To get rid of the space between paragraphs in Google Docs, select the text (press Ctrl + A, or Command + A on a Mac, for the whole document), then go to Format > Line & paragraph spacing and choose Remove space before paragraph and Remove space after paragraph. For full control, choose Custom spacing and set both Before and After to 0.
If a gap is still there afterward, it’s usually one of three other things: line spacing set to Double, empty paragraphs from pressing Enter twice, or formatting that came along with pasted text. This guide shows how to spot and fix each one, on a computer and in the mobile apps.
Quick Answer
- Open the document in Google Docs on a computer.
- Select the paragraphs, or press Ctrl + A (Command + A on Mac) to select everything.
- Go to Format > Line & paragraph spacing.
- Choose Remove space before paragraph, then open the menu again and choose Remove space after paragraph.
- If the gap remains, choose Custom spacing, set Before and After to 0, and click Apply.
In This Guide
- Before you start: what causes the gap
- Method 1: Remove space before and after paragraphs
- Method 2: Set custom spacing to 0
- Method 3: Fix spacing for the whole document with styles
- Change line spacing (Single vs. Double)
- Fix gaps from pasted text and blank lines
- On Android, iPhone, and iPad
- Which fix should you use?
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Start: What Causes the Gap Between Paragraphs
This guide covers Google Docs in a web browser on Windows, Mac, and Chromebook, plus the Google Docs apps for Android, iPhone, and iPad, as of September 2026. Menu names come from Google’s Docs Editors Help pages.
There are four common causes of extra space, and each needs a different fix:
- Paragraph spacing. Extra space added automatically before or after each paragraph. It appears every time you press Enter, even though there’s no blank line.
- Line spacing. The space between lines inside a paragraph. If it’s set to Double, every line is spread out, not just the gap between paragraphs.
- Empty paragraphs. Blank lines created by pressing Enter twice. These are real content, so spacing settings won’t remove them.
- Pasted formatting. Text copied from websites, email, or Word can bring its own spacing with it.
A quick test: click at the start of the empty-looking gap and press the down arrow key. If the cursor stops on a blank line, you have empty paragraphs. If it jumps straight to the next paragraph, it’s paragraph spacing.
Method 1: Remove Space Before and After Paragraphs
This is the quickest fix for gaps that appear every time you press Enter.
- Open your document in Google Docs in a web browser.
- Select the text you want to fix. Drag across the paragraphs, or press Ctrl + A (Windows or Chromebook) or Command + A (Mac) to select the whole document.
- Open the spacing menu. Click Format in the menu bar, then point to Line & paragraph spacing. You can also click the Line & paragraph spacing button on the toolbar; if your window is narrow, it may be hidden under the three-dot More button. Expected result: A menu opens with Single, 1.15, 1.5, and Double at the top and paragraph spacing options below.
- Choose Remove space before paragraph. Expected result: The space above your paragraphs shrinks.
- Open the menu again and choose Remove space after paragraph. Expected result: Paragraphs now sit directly below each other with only normal line spacing between them.
These options are labeled based on what’s currently applied. If a paragraph has no space after it, the menu offers Add space after paragraph instead of Remove. Google describes this menu in Change how paragraphs and fonts look.
If your selection mixes paragraphs with different spacing, you may need to apply the Remove options more than once, or use Method 2 to set exact values for everything at once.
Method 2: Set Custom Spacing to 0
Custom spacing lets you type exact values, which is the most reliable way to remove every bit of extra space.
- Select the paragraphs, or the whole document with Ctrl + A or Command + A.
- Go to Format > Line & paragraph spacing > Custom spacing. Expected result: A small window opens with fields for line spacing and paragraph spacing.
- Under paragraph spacing, set Before to 0 and After to 0. Values are in points.
- Check the line spacing value. Set it to 1 for single spacing, or 1.15 if you want a little breathing room between lines.
- Click Apply. Expected result: All selected paragraphs sit tight together.
Want a small gap instead of none? Enter a value like 6 in After. That gives a clean, consistent space between paragraphs without pressing Enter twice.
Method 3: Fix Spacing for the Whole Document with Styles
If new paragraphs keep getting spacing back, the spacing is probably part of the paragraph style. A style is a saved set of formatting, like Normal text or Heading 1, that Google Docs applies to paragraphs. Updating the style fixes every paragraph that uses it.
- Click in one paragraph of body text and remove its spacing with Method 1 or Method 2.
- With the cursor still in that paragraph, go to Format > Paragraph styles > Normal text.
- Choose Update ‘Normal text’ to match. Expected result: Every paragraph in the document that uses Normal text takes on the same spacing.
- Optional: To use this spacing in future documents, go to Format > Paragraph styles > Options > Save as my default styles.
Before you save defaults, note that this changes the starting styles for your new documents, not just this one. You can undo it later with Options > Reset styles. Headings have their own styles, so if the gap is around headings, repeat the steps for that heading style. Google explains style options in Use headings, styles, and fonts.
Change Line Spacing (Single vs. Double)
If your text looks spread out everywhere, not just between paragraphs, line spacing is the cause.
