diff --git a/src/lib/components/Toolbar.svelte b/src/lib/components/Toolbar.svelte
index 3de9b91..7823618 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/Toolbar.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/Toolbar.svelte
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
   import { effectiveOrderedTypeAt } from '../editor/extensions/orderedList';
   import { isInHeaderCell } from '../editor/extensions/tableHeaderRow';
   import { blockStyleName } from '../editor/extensions/paragraphStyle';
+  import { activeCharacterStyle } from '../editor/extensions/characterStyle';
   import { DEFAULT_STYLE, resolveStyle, styleOrder } from '../styles/styleSheet';
   import { styleSheet } from '../styles/sheet.svelte';
   import StyleManagerDialog from './StyleManagerDialog.svelte';
@@ -24,6 +25,20 @@
   // registry, assigning one only sets the style — hard formatting stays, as in Word/LO.
   let sheet = $derived(styleSheet());
   let galleryStyles = $derived(styleOrder(sheet));
+  // Character styles apply to the selected run, not the block (LibreOffice's second family).
+  let charStyles = $derived(Object.values(sheet.character ?? {}));
+  let currentCharStyle = $derived.by<string | null>(() => {
+    if (tick < 0 || !editor) return null;
+    return activeCharacterStyle(editor.state as never);
+  });
+
+  function applyCharStyle(name: string) {
+    stylesOpen = false;
+    if (!editor) return;
+    // Clicking the active one removes it, like a toggle.
+    if (currentCharStyle === name) editor.chain().focus().unsetCharacterStyle().run();
+    else editor.chain().focus().setCharacterStyle(name).run();
+  }
 
   // Built-in names are translated; user styles show their own name.
   function styleLabel(name: string): string {
@@ -211,6 +226,22 @@
                 {styleLabel(s.name)}
               </button>
             {/each}
+            {#if charStyles.length}
+              <div class="ol-section-label char-label">{t().styles.characterStyles}</div>
+              {#each charStyles as c}
+                {@const preview = resolveStyle(sheet, c.name, 'character')}
+                <button
+                  class="ol-option style-option"
+                  class:active={currentCharStyle === c.name}
+                  onclick={() => applyCharStyle(c.name)}
+                  role="menuitemradio"
+                  aria-checked={currentCharStyle === c.name}
+                  style="font-weight: {preview.text.bold ? 600 : 400}; font-style: {preview.text.italic ? 'italic' : 'normal'}; font-family: {preview.text.fontFamily ?? 'inherit'}"
+                >
+                  {c.name}
+                </button>
+              {/each}
+            {/if}
             <button class="ol-option manage" onclick={() => { stylesOpen = false; managerOpen = true; }}>
               {t().styles.manage}
             </button>
@@ -437,6 +468,11 @@
     line-height: 1.2;
   }
 
+  .char-label {
+    margin-top: 2px;
+    border-top: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+  }
+
   .manage {
     margin-top: 2px;
     border-top: 1px solid var(--color-border);
diff --git a/src/lib/editor/extensions.ts b/src/lib/editor/extensions.ts
index dd3b18c..33d8b8c 100644
--- a/src/lib/editor/extensions.ts
+++ b/src/lib/editor/extensions.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import { ParagraphSpacing } from './extensions/paragraphSpacing';
 import { ParagraphBox } from './extensions/paragraphBox';
 import { BlockFontSize } from './extensions/blockFontSize';
 import { ParagraphStyle } from './extensions/paragraphStyle';
+import { CharacterStyle } from './extensions/characterStyle';
 import { PageBreak } from './extensions/pageBreak';
 import { Indent } from './extensions/indent';
 import { FormattingMarks } from './extensions/formattingMarks';
@@ -101,6 +102,8 @@ export const extensions = [
   // Named paragraph style (LibreOffice style:style / Word w:pStyle); the document
   // stylesheet in Editor.svelte renders it, direct formatting still wins.
   ParagraphStyle.configure({ sheet: styleSheet }),
+  // Named character style on a run (LibreOffice style:family="text" / Word w:rStyle).
+  CharacterStyle,
   PageBreak,
   Indent,
   Heading.configure({ levels: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] }),
diff --git a/src/lib/editor/extensions/characterStyle.ts b/src/lib/editor/extensions/characterStyle.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..517a70f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/editor/extensions/characterStyle.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import { Mark, mergeAttributes } from '@tiptap/core';
+
+// A named character style on a run (LibreOffice style:family="text" / Word w:rStyle):
+// paragraphStyle.ts one level down. Rendered as data-char-style for the generated
+// document stylesheet; direct marks are inline styles and still win.
+
+declare module '@tiptap/core' {
+  interface Commands<ReturnType> {
+    characterStyle: {
+      setCharacterStyle: (name: string) => ReturnType;
+      unsetCharacterStyle: () => ReturnType;
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+export const CharacterStyle = Mark.create({
+  name: 'charStyle',
+
+  addAttributes() {
+    return {
+      name: {
+        default: null,
+        parseHTML: (element: HTMLElement) => element.getAttribute('data-char-style') || null,
+        renderHTML: (attributes: Record<string, unknown>) =>
+          attributes.name ? { 'data-char-style': String(attributes.name) } : {},
+      },
+    };
+  },
+
+  parseHTML() {
+    return [{ tag: 'span[data-char-style]' }];
+  },
+
+  renderHTML({ HTMLAttributes }) {
+    return ['span', mergeAttributes(HTMLAttributes), 0];
+  },
+
+  addCommands() {
+    return {
+      setCharacterStyle: (name: string) => ({ commands }) => commands.setMark(this.name, { name }),
+      unsetCharacterStyle: () => ({ commands }) => commands.unsetMark(this.name),
+    };
+  },
+});
+
+// The character style covering the selection, or null when there is none / it is mixed.
+export function activeCharacterStyle(state: {
+  selection: { from: number; to: number; empty: boolean; $head: { marks(): readonly { type: { name: string }; attrs: Record<string, unknown> }[] } };
+  storedMarks?: readonly { type: { name: string }; attrs: Record<string, unknown> }[] | null;
+  doc: { nodesBetween(from: number, to: number, f: (node: { isText: boolean; marks: readonly { type: { name: string }; attrs: Record<string, unknown> }[] }) => void): void };
+}): string | null {
+  const nameOf = (marks: readonly { type: { name: string }; attrs: Record<string, unknown> }[]) =>
+    (marks.find(m => m.type.name === 'charStyle')?.attrs.name as string | undefined) ?? null;
+  if (state.selection.empty) return nameOf(state.storedMarks ?? state.selection.$head.marks());
+  let found: string | null | undefined;
+  let mixed = false;
+  state.doc.nodesBetween(state.selection.from, state.selection.to, (node) => {
+    if (mixed || !node.isText) return;
+    const name = nameOf(node.marks);
+    if (found === undefined) found = name;
+    else if (found !== name) mixed = true;
+  });
+  return mixed ? null : found ?? null;
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/editor/extensions/headerFooter.ts b/src/lib/editor/extensions/headerFooter.ts
index 888b57a..5f56349 100644
--- a/src/lib/editor/extensions/headerFooter.ts
+++ b/src/lib/editor/extensions/headerFooter.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import TextAlign from '@tiptap/extension-text-align';
 import { FontWeight } from './fontWeight';
 import { FontColor } from './fontColor';
 import { ParagraphBox } from './paragraphBox';
+import { CharacterStyle } from './characterStyle';
 import { PageNumber, PageCount } from './pageField';
 import { Image } from './image';
 
