To change the tab type, you can either delete the tab and add a new tab of the correct type or you can use the Tabs dialog box.

Drag the tab into the document area of the screen and release the mouse button.

Click and hold the tab you want to delete.

Drag the tab to the new location and release the mouse button.

On the Ruler, click and hold the tab you want to move.

On the Ruler, click the lower edge of the ruler where you want the tab.

Click the TAB TYPE icon until the desired tab type is selected.

Select the paragraph(s) that will receive new tab settings.

You can display the ruler by clicking the View Ribbon, and checking the Ruler option in the Show group. The Ruler options allow you to set, move, delete, or change tabs.

Working with tabs using the Ruler option is a quick and easy way to set and adjust tabs. There are two ways to work with tabs: from the Ruler or from the Tabs Dialog box.

You still have to press at the appropriate places. Setting a tab does not automatically align your text. This could be used when you want to set off some text. The Bar tab is used to add a vertical line at that position. This is useful for a group of numbers or a list of instructions. The Decimal tab is used to align numbers and text with a period. The Center tab works similar to centering a line of text but instead of centering between margins, text is centered at the tab location. With the Right tab, text will end at the tab and flow to the left. With the Left tab, text will begin at the tab position and continue to the right of the tab. The following table explains the different tab types. Tabs come in different types which are defined by the way text aligns with the tab. If you do not like the Word settings, you can set your own tabs.

The default tab settings for Microsoft Word are every half-inch. To avoid problems with text alignment, use tabs rather than spaces. Tabs allow you to position text exactly where you would like it. Step by step instructions for setting tabs in Word 2013 Overview How to Set Tabs – Word (Microsoft 365) Summary How to Set Tabs – Word (Microsoft 365) - Print View How to Set Tabs – Word (Microsoft 365)

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