- Select the text.
- Go to Format > Line & paragraph spacing.
- Choose Single. Expected result: Lines inside each paragraph move closer together.
Single, 1.15, 1.5, and Double are the presets. A check mark shows which one is applied to the selected text. If you’re following a school or work format, check which spacing it requires before changing it.
Fix Gaps from Pasted Text and Blank Lines
Remove empty paragraphs
Blank lines are actual paragraphs with nothing in them. Click at the end of the paragraph above the gap and press Delete (Mac: fn + Delete), or click on the blank line and press Backspace. Repeat until the gap closes. In a long document, it’s faster to fix the spacing settings first so you can see which gaps are real blank lines.
Clear formatting from pasted text
- Select the pasted text.
- Go to Format > Clear formatting, or press Ctrl + backslash (Mac: Command + backslash). The backslash key is usually above Enter or Return.
- Expected result: The text returns to the document’s default style. Re-apply bold or links if you need them.
Paste without formatting next time
Press Ctrl + Shift + V (Mac: Command + Shift + V) to paste plain text that picks up your document’s formatting. These shortcuts are listed in Google’s Keyboard shortcuts for Google Docs. Our guide on copying and pasting in Google Docs without changing the format covers more options, and if you’re moving a whole Word file, see pasting from Word to Google Docs.
On Android, iPhone, and iPad
The mobile apps have fewer spacing controls than the web version. According to Google’s help page, they let you change line spacing, but the paragraph Before and After options aren’t listed for the apps. If the gap comes from paragraph spacing, open the document in a browser on a computer to remove it.
Android
- Open the document in the Google Docs app and tap Edit.
- Double-tap in the paragraph you want to change.
- Tap Format.
- Next to Line spacing, tap – or + to change the spacing.
iPhone and iPad
- Open the document and tap Edit.
- Double-tap and drag the blue markers to select the text.
- Tap Format, then tap Paragraph.
- Next to Line spacing, use the arrows to choose the spacing.
You can delete blank lines on any device by placing the cursor on the empty line and tapping the delete key.
Which Fix Should You Use?
| What you see | Cause | Best fix |
|---|---|---|
| Gap appears every time you press Enter | Paragraph spacing | Remove space before/after, or Custom spacing 0 |
| All lines are spread out | Line spacing | Format > Line & paragraph spacing > Single |
| Cursor stops on an empty line | Blank paragraphs | Delete the empty lines |
| Only pasted sections have gaps | Pasted formatting | Clear formatting; paste without formatting |
| Spacing comes back on new paragraphs | Paragraph style | Update ‘Normal text’ to match |
If the problem is space between words rather than paragraphs, see our guide to changing the spacing between words in Google Docs.
Troubleshooting
I removed the space, but new paragraphs still have gaps
Your Normal text style still includes spacing. Use Method 3 to update the style so new paragraphs follow the change.
The Remove option isn’t in the menu
The menu shows Add when there’s no space to remove. That means the gap is caused by something else: check for blank lines or Double line spacing.
Only some paragraphs changed
The rest weren’t selected, or they use a different style, like a heading or a list. Select all with Ctrl + A or Command + A and apply Custom spacing with Before and After at 0.
The gap is inside a table or list
Click inside the table cell or list and apply the same spacing options. Bulleted and numbered lists use the same paragraph spacing settings, but table cells also have their own padding, found under Format > Table > Table properties (labels may vary).
Page breaks or a new page look like a big gap
A page break forces text to the next page. Click just before the gap and press Delete to remove it. If your document uses the pageless format, gaps from page breaks look different.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I remove space between paragraphs in the whole document?
Press Ctrl + A (or Command + A), then choose Format > Line & paragraph spacing > Custom spacing and set Before and After to 0.
What’s the difference between line spacing and paragraph spacing?
Line spacing controls the space between lines within one paragraph. Paragraph spacing controls the extra space above or below a whole paragraph.
Why does Google Docs add space after every paragraph?
The paragraph style you’re using includes space after. Removing it and updating the Normal text style stops it.
Can I remove paragraph spacing on my phone?
The mobile apps let you change line spacing and delete blank lines, but Google’s help doesn’t list the Before and After paragraph options for the apps. Use a computer browser for that.
Will removing spacing change my headings?
Only if they’re included in your selection. Headings use their own styles, so updating Normal text leaves them alone.
Can I undo spacing changes?
Yes. Press Ctrl + Z (Mac: Command + Z) right away, or open File > Version history to restore an earlier version.
Summary
- Select the text, or everything with Ctrl + A or Command + A.
- Use Format > Line & paragraph spacing > Remove space before paragraph and Remove space after paragraph.
- For exact control, use Custom spacing with Before and After set to 0.
- Set line spacing to Single if all lines look spread out.
- Delete blank lines, clear formatting from pasted text, and update the Normal text style so the fix sticks.
Next step: Select your whole document, open Format > Line & paragraph spacing > Custom spacing, set Before and After to 0, and click Apply.
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.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.