Changes to Normal.dotm don't "take"

Here is my "File Locations" screen:

Here is the directory:

Why isn't reading the Normal.dotm in this folder.

That is where it should be looking!

Are you sure that it is not?

I see Normal.dotm there with today's date for the file date and time.

Like Suzanne, I have multiple versions and multiple user template folders for those versions.

If you have multiple Normal.dotm templates on your computer and manually open and edit one of those, it is hard to be sure you are opening the one that Word is actually using. The methods for making changes to your default settings given on Suzanne's page let Word worry about having the correct template.

I would also recommend assigning a folder for Workgroup templates if you have any that are shared in your workplace. That is not where your Normal.dotm file should be, though.

To find the file your Word installation is treating as its Normal.dotm, follow the directions here:

Where is the Normal Template / How to Find the Normal Template

Word will look in the location you set for user templates.

User Templates (https://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/templates.htm#UserTemplates)

That is set in File > Options > Advanced > File Locations.

Microsoft Word 2024

I go to C:\users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\templates and open Normal.dotm.

Make changes: Margins, Tabs, Fonts, Paragraph, etc.

When done, click File > Save. Get message Normal.dotm saved. Close Word.

When I open a new file, Microsoft's DEFAULT Normal.dotm settings appear.

What the **** am I doing wrong?

USED to be a setting that put a dashed line around the page at the selected margins. Is it still available? Where?

Thanks.

You do not need to open Normal.dotm to make such changes.

• Change Default Settings by Suzanne Barnhill, MVP
• How to Change the Default Settings in Microsoft Word - Accellis Technology Group

That said, sometimes an overly protective IT department will undo such changes. Sometimes Add-Ins will as well.

I've not seen Add-Ins prevent direct changes to the Normal file lie you describe, though.

See Backup Normal.dotm template using a macro.

The setting you refer to is Text Boundaries, and it was broken with Word 2013 because Microsoft designers did not realize users used it.

Text Boundaries Display in Microsoft Word

For the changes you mention, consider creating one or more custom templates and using those for your new documents.

Templates in Microsoft Word (https://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/templates.htm)

THINK I found part of the problem. When setting up Word, I specified a DIFFERENT location for Word Templates- D:\Documents\OfficeFiles\OfficeTemplates.

When I look at the Normal.dotm file in that directory, changes have been made to THAT Normal.dotm file.

Word appears to still be looking in C:\users\username\appdata\roaming\microsoft\templates when it opens a new document. How can I fix that?