How to Create Custom List Numbers in Microsoft Word

We recently created and modified numbered lists in Microsoft Word. Today, we are going to take that a step further by creating custom list numbers in Microsoft Word.

Custom list numbers can combine letters, words, and punctuation (e.g., A1, Step 1, A-1). We will also customize the style, such as the font, size, alignment, and color.

Plus, the Pro Tip at the end explains how to remove extra space between the number and the list item.

Quick Links:

How to Create Custom List Numbers
Pro Tip: How to Remove Extra Space between List Numbers and List Items

What about Lists Ordered by Letters?

This tutorial refers to “list numbers” because Word organizes all ordered (hierarchical) list options in the Numbering Library. However, all the steps shown here also apply to lists organized by letters.

This tutorial is available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 150 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. These steps also apply to Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, and Word 2013.

Are you on a Mac? Please visit “How to Create Custom List Numbers in Word for Mac.”

How to Create Custom List Numbers

(Optional) Select an existing number in the list level you want to customize.

Selected list numbers in Word 365 — Figure 1. Selected list numbers

Select the Home tab in the ribbon.

Home tab in Word 365 — Figure 2. Home tab

Select the Numbering menu arrow in the Paragraph group.

Numbering menu arrow in Word 365 — Figure 3. Numbering menu arrow

Select Define New Number Format from the drop-down menu.

Define New Number Format in the Numbering Menu in Word 365 — Figure 4. Define New Number Format option

(Optional) Select a new style from the Number style menu in the Define New Number Format dialog box.

Number style menu in the Define New Number Format dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 5. Number style menu

Add letters, words, or punctuation before or after the number in the gray shading in the Number format text box. Do not delete or alter the number in the gray shading.

If you delete or alter the number in the gray shading, the automatic list numbering will stop functioning.

Number format text box in the Define New Number Format dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 6. Number format text box

(Optional) Select the Font button.

Font button in the Define New Number Format dialog box Font button — Figure 7. Font button

7.a. Select a new (A) font, (B) font style, (C) size, (D) font color, (E) underlining style, and (F) underlining color in the Font dialog box.

Font dialog box font options in Word 365 — Figure 8. Font options

7.b. Select the OK button.

Font dialog box OK button in Word 365 — Figure 9. OK button

(Optional) Select Left, Centered, or Right from the Alignment menu.

Alignment menu in the Define New Number Format dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 10. Alignment menu

Select the OK button.

OK button in the Define New Number Format dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 11. OK button

The list level you selected in step 1 should change to your new formatting.

Custom list numbers in Word 365 — Figure 12. Custom list numbers

Repeat steps 1 through 9 for existing list levels, as necessary.

Your new list number format will be automatically added to the Numbering Library (i.e., the drop-down menu for the Numbering button) and will be available in other documents.

If you want to remove a format from the Numbering Library, right-click it and then select Remove from the shortcut menu.

Remove option in the Numbering Library shortcut menu in Word 365 — Figure 13. Remove option

Pro Tip: How to Remove Extra Space between List Numbers and List Items

By default, Word inserts a tab between list numbers and list items. Sometimes this tab produces unwanted space when paired with custom list numbers. However, we can fix the problem by replacing the tab with a regular space.