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ export function hfExtensions(placeholder = '') {
     FontColor,
     // Paragraph background ("colored field") + rule line, common in letterhead headers.
     ParagraphBox,
+    CharacterStyle,
     Highlight.configure({ multicolor: true }),
     HfHardBreak,
     // Inline (as-character) images only — the single-paragraph zone has no text flow
diff --git a/src/lib/editor/extensions/paragraphStyle.ts b/src/lib/editor/extensions/paragraphStyle.ts
index b4ece09..feb1219 100644
--- a/src/lib/editor/extensions/paragraphStyle.ts
+++ b/src/lib/editor/extensions/paragraphStyle.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export const ParagraphStyle = Extension.create<{ types: string[]; sheet: () => S
   name: 'paragraphStyle',
 
   addOptions() {
-    return { types: ['paragraph', 'heading'], sheet: () => ({ paragraph: {} }) };
+    return { types: ['paragraph', 'heading'], sheet: () => ({ paragraph: {}, character: {} }) };
   },
 
   addGlobalAttributes() {
diff --git a/src/lib/export/docx.ts b/src/lib/export/docx.ts
index 324b6d6..409b8cf 100644
--- a/src/lib/export/docx.ts
+++ b/src/lib/export/docx.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
 import type { TiptapNode } from 'odf-kit';
 import type {
   IRunStylePropertiesOptions, ISpacingProperties, IIndentAttributesProperties,
-  ILevelsOptions, IFloating, IBorderOptions, IParagraphStyleOptions,
+  ILevelsOptions, IFloating, IBorderOptions, IParagraphStyleOptions, ICharacterStyleOptions,
 } from 'docx';
 import { unzipSync, zipSync, strFromU8, strToU8 } from 'fflate';
 import { TEXTBOX_PADDING_CM } from '../editor/extensions/textBox';
@@ -158,7 +158,11 @@ function markPresent(marks: TiptapNode['marks'], type: string): boolean {
 // every run (header-row cells), respecting an explicit fontWeight:normal un-bold.
 function runPropsFromMarks(marks: TiptapNode['marks'] = [], forceBold = false): Writable<IRunStylePropertiesOptions> {
   const ts = marks.find((m) => m.type === 'textStyle');
-  const props: Writable<IRunStylePropertiesOptions> = {};
+  const props: Writable<IRunStylePropertiesOptions> & { style?: string } = {};
+
+  // A named character style (w:rStyle); the run's own marks below still win.
+  const charStyle = marks.find((m) => m.type === 'charStyle')?.attrs?.name;
+  if (typeof charStyle === 'string' && charStyle) props.style = docxStyleId(charStyle);
 
   let bold: boolean | undefined = markPresent(marks, 'bold') || undefined;
   const fw = ts?.attrs?.fontWeight;
@@ -889,6 +893,20 @@ function paragraphStyleOf(style: Style): IParagraphStyleOptions {
   };
 }
 
+// One registry character style → a Word character style (w:type="character").
+function characterStyleOf(style: Style): ICharacterStyleOptions {
+  const t = style.text;
+  const run: Writable<IRunStylePropertiesOptions> = {};
+  if (t.fontFamily) run.font = t.fontFamily === 'Liberation Serif' ? DOC_FONT : t.fontFamily;
+  if (t.fontSizePt != null) run.size = Math.round(t.fontSizePt * 2);
+  if (t.bold != null) run.bold = t.bold;
+  if (t.italic != null) run.italics = t.italic;
+  if (t.underline) run.underline = {};
+  if (t.strike) run.strike = t.strike;
+  if (t.color) run.color = t.color.replace('#', '');
+  return { id: docxStyleId(style.name), name: style.name, quickFormat: true, run };
+}
+
 function buildStyles(sheet: StyleSheet, used: Set<string>, language?: { language: string; country: string } | null) {
   const run: Writable<IRunStylePropertiesOptions> = { font: DOC_FONT, size: 24 };
   if (language) run.language = { value: `${language.language}-${language.country}` };
@@ -898,6 +916,7 @@ function buildStyles(sheet: StyleSheet, used: Set<string>, language?: { language
     },
     // The document's named styles, chain intact — Word shows them in its style list.
     paragraphStyles: Object.values(sheet.paragraph).filter(st => used.has(st.name)).map(paragraphStyleOf),
+    characterStyles: Object.values(sheet.character ?? {}).map(characterStyleOf),
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/export/odt.ts b/src/lib/export/odt.ts
index 042e37b..79db6fb 100644
--- a/src/lib/export/odt.ts
+++ b/src/lib/export/odt.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { DEFAULT_MARGINS, type PageMargins } from '../storage/pageMargins';
 import type { Orientation } from '../storage/pageOrientation';
 import { pageDimsCm, type PageFormat } from '../storage/pageFormat';
 import { HF_DISTANCE_CM, hfIsEmpty, type HfDoc } from '../storage/headerFooter';
-import { builtinStyleSheet, DEFAULT_STYLE, type StyleSheet } from '../styles/styleSheet';
+import { builtinStyleSheet, DEFAULT_STYLE, resolveStyle, type StyleSheet } from '../styles/styleSheet';
 import { HEADER_SHADE } from '../editor/extensions/tableHeaderRow';
 import { BORDER_SIDES, parseBorderAttr } from '../editor/extensions/tableCellBorders';
 import { TEXTBOX_PADDING_CM } from '../editor/extensions/textBox';
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@ const HFIMG = '';
 // odf-kit path; applyParagraphStyles points the block at that style. U+E00D.
 const STY = '';
 
+// Sentinel prefixed to a run that carries a named character style (CST<name>CST);
+// applyCharacterStyles points the run's span at that style. U+E00E.
+const CST = '\uE00E';
+
 const EXT_BY_MIME: Record<string, string> = {
   'image/png': 'png',
   'image/jpeg': 'jpg',
@@ -128,9 +132,8 @@ const CELL_LIST_BULLET_STYLE = 'TblListBullet';
 const CELL_LIST_NUMBER_STYLE = 'TblListNumber';
 
