If you’re tired of seeing your Word document look like it’s been stretched out because of those pesky extra spaces between words, I’ve got some good news for you! You can easily get rid of them and make your document look clean and professional. Justified text alignment often leaves gaps between words, but with a few tweaks in your Word settings, you can minimize these spaces. Here’s how to do it.
How to Remove Space Between Words in Word Justified
When you justify text in a Word document, the software adjusts the spacing between words to make the text align evenly on both the left and right margins. Sometimes, this creates unsightly gaps. Follow these steps to reduce those spaces and achieve a more polished look.
Step 1: Open Your Document
First things first, open the Word document that you want to fix.
When you open your document, make sure you take note of the areas where the spaces are most pronounced. This will make it easier to see the changes as you make them.
Step 2: Highlight the Text
Step 2, highlight the text you want to adjust.
You can either highlight a portion of the text or the entire document. Just click and drag your mouse over the text, or press Ctrl+A to select everything.
Step 3: Go to the Paragraph Settings
Step 3, click on the "Home" tab, then go to the "Paragraph" group and click on the small arrow in the bottom right corner to open Paragraph Settings.
This will open a dialog box with various options for adjusting your paragraph settings.
Step 4: Adjust the Spacing
Step 4, in the Paragraph Settings dialog box, click on the "Line and Page Breaks" tab.
In this tab, look for an option called "Don’t expand character spaces on a line that ends with SHIFT+RETURN." Check this box to prevent Word from expanding spaces at the end of lines.
Step 5: Fine-tune with Kerning
Step 5, go to the "Font" dialog box by clicking on the arrow next to the Font group on the "Home" tab, then go to the "Advanced" tab and adjust the "Kerning for fonts" settings.
Kerning adjusts the spacing between characters. Set it to "12 points and above" to make subtle changes that improve the overall look of your justified text.
After completing these steps, you should see a noticeable reduction in the extra space between words in your justified text. Your document will look more professional and easier to read.
Tips for Removing Space Between Words in Word Justified
- Use a Hyphenation Tool: Enabling Word’s hyphenation tool can break up long words and reduce large gaps.
- Adjust Margins: Slightly adjusting the margins can sometimes help to redistribute the text more evenly.
- Change Font Size: Sometimes, changing the font size just a little bit can eliminate large spaces.
- Manual Line Breaks: Use manual line breaks (Shift+Enter) judiciously to control where Word breaks lines.
- Review Paragraphs Separately: Adjust paragraph settings individually for more precise control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does justified text create extra spaces?
Justified text aligns both edges by adding space between words. When there’s not enough content, it creates gaps.
Can I use other software to avoid this?
Yes, programs like Adobe InDesign offer advanced text justification options that Word doesn’t provide.
Does changing font help?
Sometimes. Different fonts have different spacing, so experimenting with fonts can reduce gaps.
Is there a shortcut for the Paragraph Settings dialog box?
Unfortunately, there’s no default shortcut, but you can create a custom one in Word options.
Does this affect how the document prints?
Yes, reducing gaps will also affect the printed version, making it look cleaner.
Summary
- Open your document
- Highlight the text
- Go to Paragraph settings
- Adjust the spacing
- Fine-tune with kerning
Conclusion
There you have it! Removing the extra space between words in justified text can make a world of difference in the professional appearance of your document. By following these simple steps and utilizing a few extra tips, you can ensure that your text looks neat and tidy. If you found this guide helpful, consider exploring additional Word features to further enhance your documents. Now that you know how to remove space between words in Word justified, your documents will be a step above the rest. Keep practicing, and soon, you’ll be a Word wizard!
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.