How to Change Microsoft Word Document Formatting in Plain Text

• Edit the formatting of a Word document in plain text, using two methods: saving the document as an HTML file or as an XML file.
• The advantages and disadvantages of each method in terms of ease of use, accuracy, file size, and code complexity, and provides some examples of how to use them with HTML tags or XML tags.

Microsoft Word is a powerful word processor that allows you to create and edit documents with various formatting options, such as fonts, colors, styles, images, tables, and more. However, sometimes you may need to edit the formatting of a Word document in plain text, without using the graphical user interface (GUI) of Word. For example, you may want to:

• Remove unwanted formatting from a document that was copied from another source.
• Apply consistent formatting to multiple documents using a script or a macro.
• Troubleshoot formatting issues or errors in a document.
• Access and edit a document on a device that does not have Word installed.

In this article, we will show you how to edit the formatting of a Word document in plain text, using two methods: saving the document as an HTML file or as an XML file. We will also provide some frequently asked questions and answers related to this topic.

How to Edit the Formatting of a Word Document as an HTML File

One way to edit the formatting of a Word document in plain text is to save the document as an HTML file. HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language, and it is the standard language for creating web pages. HTML uses tags to define the structure and appearance of the content.

To save a Word document as an HTML file, follow these steps:

1. Open the Word document that you want to edit in plain text.
2. Click on File > Save As and choose a location to save the file.
3. In the Save as type dropdown menu, select Web Page (*.htm; *.html).
4. Click on Save.

You will now have an HTML file that contains the content and formatting of your Word document. You can open this file with any text editor, such as Notepad or Sublime Text, and edit the formatting using HTML tags.

For example, here is how a paragraph with bold and italic formatting looks like in Word:

And here is how it looks like in HTML:

<p>This is a <strong>bold</strong> and <em>italic</em> paragraph.</p>

You can change the formatting by adding, removing, or modifying the HTML tags. For example, if you want to change the font color to red, you can add the style attribute with the color property:

<p style="color: red;">This is a <strong>bold</strong> and <em>italic</em> paragraph.</p>

After editing the formatting in plain text, you can save the HTML file and open it with Word again. You will see that your changes are reflected in the document.

How to Edit the Formatting of a Word Document as an XML File

Another way to edit the formatting of a Word document in plain text is to save the document as an XML file. XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language, and it is a language for storing and exchanging data. XML uses tags to define the structure and meaning of the data.

To save a Word document as an XML file, follow these steps:

1. Open the Word document that you want to edit in plain text.
2. Click on File > Save As and choose a location to save the file.
3. In the Save as type dropdown menu, select Word XML Document (*.xml).
4. Click on Save.

You will now have an XML file that contains the content and formatting of your Word document. You can open this file with any text editor, such as Notepad or Sublime Text, and edit the formatting using XML tags.

For example, here is how a paragraph with bold and italic formatting looks like in XML:

<w:p>
  <w:r>
    <w:t>This is a </w:t>
  </w:r>
  <w:r>
    <w:rPr>
      <w:b/>
    </w:rPr>
    <w:t>bold</w:t>
  </w:r>
  <w:r>
    <w:t> and </w:t>
  </w:r>
  <w:r>
    <w:rPr>
      <w:i/>
    </w:rPr>
    <w:t>italic</w:t>
  </w:r>
  <w:r>
    <w:t> paragraph.</w:t>
  </w:r>
</w:p>

You can see that each tag has a prefix w: which stands for WordML, which is the XML schema for Word documents. You can change the formatting by adding, removing, or modifying the XML tags. For example, if you want to change the font size to 24 points, you can add the sz attribute with the value 48 (the value is in half-points):

<w:p>
  <w:r>
    <w:rPr>
      <w:sz w:val="48"/>
    </w:rPr>
    <w:t>This is a </w:t>
  </w:r>
  <w:r>
    <w:rPr>
      <w:b/>
      <w:sz w:val="48"/>
    </w:rPr>
    <w:t>bold</w:t>
  </w:r>
  <w:r>
    <w:rPr>
      <w:sz w:val="48"/>
    </w:rPr>
    <w:t> and </w:t>
  </w:r>
  <w:r>
    <w:rPr>
      <w:i/>
      <w:sz w:val="48"/>
    </w:rPr>
    <w:t>italic</w:t>
  </w:r>
  <w:r>
    <w:rPr>
      <w:sz w:val="48"/>
    </w:rPr>
    <w:t> paragraph.</w:t>
  </w:r>
</w:p>

After editing the formatting in plain text, you can save the XML file and open it with Word again. You will see that your changes are reflected in the document.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions and answers related to editing the formatting of a Word document in plain text.

Question: Why would I want to edit the formatting of a Word document in plain text?

Answer: There are several reasons why you may want to edit the formatting of a Word document in plain text, such as:

• You want to remove unwanted formatting from a document that was copied from another source, such as a web page or an email.
• You want to apply consistent formatting to multiple documents using a script or a macro, instead of manually changing each document.
• You want to troubleshoot formatting issues or errors in a document, such as corrupted fonts, styles, or images.
• You want to access and edit a document on a device that does not have Word installed, such as a smartphone or a tablet.

Question: What are the advantages and disadvantages of editing the formatting of a Word document as an HTML file or as an XML file?

Answer: Both methods have their pros and cons, depending on your needs and preferences. Here are some of them:

• Editing the formatting of a Word document as an HTML file is easier and more intuitive, as HTML is a widely used and familiar language for web development. However, saving a Word document as an HTML file may result in some loss of formatting or functionality, such as headers, footers, page numbers, comments, or macros.
• Editing the formatting of a Word document as an XML file is more accurate and comprehensive, as XML preserves all the formatting and functionality of the original document. However, saving a Word document as an XML file may result in a larger file size and more complex code, which can be harder to read and edit.

Question: How can I edit the formatting of a Word document in plain text without saving it as an HTML file or an XML file?

Answer: If you don’t want to save your Word document as an HTML file or an XML file, you can still edit the formatting of your document in plain text by using the View Source feature in Word. This feature allows you to view and edit the underlying code of your document without changing its format.

To use the View Source feature in Word, follow these steps:

1. Open the Word document that you want to edit in plain text.
2. Click on File > Options > Advanced.
3. Under General, check the box for Show Source Documents for HTML/XML Editing.
4. Click on OK.
5. Click on View > Web Layout.
6. Right-click on any part of the document and select View Source.

You will now see the source code of your document in Notepad. You can edit the formatting using HTML tags or XML tags, depending on the type of your document. After editing, save the file and close Notepad. You will see that your changes are reflected in the document.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you understand how to edit the formatting of a Word document in plain text, using two methods: saving the document as an HTML file or as an XML file. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages, so you can choose the one that suits your needs and preferences.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. We are not responsible for any errors or omissions in this article, or for any consequences arising from the use of this information.