 // LibreOffice's heading defaults, shown in the editor (editor.css) and written over
-// odf-kit's larger Heading_20_N styles on export: its sizes plus the Heading style's
-// margins, which every level inherits. import/odt.ts uses them as the defaults to
-// suppress on re-import.
+// odf-kit's Heading_20_N styles on export: its sizes plus the Heading style's margins.
+// The importers use them as the fallback yardstick when a file declares no style.
 export const HEADING_STYLE_OVERRIDES: { name: string; fontSize: string; marginTop: string; marginBottom: string }[] = [
   { name: 'Heading_20_1', fontSize: '18pt', marginTop: '0.423cm', marginBottom: '0.212cm' },
   { name: 'Heading_20_2', fontSize: '16pt', marginTop: '0.423cm', marginBottom: '0.212cm' },
@@ -225,6 +228,11 @@ function hasFontWeightRun(content: TiptapNode['content']): boolean {
   );
 }
 
+// Same for a named character style: only applyRuns emits its CST sentinel.
+function hasCharStyleRun(content: TiptapNode['content']): boolean {
+  return !!content?.some(c => c.type === 'text' && !!charStyleOf(c.marks));
+}
+
 function injectCustomTypes(node: TiptapNode, inContainer = false): TiptapNode {
   // Rename tables so odf-kit routes them to our unknownNodeHandler (see
   // CUST_TABLE). Recurse with inContainer=true so the cell paragraphs are NOT
@@ -239,7 +247,7 @@ function injectCustomTypes(node: TiptapNode, inContainer = false): TiptapNode {
   // Don't rename paragraphs inside list items or table cells — tiptapToOdt's list
   // builder (and our table handler) walk them by type === "paragraph"; renaming
   // breaks that.
-  if (!inContainer && (hasCustomAttrs(node.attrs) || hasFontWeightRun(node.content))) {
+  if (!inContainer && (hasCustomAttrs(node.attrs) || hasFontWeightRun(node.content) || hasCharStyleRun(node.content))) {
     if (node.type === 'paragraph') return { ...node, type: CUST_P };
     if (node.type === 'heading')   return { ...node, type: CUST_H };
   }
@@ -1051,6 +1059,17 @@ function stripManagedProps(block: string): string {
 // chain is preserved, so LibreOffice/Word show them as real, inheriting styles.
 function applyNamedStyles(styles: string, sheet: StyleSheet, used: Set<string>): string {
   const added: string[] = [];
+  // Character styles are the same shape, family "text" and text props only.
+  for (const style of Object.values(sheet.character ?? {})) {
+    const { text } = ownStyleAttrs(style);
+    if (!Object.keys(text).length) continue;
+    const odfName = odfStyleName(style.name);
+    if (findAutoStyle(styles, odfName)) continue;
+    const attrs: Record<string, string> = {
+      'style:name': odfName, 'style:family': 'text', 'style:display-name': style.name,
+    };
+    added.push(upsertProps(`${setTagAttrs('<style:style/>', attrs).replace('/>', '>')}</style:style>`, 'text', text));
+  }
   for (const style of Object.values(sheet.paragraph)) {
     if (!used.has(style.name)) continue;
     const odfName = odfStyleName(style.name);
@@ -1859,19 +1878,109 @@ function linkHrefOf(marks: TiptapNode['marks'] = []): string | undefined {
 // Emit each text node as an odf-kit run; link-marked runs become <text:a> via addLink.
 // forceBold bakes bold onto every run regardless of marks — used for header-row cells,
 // whose bold is presentational (CSS) in the editor and so isn't stored as a mark.
+// The sheet of the export in flight, so the run emitters can resolve character styles
+// without threading it through every cell/list helper (mirrors docLangTag in docx.ts).
+let exportSheet: StyleSheet = builtinStyleSheet();
+
 function applyRuns(p: ParagraphBuilder | CellBuilder, content: TiptapNode[] = [], forceBold = false) {
   for (const node of content) {
     if (node.type !== 'text' || !node.text) continue;
     const fmt = formattingFromMarks(node.marks);
     // Bake header bold, but respect an explicit un-bold (fontWeight:normal) override.
     if (forceBold && fmt.fontWeight !== 'normal') fmt.bold = true;
+    // A named character style: bake its resolved formatting (so odf-kit always mints a
+    // span) and mark the run, so applyCharacterStyles can re-point that span at the style.
+    const charStyle = charStyleOf(node.marks);
+    let prefix = '';
+    if (charStyle) {
+      // The style is the base, the run's own marks stay on top.
+      const direct = { ...fmt };
+      Object.assign(fmt, charFormatting(exportSheet, charStyle), direct);
+      prefix = `${CST}${charStyle}${CST}`;
+    }
     const f = Object.keys(fmt).length ? fmt : undefined;
     const href = linkHrefOf(node.marks);
-    if (href) p.addLink(node.text, href, f);
-    else p.addText(node.text, f);
+    if (href) p.addLink(prefix + node.text, href, f);
+    else p.addText(prefix + node.text, f);
   }
 }
 
