To adjust line spacing in Word, select the text (or press Ctrl + A for the whole document), then click the Line and Paragraph Spacing button in the Paragraph group on the Home tab. Choose 1.0 for single spacing, 1.5, or 2.0 for double spacing. For exact control, choose Line Spacing Options and set Line spacing and the space Before and After paragraphs.
Here’s how to change spacing for part or all of a document, remove the extra space between paragraphs, and make your favorite spacing the default.
How to change line spacing
- Select the paragraphs you want to change, or press Ctrl + A to select everything.
- On the Home tab, click Line and Paragraph Spacing (the icon with lines and up and down arrows).
- Choose a spacing: 1.0, 1.15, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, or 3.0.
Keyboard shortcuts
- Ctrl + 1: Single spacing
- Ctrl + 5: 1.5 spacing
- Ctrl + 2: Double spacing
Set exact line spacing
- Click Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options.
- Under Spacing, choose an option in Line spacing:
- Single, 1.5 lines, or Double
- At least: A minimum height that grows for larger text or images
- Exactly: A fixed height in points, useful for forms
- Multiple: Any value, like 1.2 or 1.8
- Set Before and After to control space between paragraphs.
- Click OK.
Remove extra space between paragraphs
Word adds 8 points after each paragraph by default. To remove it, select the text, click Line and Paragraph Spacing, and choose Remove Space After Paragraph. Or set After to 0 in Line Spacing Options. You can also use the No Spacing style on the Home tab. Reference lists usually pair this spacing with a hanging indent on each entry, so set both while the list is selected.
Change spacing for the whole document
Click the Design tab, then Paragraph Spacing, and choose a preset like Compact, Double, or No Paragraph Space. This updates the document’s styles at once.
Make your spacing the default
- Open Line Spacing Options and set your preferred spacing.
- Click Set As Default.
- Choose All documents based on the Normal template and click OK.
If the gap turns out to be an empty paragraph instead of spacing, remove the blank lines first and then set the spacing.
Frequently asked questions
What is double spacing in Word?
Line spacing of 2.0. Many schools and publishers require it, often with 12-point Times New Roman.
Why didn’t my line spacing change?
The spacing may be set to Exactly, or large Before and After values are creating the gaps. Check Line Spacing Options.
What’s the default line spacing in Word?
Current Word for Microsoft 365 uses 1.15 line spacing with 8 points after each paragraph. Word 2013 through 2021 used 1.08 with 8 points after.
How do I change line spacing on a Mac?
The same way: Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing. Keyboard shortcuts use Command instead of Ctrl.
Kermit Matthews runs Live2Tech from just outside Philadelphia. He is an IT specialist with over 20 years of experience, from a university help desk to small-business IT, IT management and his own consulting practice, and has written tech guides full time since 2020. Steps are checked against the current software on a real device or the maker’s official documentation. More about Kermit.