By default, the plain black circular bullets are used when creating bulleted lists. However, you can customize your bulleted lists. We will show you how to change the symbol used as the bullets on the list and how to change the color of the bullets.

NOTE: We used Word 2016 to illustrate this feature.

Highlight the bulleted list you want to customize and make sure the “Home” tab is active on the ribbon. Click the down arrow on the “Bullets” button in the “Paragraph” section.

01_clicking_bullets_drop_down_arrow

A few symbols display in the “Bullet Library” on the drop-down menu. If the symbol you want is in the “Bullet Library”, click on it to select it.

NOTE: As you move your mouse over the symbols in the “Bullet Library”, Word shows you how the symbol will look on the list.

02_selecting_bullet_style

If you don’t see a symbol you want in the “Bullet Library”, you can use a different symbol. select “Define New Bullet” from the drop-down menu.

03_selecting_define_new_bullet

On the “Define New Bullet” dialog box, in the “Bullet character” section, click “Symbol”.

04_clicking_symbol

The “Symbol” dialog box displays with the “Symbol” font selected. You can choose one of the symbols in the “Symbol” font or select a different font from the “Font” drop-down list to access more symbols. The Wingdings fonts have a good range of symbols.

05_selecting_wingdings

Once you find the symbol you want to use, click on it and then click “OK”.

06_selecting_a_symbol

Notice that the “Preview” on the “Define New Bullet” dialog box shows the newly selected symbol as the bullets.

07_closing_define_new_bullet_dialog

You can also change the color of the bullets, even if you’ve chosen a different symbol for your bullets. Open the “Define New Bullet” dialog box again, as described earlier in this article. Click “Font” in the “Bullet character” section.

08_clicking_font

Click the “Font color” drop-down color picker and click on the color you want to use for your bullets.

09_selecting_a_color

Click “OK” to accept the change and close the “Font” dialog box.

10_closing_font_dialog

You are returned to the “Define New Bullet” dialog box and the “Preview” shows your bullets in the color you chose.

11_closing_define_new_bullet_dialog_for_color

You can also use a picture as a bullet and we’ll show you how to do that in future article.