To make two columns in Word, select the text (or click where you want columns to start), go to the Layout tab, click Columns and choose Two. Choose More Columns to set the number of columns, their width and spacing, or add a line between them. In Word 2013 the same button is on the Page Layout tab. Office 2013 reached end of support on April 11, 2023, so it no longer gets security updates.
Quick Answer
Layout > Columns > Two (or Three). Use More Columns for widths, spacing and a line between.
Steps to Add Columns
- Select the text you want in columns. To format the whole document, don’t select anything.
- Open the Layout tab (Page Layout in Word 2013).
- Click Columns and pick Two, Three, Left or Right.
- For more control, choose More Columns, set the number, width and spacing, tick Line between if you want it, and pick where to apply it.
- To move text to the next column, click where it should break and choose Layout > Breaks > Column.
Column Options
| Option | Where |
|---|---|
| Preset layouts | Layout > Columns |
| Custom number, width and spacing | Columns > More Columns |
| Line between columns | More Columns > Line between |
| Apply to part of a document | Select text first, or Apply to: This point forward |
| Force text to next column | Layout > Breaks > Column |
| Back to one column | Layout > Columns > One |
For event stationery, see making place cards in Word.
Related: How to Change the Width of a Column in Word.
Related: How to Change Column Spacing in Word.
Troubleshooting
- Whole document changed: Undo, select only the text you want, then apply columns. Word adds section breaks around it.
- Columns are uneven: Insert a Continuous section break at the end of the column text to balance them.
- Want a line between them: See adding lines between columns in Word.
- Meant a table column: See adding columns to a table in Word.
Related: Type in the second column in Word.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many columns can I have?
Word allows many columns in More Columns, but page width limits what’s readable. Two or three is typical.
Can a heading span both columns?
Yes. Keep the heading in one-column format and apply columns only to the text below it.
How do I remove columns?
Click in the columned text and choose Layout > Columns > One.
Summary
- Select the text.
- Layout > Columns > Two.
- Use More Columns for widths and a line between.
- Insert column breaks to control flow.
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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