Indentation controls how far your text sits from the page margins. Word has four kinds: a left indent for the whole paragraph, a right indent, a first-line indent for the start of each paragraph, and a hanging indent where every line except the first is indented. You can change any of them with buttons, the ruler or the Paragraph dialog box. This guide covers all three methods so you can set indents quickly or precisely.
Quick answer
Select the paragraphs, right-click, and choose Paragraph. Under Indentation, set Left and Right, and use Special to choose First line or Hanging with a measurement such as 0.5″. Click OK.
Method 1: Increase or decrease indent buttons
- Select the paragraphs.
- On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Increase Indent or Decrease Indent.
Each click moves the whole paragraph by 0.5 inch (or to the next default tab stop). Shortcuts: Ctrl + M increases the left indent and Ctrl + Shift + M decreases it.
Method 2: Drag the markers on the ruler
- Turn on the ruler with View > Ruler.
- Select the paragraphs.
- Drag the markers on the left end of the ruler:
- Top triangle (First Line Indent): moves only the first line.
- Bottom triangle (Hanging Indent): moves every line except the first.
- Small rectangle (Left Indent): moves the whole paragraph, keeping the first-line relationship.
- Drag the triangle at the right end of the ruler to set the right indent.
Hold Alt while dragging to see exact measurements.
Method 3: Set exact indents in the Paragraph dialog
- Select the paragraphs.
- Click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Paragraph group, or right-click and choose Paragraph.
- On the Indents and Spacing tab, under Indentation:
- Set Left and Right distances.
- Under Special, choose None, First line or Hanging, and enter a value in By.
- Click OK.
Tick Mirror indents for documents printed on both sides, where indents should be inside and outside rather than left and right.
Common indent settings
- Essays (MLA, APA): first-line indent of 0.5″. See how to create a first-line indent of 0.5 in Word.
- Works cited and reference lists: hanging indent of 0.5″. See how to get a hanging indent in Word.
- Block quotes: left indent of 0.5″ (and sometimes right indent too). See how to indent on both sides in Word.
Change indents for the whole document
To change indents everywhere, modify the paragraph style rather than individual paragraphs. On the Home tab, right-click Normal in the Styles gallery, choose Modify > Format > Paragraph, set the indents, and click OK. Every paragraph using that style updates.
Remove indents
Select the text, open the Paragraph dialog, set Left and Right to 0 and Special to None. For more ways, see how to remove an indent in Word.
Indents in lists
Bulleted and numbered lists have their own indent settings. Right-click a bullet or number and choose Adjust List Indents; see how to adjust list indents in Word.
Indents vs. the Tab key
Pressing Tab at the start of a paragraph inserts a tab character, which looks like an indent but only affects that one line and must be typed every time. A first-line indent set in the Paragraph dialog applies automatically to every new paragraph, keeps your spacing consistent, and is what most style guides expect. If your document is full of tab characters, turn on formatting marks (Ctrl + Shift + 8) to see them, delete them, and use a first-line indent instead.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my indents change when I press Enter?
New paragraphs copy the formatting of the previous one. If you want different indents for the next paragraph, change them after pressing Enter, or apply a different style.
Can I use centimeters instead of inches?
Yes. Go to File > Options > Advanced, scroll to Display, and change Show measurements in units of. You can also type units directly, such as 1.27 cm, in the Paragraph dialog.
Does Word for Mac work the same way?
Yes. Use Format > Paragraph to open the same dialog, and the ruler markers work identically.
Summary
- Use Increase and Decrease Indent (Ctrl + M) for quick changes.
- Drag the ruler markers for visual control.
- Use the Paragraph dialog for exact left, right, first-line and hanging indents.
- Modify the Normal style to change indents throughout a document.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
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