Apply template to an existing Word document file

I have a bunch of really old system manuals that need to be updated, but I can't for the life of me imagine opening each one up and applying the styles, ensuring font remains same, size color, etc. I have a template saved (header and footer with logo, etc) and want to apply the standard header and footer across multiple documents. Possible?

15.1k 9 9 gold badges 55 55 silver badges 58 58 bronze badges asked Dec 16, 2009 at 11:30 1,893 5 5 gold badges 20 20 silver badges 28 28 bronze badges

Do you hope to apply the same template to Word Documents and Excel files? I don't think that's possible.

Commented Dec 16, 2009 at 12:09

the solution can be something arround VBA scripting, (ALT+F11 to get started) but how much files do you have ?

Commented Dec 16, 2009 at 15:50

Since I can't post an answer I'll just point out in a comment that you do not need to use the developer tab in Word 2010. You can instead do the following, go to: File | Options | Add-Ins | Manage: Templates | Go | Attach. | Choose the file | Check: Automatically update document styles | OK. Then you're done.

Commented Feb 3, 2016 at 18:38 Consider accepting an answer if you found it helpful. Commented Jun 29, 2017 at 15:02

4 Answers 4

From Quickly Formatting Multiple Documents for Word 2007 (I hope that for Excel it may be somewhat similar):

  1. Display the Developer tab of the ribbon and then click on the Document Template tool.

Document Template button

  1. In the Templates and Add-ins window, click on the Attach button.

Templates and Add-in window

  1. Use the controls in the Attach Template dialog box to locate and select the template you want attached to your document, then click Open.

Attaching a template

  1. The Attach Template dialog box disappears and the name of the template you selected appears in the Document Template box.

Attached template

  1. Select the Automatically Update Document Styles check box to make sure that the styles in the template are applied to your document.

Automatically update styles

  1. Click on OK.

Click OK

If you don't see the Developer tab necessary for step 1, then you need to make the tab visible. You do that by clicking the Office button and then clicking the Word Options button. In the resulting Word Options dialog box, the Popular option should be selected at the left. Make sure the Show Developer Tab in Ribbon check box is selected and click OK.

For older versions of Word, please see the above article.

You'll still need to open each document in order to use the above method.