Bulletin List in Word

Which version of Word are you running? Note if you have the web browser version (Word online), bulleted and numbered lists are not very stable.

In the desktop version of Word for Windows, to change indentation in single level lists, click the actual symbol (bullet or number) to select all numbers that belong to the list. Right-click and choose Adjust List Indents. (Trying to set the indentation using other methods, such as the Paragraph dialog box, will break sooner or later.)

The behavior indicates that the list indentation/levels are not being preserved correctly and are reverting when the document is refreshed. To stabilize the indentation, configure the list using Word’s list and indent tools rather than manual spacing.

Use these steps to control and preserve list levels and indents:

1. Re‑apply proper list levels
   1. Click in the “answers” line.
   2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the arrow next to Multilevel List.
   3. Select Change List Level and choose the intended sub‑level for “answers”. This ensures Word treats it as a true nested list item rather than plain text.
2. Adjust bullet indents for the whole list
   1. Click one bullet in the list to select all bullets at that level.
   2. Right‑click and choose Adjust List Indents.
   3. Set:
      • Bullet position to control how far the bullet is from the left margin.
      • Text indent to control how far the text is from the bullet.
      • Follow number with (or bullet) to Tab character, Space, or Nothing as needed.
   4. Select OK. This writes the indent settings into the list formatting so they persist when reopening.
3. Define a stable list style (recommended for documents used repeatedly)
   1. Select the entire list (including nested items).
   2. On Home > Paragraph, click the arrow next to Multilevel List and choose Define New List Style.
   3. Give the style a name.
   4. For each level:
      • Choose the bullet/number format.
      • Adjust the indent (move left/right) so sub‑items (like “answers”) have the desired indentation.
   5. Choose whether to apply to Only in this document or New documents based on this template.
   6. Click OK. Using a named list style prevents Word from “guessing” list formatting when the file is reopened.
4. If tabbing no longer changes levels If using Tab/Shift+Tab to demote/promote list levels and it stopped working, re‑enable it:
   1. Go to File > Options > Proofing.
   2. Click AutoCorrect Options.
   3. On AutoFormat As You Type, ensure Set left- and first-indent with tabs and backspaces is checked.

After these steps, nested bullets such as:

• Questions?
  • answers

should retain their indentation after saving, closing, and reopening the document.

References:

• Change bullet indents in Word
• Define new bullets, numbers, and multilevel lists
• How do you restore using tab to change outline/bullet levels? - Microsoft Q&A