Format selected text
Select the words you want to change. In the Format sidebar, use Style and the Font menu. When working inside a text box, shape or table, use its Text tab before the Style controls. The nearby size control changes the selected text size.
Select a complete example phrase with punctuation so you can see the effect on the real wording.
Replace a font throughout the document
Apple documents Format > Font > Replace Fonts for document-wide substitution. Choose the replacement beside the listed family and apply Replace Fonts. The replacement keeps the original size and weight settings.
Replacing a font can still change line endings and page flow because the letters and spacing differ. Keep the original document available while assessing the result.
Handle a missing-font notice
A missing-font notification provides a route to substitution. If you obtain the correct font, install it using Font Book. Apple notes that a document already changed to a replacement keeps that replacement until you change it again.
Use our Mac installation guide for the separate installation workflow.
Separate document changes from defaults
A document-wide replacement is not the same as defining the default for new documents. Follow the Pages default-font workflow for that separate task.
Compare a heading, a paragraph and a table after changing families. The font library lets you inspect independently named alternatives before committing to a layout.
Your questions, answered.
Will installing the missing font automatically undo my replacement?
No. Apple states that the document continues using the chosen replacement until you replace it again.
Does selecting a new family change every Pages document?
Formatting a selection or replacing a family applies to the current document scope. New-document defaults are separate.
Sources & background
Sources supporting this page’s explanations. Practical examples are our editorial suggestions.