+Ctrl+Shift+S to open the Styles pane. Alternatively, click the dialog launcher arrow in the Home tab’s Styles group.
2. Locate the style you want to modify
   In the Styles pane, right-click the style name — for example, Normal or Heading 1 — and select Modify from the context menu. The Modify Style dialog appears.
3. Open the Font dialog from within Modify Style
   In the lower-left corner of the Modify Style dialog, click the Format button, then select Font. The Font dialog opens, but note that it is now editing the style definition, not just direct formatting.
4. Switch to the Advanced tab
   In the Font dialog, click the Advanced tab. Scroll to the bottom of the tab to find the Stylistic sets section.
5. Select the desired stylistic set
   Choose a set from the dropdown list. For example, select Stylistic set 1 or Stylistic set 4. The preview pane shows the effect. Click OK to close the Font dialog.
6. Apply the modified style
   Back in the Modify Style dialog, ensure the Add to template option is checked if you want this style to be available in all new documents. Click OK. Now any text formatted with this style will display the stylistic set and retain it even if you later apply a different style and then reapply this one.

If You Need a Stylistic Set Only on Specific Text

If you only want a stylistic set on a small portion of text and do not want to modify a global style, create a dedicated character style that includes the stylistic set. This avoids altering the Normal or Heading styles.

1. Create a new character style
   In the Styles pane, click the New Style button at the bottom (the plus icon). In the Create New Style from Formatting dialog, type a name such as Stylistic Set 1 Text.
2. Set the style type to Character
   In the Style type dropdown, select Character. This ensures the style applies only to selected characters, not the entire paragraph.
3. Add the stylistic set
   Click Format and choose Font. Go to the Advanced tab, select the stylistic set, and click OK. Then click OK again to create the style.
4. Apply the new character style
   Select the text you want to format, then click the new style in the Styles pane. The stylistic set stays active even if you change the paragraph style later, because the character style overrides the font settings.

Common Mistakes and Limitations

Stylistic set is not available in the Font dialog

The stylistic sets section appears only when the selected font supports OpenType stylistic sets. Common fonts that support them include Calibri, Gabriola, and Sitka. If the dropdown is grayed out or missing, choose a different font.

Stylistic set disappears after reopening the document

If you saved the document after applying the stylistic set as direct formatting (not inside a style), the set may be lost if the document is opened in an older version of Word or in Word Online. Always store the stylistic set in a style to ensure portability.

Stylistic set does not survive a paste of plain text

When you paste text as plain text (Keep Text Only), all formatting including stylistic sets is removed. Use the Keep Source Formatting paste option or apply the style again after pasting.

Direct Formatting vs. Style-Based Stylistic Set

Item	Direct Formatting	Style-Based Stylistic Set
Application method	Home > Font dialog > Advanced tab (no style involved)	Modify Style dialog > Format > Font > Advanced tab
Persistence after style change	Lost — style change overwrites direct formatting	Retained — stylistic set is part of the style definition
Ease of setup	Quick, no style creation needed	Requires modifying or creating a style
Reusability	Must reapply to each text selection	Applies automatically to all text using that style
Compatibility with templates	Not stored in template	Can be saved to the template for use in new documents

You can now keep OpenType stylistic sets active even after changing paragraph or character styles. Create a character style that includes the stylistic set, or modify an existing paragraph style through the Modify Style dialog. For maximum control, use the New Style button to build a dedicated character style — this way the stylistic set never reverts regardless of which paragraph style you apply later.