# LaTeX – bold vectors and arrow vectors

Lately I’m writing a lot of papers in $\LaTeX$ and every once and a while something comes up that drives me crazy trying to figure out.

Here’s how to easily switch between a bold vector $\boldsymbol{x}$ and an arrow vector $\vec{x}$.

## [***update: the comment by fbianco below is a better way to do this and is how I do it now.]

I got this idea from D.H here and I thought it was worth expanding a bit more.

First, make sure you include,

\usepackage{amsmath} % used for boldsymbol.

at the top of your .tex file. Then add these two lines somewhere underneath.


Now when you are writing your vectors, instead of using \vec{}, you use \vect{}. This allows you to easily toggle between the two different modes.


This will display the boldface vectors $\boldsymbol{x}$.

Whereas, this,


Will produce an arrow vector $\vec{x}$.

Now if anyone ever asks you to change how your vectors look in a paper, you can smile at them :D.

## 1 thought on “LaTeX – bold vectors and arrow vectors”

1. The easiest is to use renewcommand this will change existing arrow vector by bold vector :

\renewcommand{\vec}[1]{\boldsymbol{#1}}

By the way, thanks for the boldsymbol tricks.