+function charStyleOf(marks: TiptapNode['marks']): string | null {
+  const name = marks?.find(m => m.type === 'charStyle')?.attrs?.name;
+  return typeof name === 'string' && name ? name : null;
+}
+
+// A character style's resolved props as odf-kit run formatting (baked so the file still
+// looks right for readers that ignore the style reference).
+function charFormatting(sheet: StyleSheet, name: string): Record<string, unknown> {
+  const t = resolveStyle(sheet, name, 'character').text;
+  const fmt: Record<string, unknown> = {};
+  if (t.bold != null) fmt.bold = t.bold;
+  if (t.italic != null) fmt.italic = t.italic;
+  if (t.underline) fmt.underline = true;
+  if (t.strike) fmt.strikethrough = true;
+  if (t.fontFamily) fmt.fontFamily = t.fontFamily === ODFKIT_DEFAULT_FONT ? EXPORT_FONT : t.fontFamily;
+  if (t.fontSizePt != null) fmt.fontSize = `${t.fontSizePt}pt`;
+  if (t.color) fmt.color = t.color;
+  return fmt;
+}
+
+// Resolve CST sentinels: point each marked run's span at its named character style
+// (a clone of the automatic style whose parent becomes the named one), then strip it.
+function applyCharacterStyles(odtBytes: Uint8Array): Uint8Array {
+  const files = unzipSync(odtBytes);
+  const contentBytes = files['content.xml'];
+  if (!contentBytes) return odtBytes;
+
+  let content = strFromU8(contentBytes);
+  if (!content.includes(CST)) return odtBytes;
+
+  const minted: string[] = [];
+  const nameByKey = new Map<string, string>();
+  let counter = 0;
+
+  const styleFor = (source: string, styleName: string): string => {
+    const odfName = odfStyleName(styleName);
+    const auto = source ? findAutoStyle(content, source) : null;
+    if (!auto) return odfName;
+    const key = `${source}|${odfName}`;
+    const existing = nameByKey.get(key);
+    if (existing) return existing;
+    const name = `TS${++counter}`;
+    nameByKey.set(key, name);
+    minted.push(
+      auto
+        .replace(/style:name="[^"]*"/, `style:name="${name}"`)
+        .replace(/^<style:style\b[^>]*?(\/?)>/, (tag) => setTagAttrs(tag, { 'style:parent-style-name': odfName })),
+    );
+    return name;
+  };
+
+  const cstRe = new RegExp(`${CST}([^${CST}]*)${CST}`);
+  content = content.replace(
+    new RegExp(`<text:span\\b([^>]*)>([\\s\\S]*?)</text:span>`, 'g'),
+    (m, attrs: string, inner: string) => {
+      const sm = cstRe.exec(inner);
+      if (!sm) return m;
+      const cleaned = inner.replace(cstRe, '');
+      const srcM = /text:style-name="([^"]*)"/.exec(attrs);
+      const name = styleFor(srcM ? srcM[1] : '', sm[1]);
+      const newAttrs = srcM
+        ? attrs.replace(/text:style-name="[^"]*"/, `text:style-name="${name}"`)
+        : ` text:style-name="${name}"${attrs}`;
+      return `<text:span${newAttrs}>${cleaned}</text:span>`;
+    },
+  );
+  content = content.replace(new RegExp(`${CST}[^${CST}]*${CST}`, 'g'), '');
+
+  if (minted.length) {
+    content = content.replace('</office:automatic-styles>', `${minted.join('')}</office:automatic-styles>`);
+  }
+
+  files['content.xml'] = strToU8(content);
+  return rezipOdt(files);
+}
+
 // Emit the header/footer paragraph into odf-kit's HeaderFooterBuilder. hardBreak
 // and pageCount ride as sentinels (LBR / PGC-wrapped digits) and are rewritten to
 // <text:line-break/> / <text:page-count> in applyHfPostProcess (styles.xml).
@@ -2459,6 +2568,7 @@ export async function buildOdt(docJson: TiptapNode, margins: PageMargins = DEFAU
   // Text boxes and columns sections are hoisted after replacePageBreaks (so PGB never
   // lands on their blocks) and before the inline passes (which then cover the hoisted
   // blocks too).
+  exportSheet = styles;
   const images: ImageExport[] = [];
   const tocs: TocExport[] = [];
   const textBoxes: TextBoxExport[] = [];
@@ -2636,7 +2746,7 @@ export async function buildOdt(docJson: TiptapNode, margins: PageMargins = DEFAU
   const withPageBreaks = applyPageBreaks(withToc);
   const withEmptyFontSizes = applyEmptyLineFontSizes(withPageBreaks);
   const withParaBoxes = applyParagraphBoxes(withEmptyFontSizes);
-  const withNamedStyles = applyParagraphStyles(withParaBoxes);
+  const withNamedStyles = applyCharacterStyles(applyParagraphStyles(withParaBoxes));
   const withStyles = rewriteStylesXml(withNamedStyles, language ?? null, pageFormat, orientation, styles, usedStyleNames(docJson, styles));
   return applyHfPostProcess(withStyles, margins, headerPara, footerPara, headerDist, footerDist, firstHeaderPara, firstFooterPara, hf?.pageCount ?? 1, hfImages, evenHeaderPara, evenFooterPara);
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/i18n/locales/de.ts b/src/lib/i18n/locales/de.ts
index d0083ca..5d352bc 100644
--- a/src/lib/i18n/locales/de.ts
+++ b/src/lib/i18n/locales/de.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ const de: Messages = {
   styles: {
     title: 'Absatzvorlagen',
     manage: 'Vorlagen verwalten…',
+    characterStyles: 'Zeichenvorlagen',
     custom: 'eigen',
     inherited: 'geerbt',
     abstract: 'nur Elternstil',
diff --git a/src/lib/i18n/locales/en.ts b/src/lib/i18n/locales/en.ts
index fb9facb..a8cbbed 100644
--- a/src/lib/i18n/locales/en.ts
+++ b/src/lib/i18n/locales/en.ts
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ const en = {
   styles: {
     title: 'Paragraph styles',
     manage: 'Manage styles…',
+    characterStyles: 'Character styles',
     custom: 'own',
     inherited: 'inherited',
     abstract: 'parent only',
diff --git a/src/lib/import/docx.ts b/src/lib/import/docx.ts
index d192b84..9f6627b 100644
--- a/src/lib/import/docx.ts
+++ b/src/lib/import/docx.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ type Ctx = {
   // Word styleId → registry name, and the ids blocks actually reference.
   styleNames: Map<string, string>;
   usedStyles: Set<string>;
+  charStyleNames: Map<string, string>;
+  usedCharStyles: Set<string>;
   warnings: Set<string>;
   files: Record<string, Uint8Array>;
   rels: Map<string, RelInfo>;
@@ -112,7 +114,8 @@ export function importDocx(bytes: Uint8Array, convertedImages: ConvertedImages =
   const styleNames = new Map<string, string>();
   const defaultStyleId = styles.defaultParagraphStyle();
   for (const [id, def] of styles.namedParagraphStyles()) styleNames.set(id, registryName(id, def.name, id === defaultStyleId));
-  const ctx: Ctx = { styles, styleNames, usedStyles: new Set(), warnings, files, rels: parseRels(files['word/_rels/document.xml.rels']), imageCache: new Map(), convertedImages, pendingBlocks: [], listCounters: new Map() };
+  const charStyleNames = styles.namedCharacterStyles();
+  const ctx: Ctx = { styles, styleNames, usedStyles: new Set(), charStyleNames, usedCharStyles: new Set(), warnings, files, rels: parseRels(files['word/_rels/document.xml.rels']), imageCache: new Map(), convertedImages, pendingBlocks: [], listCounters: new Map() };
 
   const body = docDoc.getElementsByTagNameNS(W, 'body')[0];
   if (!body) throw new Error('Not a Word document (no w:body).');
@@ -583,9 +586,11 @@ function stylePara(ctx: Ctx, id: string | null): ParaProps {
   return out;
 }
 
-function styleText(ctx: Ctx, id: string | null): TextProps {
+// `own` reads the style's own chain without docDefaults — a character style adds to the
+// paragraph's formatting, so the document defaults are not its properties.
+function styleText(ctx: Ctx, id: string | null, own = false): TextProps {
   if (!id) return {};
-  const run = ctx.styles.paragraphRun(id);
+  const run = own ? ctx.styles.styleOwn(id) : ctx.styles.paragraphRun(id);
   const out: TextProps = {};
   // Our own export declares the metric twin; keep the registry on the on-screen name.
   if (run.font) out.fontFamily = run.font === 'Times New Roman' ? 'Liberation Serif'
@@ -633,6 +638,14 @@ function collectStyleSheet(ctx: Ctx): StyleSheet {
     if (level) style.outlineLevel = Number(level[1]);
     sheet.paragraph[name] = style;
   }
+  for (const id of ctx.usedCharStyles) {
+    const name = ctx.charStyleNames.get(id) ?? id;
+    const builtin = sheet.character[name];
+    sheet.character[name] = {
+      name, parent: null, next: null, builtin: builtin?.builtin,
+      para: {}, text: styleText(ctx, id, true),
+    };
+  }
   return sheet;
 }
 
