Removing Paragraph & Character Styles

Free InCopy Tutorial

Discover the process of removing paragraph and character styles in text, understand what local formatting is and learn the steps to remove local formatting and character styles.

This exercise is excerpted from past InCopy training materials and is compatible with InCopy updates through 2021. To learn current skills in Adobe Creative Cloud and graphic design, check out our graphic design classes in NYC and live online.

Removing Paragraph & Character Styles

What Is Local Formatting (Also Called an Override)?

This is when text is formatted differently than a paragraph or character style. Some examples are when the size of text is changed or a bold has been applied.

Removing Local Formatting (Overrides)

  1. Select some text, or just click anywhere in a paragraph.

  2. Open the Paragraph Styles panel (Type > Paragraph Styles).

  3. When text is formatted differently than a style (e.g.: bolded, italicized, tracked) a + will appear to the right of the style name as shown below.

    TIP: Mouse over the + and a tooltip will appear to tell you what the override is.

    paragraph style override

  4. To remove local formatting, click the Clear overrides button clear override button at the bottom of the panel.

    NOTE: If some text was selected, only those characters will revert to the style’s formatting, leaving the rest of the paragraph as is. If the cursor is sitting in the paragraph with nothing highlighted, then the entire paragraph will be wiped clean.

    HINT: You can also Option–click (Mac) or Alt–click (Windows) directly on the name of the style to wipe all local formatting from that whole paragraph.

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Removing a Character Style

  1. Select some text that has a Character Style applied.

  2. Open the Character Styles panel (Type > Character Styles).

  3. You will see the name of the Character Style that is applied to that text. Click on [None] at the top of the panel to remove the style.

    character style applied

photo of Dan Rodney

Dan Rodney

Dan Rodney has been a designer and web developer for over 20 years. He creates coursework for Noble Desktop and teaches classes. In his spare time Dan also writes scripts for InDesign (Make Book JacketProper Fraction Pro, and more). Dan teaches just about anything web, video, or print related: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Figma, Adobe XD, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and more.

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How to Learn Graphic Design

Master graphic design with hands-on training. Graphic design is the production of digital and print media that follows certain conventions of style, color, and typography in order to evoke a positive reaction from its viewers.

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