@@ -805,14 +818,24 @@ function convertInline(p: Element, ctx: Ctx, baseRun: RunProps, defaults: BlockD
   const runMarks = (r: Element, linkHref?: string): Mark[] => {
     const rPr = fc(r, 'rPr');
     const rStyle = fc(rPr, 'rStyle');
-    const props = mergeRunProps(mergeRunProps(baseRun, ctx.styles.styleOwn(rStyle ? wVal(rStyle) : null)), parseRunProps(rPr));
+    const charId = rStyle ? wVal(rStyle) : null;
+    const charName = charId ? ctx.charStyleNames.get(charId) : undefined;
+    // A named character style: its formatting belongs to the style, so it joins the
+    // yardstick and the run only keeps what goes beyond it.
+    const styleRun = ctx.styles.styleOwn(charId);
+    const runDefaults = charName ? blockDefaults(mergeRunProps(baseRun, styleRun), null, defaults.boldByDefault) : defaults;
+    const props = mergeRunProps(mergeRunProps(baseRun, styleRun), parseRunProps(rPr));
     // No font resolved anywhere: fall back to the document's own theme (not the editor
     // default) — Word's implicit default is the minor font for body text, the major one
     // for headings.
     if (!props.font) {
-      props.font = ctx.styles.themeFont(props.fontTheme ?? (defaults.boldByDefault ? 'major' : 'minor'));
+      props.font = ctx.styles.themeFont(props.fontTheme ?? (runDefaults.boldByDefault ? 'major' : 'minor'));
+    }
+    const marks = marksFor(props, runDefaults, !!linkHref);
+    if (charName) {
+      ctx.usedCharStyles.add(charId!);
+      marks.push({ type: 'charStyle', attrs: { name: charName } });
     }
-    const marks = marksFor(props, defaults, !!linkHref);
     if (linkHref) marks.push({ type: 'link', attrs: { href: linkHref } });
     return marks;
   };
diff --git a/src/lib/import/docxStyles.ts b/src/lib/import/docxStyles.ts
index a8d675e..10df6df 100644
--- a/src/lib/import/docxStyles.ts
+++ b/src/lib/import/docxStyles.ts
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ export class DocxStyles {
   private ownSpacing = new Map<string, ParaSpacing>(); // style's own w:pPr/w:spacing
   private ownIndentTwip = new Map<string, number>(); // style's own w:pPr/w:ind left
   private paraStyleNames = new Map<string, string>(); // paragraph styleId → w:name
+  private charStyleNames = new Map<string, string>(); // character styleId → w:name
   private defaultParaStyle: string | null = null; // the w:default="1" paragraph style
   private defaultsAlign: string | null = null; // docDefaults w:pPrDefault/w:jc
   private defaultsSpacing: ParaSpacing = {}; // docDefaults w:pPrDefault/w:spacing
@@ -163,9 +164,12 @@ export class DocxStyles {
         const left = parseInt(ind.getAttributeNS(W, 'left') ?? ind.getAttributeNS(W, 'start') ?? '', 10);
         if (Number.isFinite(left)) this.ownIndentTwip.set(id, left);
       }
-      if (style.getAttributeNS(W, 'type') === 'paragraph') {
+      const kind = style.getAttributeNS(W, 'type');
+      if (kind === 'paragraph' || kind === 'character') {
         const nameEl = firstChild(style, 'name');
-        this.paraStyleNames.set(id, (nameEl && wVal(nameEl)) || id);
+        const name = (nameEl && wVal(nameEl)) || id;
+        if (kind === 'paragraph') this.paraStyleNames.set(id, name);
+        else this.charStyleNames.set(id, name);
       }
     }
   }
@@ -177,6 +181,11 @@ export class DocxStyles {
     return out;
   }
 
+  // Character styles defined in the file (w:type="character"), for the style registry.
+  namedCharacterStyles(): Map<string, string> {
+    return new Map(this.charStyleNames);
+  }
+
   // The style's effective left indent (twips) along the basedOn chain.
   styleIndentTwip(styleId: string | null | undefined, seen = new Set<string>()): number | null {
     if (!styleId || seen.has(styleId)) return null;
diff --git a/src/lib/import/odt.ts b/src/lib/import/odt.ts
index b60186d..3105b6c 100644
--- a/src/lib/import/odt.ts
+++ b/src/lib/import/odt.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ type Ctx = {
   // document's style registry is built from these (only used styles are kept).
   styleNames: Map<string, string>;
   usedStyles: Set<string>;
+  charStyleNames: Map<string, string>;
+  usedCharStyles: Set<string>;
   warnings: Set<string>;
   files: Record<string, Uint8Array>;
   imageCache: Map<string, string>;
@@ -345,7 +347,9 @@ export function importOdt(bytes: Uint8Array, convertedImages: ConvertedImages =
 
   const styleNames = new Map<string, string>();
   for (const [name, def] of resolver.namedParagraphStyles()) styleNames.set(name, displayStyleName(name, def.display));
-  const ctx: Ctx = { resolver, styleNames, usedStyles: new Set(), warnings, files, imageCache: new Map(), convertedImages, pendingBlocks: [] };
+  const charStyleNames = new Map<string, string>();
+  for (const [name, def] of resolver.namedTextStyles()) charStyleNames.set(name, displayStyleName(name, def.display));
+  const ctx: Ctx = { resolver, styleNames, usedStyles: new Set(), charStyleNames, usedCharStyles: new Set(), warnings, files, imageCache: new Map(), convertedImages, pendingBlocks: [] };
   let blocks = convertBlocks(Array.from(body.children), ctx, 'body');
   if (blocks.length === 0) blocks.push({ type: 'paragraph' });
 
@@ -797,9 +801,40 @@ function collectStyleSheet(resolver: StyleResolver, ctx: Ctx): StyleSheet {
     if (level) style.outlineLevel = Number(level[1]);
     sheet.paragraph[name] = style;
   }
+  for (const odfName of ctx.usedCharStyles) {
+    const name = ctx.charStyleNames.get(odfName) ?? odfName;
+    const builtin = sheet.character[name];
+    sheet.character[name] = {
+      name, parent: null, next: null, builtin: builtin?.builtin,
+      para: {}, text: textPropsFromOdf(resolver.spanTextProps(odfName), resolver),
+    };
+  }
   return sheet;
 }
 
+// The block's yardstick plus what the run's character style provides.
+function charDefaults(ctx: Ctx, base: BlockDefaults, odfName: string): BlockDefaults {
+  const props = ctx.resolver.spanTextProps(odfName);
+  const family = ctx.resolver.fontFamilyOf(props)?.toLowerCase();
+  const fonts = new Set(base.fonts);
+  if (family) {
+    fonts.add(family);
+    for (const twin of FONT_TWINS[family] ?? []) fonts.add(twin);
+  }
+  const weight = props['fo:font-weight'];
+  const fontStyle = props['fo:font-style'];
+  return {
+    ...base,
+    fontSizePt: lengthToPt(props['fo:font-size']) ?? base.fontSizePt,
+    boldByDefault: weight ? weight === 'bold' || parseInt(weight, 10) >= 600 : base.boldByDefault,
+    fonts,
+    color: (props['fo:color'] && normalizeColor(props['fo:color'])) || base.color,
+    italic: fontStyle ? fontStyle === 'italic' || fontStyle === 'oblique' : base.italic,
+    underline: props['style:text-underline-style'] ? props['style:text-underline-style'] !== 'none' : base.underline,
+    strike: props['style:text-line-through-style'] ? props['style:text-line-through-style'] !== 'none' : base.strike,
+  };
+}
+
 function convertParaLike(el: Element, ctx: Ctx, kind: BlockKind, boldByDefault = false): Node {
   const { resolver } = ctx;
   const styleName = el.getAttributeNS(NS.text, 'style-name');
@@ -1008,6 +1043,10 @@ function numberStyleKind(tokens: Token[]): 'date' | 'time' | null {
 function convertInline(root: Element, ctx: Ctx, baseProps: PropMap, defaults: BlockDefaults, hfFields = false): Node[] {
   const out: Node[] = [];
 
+  // The named character style of the enclosing span, if any: its formatting belongs to
+  // the style, so the run only keeps what goes beyond it.
+  let charStyle: string | null = null;
+
   const pushText = (text: string, props: PropMap, linkHref?: string) => {
     // Strip our export sentinels (SEG/LBR) defensively — never legitimate text.
     let clean = text.replace(/[-]/g, '');
@@ -1018,7 +1057,12 @@ function convertInline(root: Element, ctx: Ctx, baseProps: PropMap, defaults: Bl
       clean = clean.replace(/[ \t]*\n[ \t]*/g, ' ');
     }
     if (!clean) return;
-    const marks = marksFor(props, ctx.resolver, defaults);
+    const marks = marksFor(props, ctx.resolver, charStyle ? charDefaults(ctx, defaults, charStyle) : defaults);
+    if (charStyle) {
+      const display = ctx.charStyleNames.get(charStyle) ?? charStyle;
+      ctx.usedCharStyles.add(charStyle);
+      marks.push({ type: 'charStyle', attrs: { name: display } });
+    }
     if (linkHref) marks.push({ type: 'link', attrs: { href: linkHref } });
     const node: Node = { type: 'text', text: clean };
     if (marks.length) node.marks = marks;
@@ -1036,9 +1080,14 @@ function convertInline(root: Element, ctx: Ctx, baseProps: PropMap, defaults: Bl
 
       if (e.namespaceURI === NS.text) {
         switch (e.localName) {
-          case 'span':
-            walk(e, layerTextProps(props, ctx.resolver.spanTextProps(e.getAttributeNS(NS.text, 'style-name'))), linkHref);
+          case 'span': {
+            const spanStyle = e.getAttributeNS(NS.text, 'style-name');
+            const outer = charStyle;
+            charStyle = ctx.resolver.namedAncestor(spanStyle, 'text') ?? outer;
+            walk(e, layerTextProps(props, ctx.resolver.spanTextProps(spanStyle)), linkHref);
+            charStyle = outer;
             continue;
+          }
           case 's': {
             const c = parseInt(e.getAttributeNS(NS.text, 'c') ?? '1', 10);
             pushText(' '.repeat(Number.isFinite(c) && c > 0 ? c : 1), props, linkHref);
diff --git a/src/lib/import/styleResolver.ts b/src/lib/import/styleResolver.ts
index 929774f..9818508 100644
--- a/src/lib/import/styleResolver.ts
+++ b/src/lib/import/styleResolver.ts
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ export class StyleResolver {
   private mergedCache = new Map<string, { text: PropMap; para: PropMap; misc: PropMap }>();
   private stylesDoc: Document | null;
   private namedParagraphNames = new Set<string>();
+  private namedTextNames = new Set<string>();
   private displayNames = new Map<string, string>();
 
   constructor(contentDoc: Document, stylesDoc: Document | null) {
@@ -170,17 +171,28 @@ export class StyleResolver {
 
   // The nearest named style in a style's parent chain (an automatic style is direct
   // formatting layered on top of it); null when the chain reaches none.
-  namedAncestor(styleName: string | null | undefined): string | null {
+  namedAncestor(styleName: string | null | undefined, family: 'paragraph' | 'text' = 'paragraph'): string | null {
+    const named = family === 'text' ? this.namedTextNames : this.namedParagraphNames;
     let cur = styleName ?? null;
     const seen = new Set<string>();
     while (cur && !seen.has(cur)) {
       seen.add(cur);
-      if (this.namedParagraphNames.has(cur)) return cur;
-      cur = this.styles.get(`paragraph\0${cur}`)?.parent ?? null;
+      if (named.has(cur)) return cur;
+      cur = this.styles.get(`${family}\0${cur}`)?.parent ?? null;
     }
     return null;
   }
 
+  // Named text (character) styles from <office:styles>, own props only.
+  namedTextStyles(): Map<string, { display?: string; text: PropMap }> {
+    const out = new Map<string, { display?: string; text: PropMap }>();
+    for (const name of this.namedTextNames) {
+      const entry = this.styles.get(`text\0${name}`);
+      if (entry) out.set(name, { display: this.displayNames.get(name), text: entry.text });
+    }
+    return out;
+  }
+
   private scanFontFaces(container: Element): void {
     for (const el of Array.from(container.children)) {
       if (el.namespaceURI !== NS.style || el.localName !== 'font-face') continue;
@@ -212,8 +224,9 @@ export class StyleResolver {
         const name = el.getAttributeNS(NS.style, 'name');
         const family = el.getAttributeNS(NS.style, 'family');
         if (name && family) this.styles.set(`${family}\0${name}`, entryFromStyleElement(el));
-        if (name && family === 'paragraph' && named) {
-          this.namedParagraphNames.add(name);
+        if (name && named && (family === 'paragraph' || family === 'text')) {
+          if (family === 'paragraph') this.namedParagraphNames.add(name);
+          else this.namedTextNames.add(name);
           const display = el.getAttributeNS(NS.style, 'display-name');
           if (display) this.displayNames.set(name, display);
         }
diff --git a/src/lib/styles/sheet.svelte.ts b/src/lib/styles/sheet.svelte.ts
index 878ac4e..45f2694 100644
--- a/src/lib/styles/sheet.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/lib/styles/sheet.svelte.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // components read styleSheet() in a template or $derived and re-render when it is
 // replaced. Persisted to localStorage like the other document side-cars.
 
-import { builtinStyleSheet, DEFAULT_STYLE, mergeStoredSheet, STYLE_SHEET_VERSION, type Style, type StyleSheet } from './styleSheet';
+import { builtinStyleSheet, DEFAULT_STYLE, mergeStoredSheet, STYLE_SHEET_VERSION, type Style, type StyleFamily, type StyleSheet } from './styleSheet';
 
 const STORAGE_KEY = 'odf-editor-styles';
 
@@ -27,9 +27,10 @@ export function setStyleSheet(next: StyleSheet): void {
   localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify({ v: STYLE_SHEET_VERSION, ...next }));
 }
 
-// Replace one style (add or edit) — every block using it re-renders via styleCss.
-export function putStyle(style: Style): void {
-  setStyleSheet({ paragraph: { ...current.paragraph, [style.name]: style } });
+// Replace one style (add or edit) — everything using it re-renders via styleCss.
+export function putStyle(style: Style, family: StyleFamily = 'paragraph'): void {
+  const key = family === 'character' ? 'character' : 'paragraph';
+  setStyleSheet({ ...current, [key]: { ...current[key], [style.name]: style } });
 }
 
 // Rename a style and re-point everything that referenced it (children, next-styles).
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ export function renameStyle(from: string, to: string): void {
     paragraph[name] = { ...s, parent: s.parent === from ? to : s.parent, next: s.next === from ? to : s.next };
   }
   paragraph[to] = { ...style, name: to, builtin: undefined };
-  setStyleSheet({ paragraph });
+  setStyleSheet({ ...current, paragraph });
 }
 
 // Delete a style; its children re-parent to its own parent, as in LibreOffice.
@@ -59,11 +60,20 @@ export function deleteStyle(name: string): void {
       next: s.next === name ? style.next ?? DEFAULT_STYLE : s.next,
     };
   }
-  setStyleSheet({ paragraph });
+  setStyleSheet({ ...current, paragraph });
 }
 
 // Restore a built-in to its factory definition.
-export function resetStyle(name: string): void {
-  const factory = builtinStyleSheet().paragraph[name];
-  if (factory) putStyle(factory);
+export function resetStyle(name: string, family: StyleFamily = 'paragraph'): void {
+  const base = builtinStyleSheet();
+  const factory = (family === 'character' ? base.character : base.paragraph)[name];
+  if (factory) putStyle(factory, family);
+}
+
+// Character styles have no children to re-parent, so removal is a plain delete.
+export function deleteCharacterStyle(name: string): void {
+  if (current.character[name]?.builtin) return;
+  const character = { ...current.character };
+  delete character[name];
+  setStyleSheet({ ...current, character });
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/styles/styleSheet.ts b/src/lib/styles/styleSheet.ts
index 288c056..13d43dc 100644
--- a/src/lib/styles/styleSheet.ts
+++ b/src/lib/styles/styleSheet.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-// Named paragraph styles with inheritance, modelled on LibreOffice: a style has a
-// name, a parent it inherits from, a follow-on style, and two property groups
-// (paragraph layout + text). Resolution walks the parent chain, nearer wins; direct
-// formatting on the block (attrs/marks) still overrides the result.
+// Named styles with inheritance, modelled on LibreOffice: a name, a parent, a follow-on
+// style and two property groups. Resolution walks the parent chain (nearer wins); direct
+// formatting on the block or run still overrides the result.
 
 export type ParaProps = {
   textAlign?: 'left' | 'center' | 'right' | 'justify';
@@ -39,7 +38,13 @@ export type Style = {
   text: TextProps;
 };
 
-export type StyleSheet = { paragraph: Record<string, Style> };
+// Two families, as in LibreOffice: paragraph styles govern whole blocks, character
+// styles a run of text inside one. Same Style shape; a character style only uses `text`.
+export type StyleFamily = 'paragraph' | 'character';
+export type StyleSheet = {
+  paragraph: Record<string, Style>;
+  character: Record<string, Style>;
+};
 
 export const DEFAULT_STYLE = 'Standard';
 export const HEADING_PARENT = 'Heading';
@@ -65,6 +70,13 @@ const BUILTINS: Style[] = [
     para: { indent: 1, spaceAfter: 14 }, text: {} },
 ];
 
+// LibreOffice's character styles (its "Emphasis"/"Strong Emphasis"/"Source Text").
+const CHAR_BUILTINS: Style[] = [
+  { name: 'Emphasis', parent: null, next: null, builtin: true, para: {}, text: { italic: true } },
+  { name: 'Strong Emphasis', parent: null, next: null, builtin: true, para: {}, text: { bold: true } },
+  { name: 'Source Text', parent: null, next: null, builtin: true, para: {}, text: { fontFamily: 'Courier New' } },
+];
+
 // Bumped whenever the built-in definitions change: a stored sheet from an older version
 // keeps its user styles but takes the new factory built-ins (see mergeStoredSheet).
 export const STYLE_SHEET_VERSION = 2;
@@ -73,13 +85,15 @@ export const STYLE_SHEET_VERSION = 2;
 // (a document's own styles, and edits to built-ins). Older: only user styles survive.
 export function mergeStoredSheet(stored: unknown): StyleSheet {
   const sheet = builtinStyleSheet();
-  const data = stored as { v?: number; paragraph?: Record<string, Style> } | null;
+  const data = stored as { v?: number; paragraph?: Record<string, Style>; character?: Record<string, Style> } | null;
   if (!data?.paragraph || typeof data.paragraph !== 'object') return sheet;
   const current = data.v === STYLE_SHEET_VERSION;
-  for (const [name, style] of Object.entries(data.paragraph)) {
-    if (!style || typeof style !== 'object') continue;
-    if (!current && style.builtin) continue;
-    sheet.paragraph[name] = style;
+  for (const family of ['paragraph', 'character'] as const) {
+    for (const [name, style] of Object.entries(data[family] ?? {})) {
+      if (!style || typeof style !== 'object') continue;
+      if (!current && style.builtin) continue;
+      sheet[family][name] = style;
+    }
   }
   return sheet;
 }
@@ -87,7 +101,9 @@ export function mergeStoredSheet(stored: unknown): StyleSheet {
 export function builtinStyleSheet(): StyleSheet {
   const paragraph: Record<string, Style> = {};
   for (const s of BUILTINS) paragraph[s.name] = structuredClone(s);
-  return { paragraph };
+  const character: Record<string, Style> = {};
+  for (const s of CHAR_BUILTINS) character[s.name] = structuredClone(s);
+  return { paragraph, character };
 }
 
 // The gallery order: built-ins as listed above, user styles after them. `Heading` is an
@@ -114,13 +130,15 @@ export type ResolvedStyle = { para: ParaProps; text: TextProps };
 
 // Flattened props of a style: the parent chain applied root-first, so the nearest
 // definition wins. Cycles and missing parents end the walk.
-export function resolveStyle(sheet: StyleSheet, name: string | null | undefined): ResolvedStyle {
+export function resolveStyle(sheet: StyleSheet, name: string | null | undefined, family: StyleFamily = 'paragraph'): ResolvedStyle {
+  const styles = family === 'character' ? sheet.character : sheet.paragraph;
   const chain: Style[] = [];
   const seen = new Set<string>();
-  let cur = name && sheet.paragraph[name] ? name : DEFAULT_STYLE;
+  // A character style with no definition contributes nothing; a paragraph always has Standard.
+  let cur = name && styles[name] ? name : family === 'character' ? '' : DEFAULT_STYLE;
   while (cur && !seen.has(cur)) {
     seen.add(cur);
-    const style = sheet.paragraph[cur];
+    const style = styles[cur];
     if (!style) break;
     chain.push(style);
     cur = style.parent ?? '';
@@ -176,6 +194,12 @@ function declarations(r: ResolvedStyle): string[] {
 // Specificity beats editor.css's `.paper .tiptap hN`; inline attrs/marks still win.
 export function styleCss(sheet: StyleSheet): string {
   const rules: string[] = [];
+  for (const style of Object.values(sheet.character ?? {})) {
+    const decls = declarations(resolveStyle(sheet, style.name, 'character'));
+    if (!decls.length) continue;
+    const attr = `[data-char-style="${style.name.replace(/"/g, '\\"')}"]`;
+    rules.push(`.paper .tiptap ${attr} {\n  ${decls.join(';\n  ')};\n}`);
+  }
   for (const style of Object.values(sheet.paragraph)) {
     const decls = declarations(resolveStyle(sheet, style.name));
     if (!decls.length) continue;
diff --git a/tests/docx-roundtrip.test.ts b/tests/docx-roundtrip.test.ts
index 765ca07..d2cf3bf 100644
--- a/tests/docx-roundtrip.test.ts
+++ b/tests/docx-roundtrip.test.ts
@@ -965,3 +965,37 @@ describe('DOCX named paragraph styles', () => {
     expect(style.para.spaceBefore).toBe(8);
   });
 });
+
+describe('DOCX named character styles', () => {
+  const sheet = builtinStyleSheet();
+  sheet.character['Signal'] = {
+    name: 'Signal', parent: null, next: null, para: {}, text: { bold: true, color: '#CC0000' },
+  };
+  const CS = (t: string, name: string, ...extra: any[]) =>
+    ({ type: 'text', text: t, marks: [{ type: 'charStyle', attrs: { name } }, ...extra] });
+
+  it('writes w:rStyle runs and round-trips them', async () => {
+    const fixture = { type: 'doc', content: [{ type: 'paragraph', content: [
+      text('plain '), CS('emphasised', 'Emphasis'), text(' and '), CS('signal', 'Signal', { type: 'italic' }),
+    ] }] } as any;
+    const bytes = await buildDocx(fixture, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, sheet);
+    const files = unzipSync(bytes);
+    const stylesXml = strFromU8(files['word/styles.xml']);
+    const documentXml = strFromU8(files['word/document.xml']);
+
+    expect(stylesXml).toMatch(/<w:style w:type="character" [^>]*w:styleId="Signal"/);
+    expect(stylesXml).toMatch(/w:styleId="Signal"[\s\S]*?<w:color w:val="CC0000"\/>/);
+    expect(documentXml).toContain('<w:rStyle w:val="Emphasis"/>');
+    expect(documentXml).toContain('<w:rStyle w:val="Signal"/>');
+
+    const res = importDocx(bytes);
+    const runs = (res.content as N).content![0].content!;
+    const charOf = (r: N) => (r.marks ?? []).find((m: N) => m.type === 'charStyle')?.attrs?.name;
+    expect(runs[0].marks).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(charOf(runs[1])).toBe('Emphasis');
+    expect((runs[1].marks ?? []).every((m: N) => m.type === 'charStyle')).toBe(true);
+    const signal = runs.find((r: N) => charOf(r) === 'Signal')!;
+    expect((signal.marks ?? []).some((m: N) => m.type === 'italic')).toBe(true);
+    expect(res.styles.character['Signal'].text).toEqual({ bold: true, color: '#CC0000' });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/roundtrip.test.ts b/tests/roundtrip.test.ts
index a7df951..4cd18ae 100644
--- a/tests/roundtrip.test.ts
+++ b/tests/roundtrip.test.ts
@@ -1359,3 +1359,46 @@ describe('Leg 12: named paragraph styles (ODF)', () => {
     check('heading needs no direct formatting', !blocks[0]?.content?.[0]?.marks, blocks[0]);
   });
 });
+
+describe('Leg 13: named character styles (ODF)', () => {
+  const sheet = builtinStyleSheet();
+  sheet.character['Signal'] = {
+    name: 'Signal', parent: null, next: null, para: {}, text: { bold: true, color: '#CC0000' },
+  };
+  const CS = (text: string, name: string, ...extra: N[]): N =>
+    ({ type: 'text', text, marks: [{ type: 'charStyle', attrs: { name } }, ...extra] });
+
+  const doc: N = {
+    type: 'doc',
+    content: [P(null, T('plain '), CS('emphasised', 'Emphasis'), T(' and '), CS('signal', 'Signal', { type: 'italic' }))],
+  };
+
+  it('writes style:family="text" styles and round-trips the run assignment', async () => {
+    const bytes = await buildOdt(doc, margins, 'portrait', undefined, null, 'A4', sheet);
+    const files = unzipSync(bytes);
+    const styles = strFromU8(files['styles.xml']);
+    const content = strFromU8(files['content.xml']);
+
+    check('mints the built-in Emphasis as a text style',
+      /<style:style style:name="Emphasis" style:family="text"[\s\S]*?fo:font-style="italic"/.test(styles), styles.slice(0, 200));
+    check('mints the user character style', /style:name="Signal" style:family="text"/.test(styles));
+    // The run's span points at the style; its own formatting is baked alongside.
+    check('run references the style via its automatic style',
+      /<style:style style:name="TS\d+"[^>]*style:parent-style-name="Signal"/.test(content), content.slice(0, 400));
+    check('no leftover sentinel', !content.includes('\uE00E'));
+
+    const runs = (importOdt(bytes).content.content?.[0] as N).content as N[];
+    const charOf = (r: N) => (r.marks ?? []).find((m: N) => m.type === 'charStyle')?.attrs?.name;
+    check('plain run stays plain', !runs[0].marks, runs[0]);
+    check('built-in style round-trips', charOf(runs[1]) === 'Emphasis', runs[1]);
+    check('style formatting is not copied onto the run',
+      (runs[1].marks ?? []).every((m: N) => m.type === 'charStyle'), runs[1]);
+    const signal = runs.find((r: N) => charOf(r) === 'Signal');
+    check('user style round-trips', !!signal, runs);
+    check('direct formatting on top survives',
+      (signal?.marks ?? []).some((m: N) => m.type === 'italic'), signal);
+    const imported = importOdt(bytes).styles.character['Signal'];
+    check('the character style itself round-trips',
+      imported?.text.bold === true && imported?.text.color === '#CC0000', imported);
+  });
+});