How to Change Line Spacing in Microsoft Word

This guide shows you how to adjust line spacing in Microsoft Word, which controls the vertical distance between lines of text in a paragraph. Changing line spacing can make a document easier to read, fit more content on a page, or meet specific formatting requirements for school or work. You can apply the change to a single paragraph, a selected block of text, or the entire document.

What You’ll Need

A computer with Microsoft Word installed (this guide covers Word 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365 versions).
A document open in Word, or a new blank document to practice on.

Step-by-Step

Open your document in Microsoft Word.
Select the text you want to change. To change the whole document, press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac). To change just one paragraph, click anywhere inside that paragraph without selecting anything else.
Go to the Home tab on the ribbon at the top of the window. It is usually the first tab on the left.
Find the Paragraph group in the middle of the ribbon. Look for a button with four horizontal lines and up/down arrows next to them—this is the Line and Paragraph Spacing button.
Click the Line and Paragraph Spacing button. A drop-down menu appears with preset options: 1.0, 1.15, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0.
Choose a preset value from the list. For example, click 1.5 for one-and-a-half spacing, or 2.0 for double spacing. The selected text (or the paragraph your cursor is in) will update immediately.
For more options, click Line Spacing Options… at the bottom of that same drop-down menu. This opens the Paragraph dialog box.
In the Paragraph dialog box, look for the Spacing section. Under Line spacing, you will see a drop-down list with choices like Single, 1.5 lines, Double, At least, Exactly, and Multiple.
Choose a spacing style:
- Single: Standard single spacing.
- 1.5 lines: One-and-a-half spacing.
- Double: Double spacing.
- At least: Sets a minimum spacing; lines will be at least this tall but can grow if a larger font or graphic appears.
- Exactly: Sets a fixed spacing; all lines are exactly this height, which can cut off tall characters if set too small.
- Multiple: Allows any value, like 1.2 or 2.5. Enter the number in the At box to the right.
If you chose At least, Exactly, or Multiple, enter a value in the At box. For Multiple, a value of 1.2 means 1.2 times single spacing. For Exactly or At least, the value is in points (e.g., 12 pt).
Set the spacing before and after paragraphs (optional). In the same dialog box, under Spacing, you can adjust Before and After to add space between paragraphs, separate from line spacing within paragraphs.
Click OK to apply your changes and close the dialog box.
To set a default for all future documents, after making your selections in the Paragraph dialog box, click the Set as Default button at the bottom left. Choose All documents based on the Normal template and click OK.

Common Mistakes

Selecting nothing: If you do not select any text and your cursor is not inside a paragraph, the change may apply to the next text you type, not the existing document.
Confusing line spacing with paragraph spacing: Line spacing is between lines within a paragraph; paragraph spacing (Before/After) is between separate paragraphs. Changing one does not change the other.
Using Exactly with too small a value: If you set Exactly to a value smaller than the font size, the tops of letters may get cut off. Use At least or Multiple instead if you are unsure.
Applying to the whole document when you meant one section: Double-check your selection before changing spacing. Ctrl+A selects everything, which is not always what you want.

Tips

Use keyboard shortcuts: In most versions, select text and press Ctrl+1 for single spacing, Ctrl+2 for double spacing, and Ctrl+5 for 1.5 spacing.
Adjust spacing for readability: For body text, 1.15 to 1.5 is often comfortable on screen. For documents that will be printed and read on paper, double spacing is common for drafts that need editing marks.
Use Styles for consistency: Instead of manually changing spacing each time, modify the built-in styles (like Normal or Body Text) by right-clicking the style in the Home tab and choosing Modify. This way, all text using that style updates automatically.
Preview before applying: The Paragraph dialog box shows a live preview at the bottom. Watch it as you change settings to see the effect before you click OK.
Clear formatting to start fresh: If spacing looks wrong, select the text and press Ctrl+Spacebar to remove direct character formatting, then Ctrl+Q to reset paragraph formatting to the style’s default.

Troubleshooting

The change does not apply to the whole document. You likely have text selected that does not cover everything, or your cursor is in one paragraph. Press Ctrl+A to select all, then apply the spacing again. If you want the whole document to have the same spacing, also check that no sections have different spacing settings—go to the Layout tab and look at the Page Setup group for section breaks.

Lines are too close together or overlapping. This usually happens when you chose Exactly and set a value too small. Go back to Line Spacing Options, change the line spacing to Single or Multiple (e.g., 1.15), and click OK. If you need a fixed value, increase the At number to at least 1.2 times the font size.

The spacing looks different between paragraphs. You may have extra paragraph marks (empty paragraphs) or different Before/After settings. Turn on formatting marks by clicking the ¶ button in the Home tab’s Paragraph group. Delete empty paragraphs, and check the Before/After values in the Paragraph dialog box for each paragraph.

The Line Spacing button is grayed out. This can happen if you are in a text box, a table cell, or a header/footer where paragraph formatting is restricted. Click outside the restricted area, or select the text inside and try again—if it is still grayed out, you may be in a template that locks formatting. Look for an “Edit” or “Enable Editing” banner at the top of the document.

The spacing changes but reverts when you type new text. The new text is probably using a different style. Select the new text, go to the Home tab, and check which style is highlighted in the Styles group. Apply the Normal style (or the style you want) to it, then set the spacing again.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between line spacing and paragraph spacing? Line spacing is the vertical distance between lines of text within a single paragraph. Paragraph spacing (Before and After) is the space added between separate paragraphs. You control both in the Paragraph dialog box.

How do I set double spacing for just one paragraph? Click anywhere inside that paragraph so the cursor is in it, then go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. You do not need to select the entire paragraph—just having the cursor inside it is enough.

What does “Multiple” line spacing mean? Multiple lets you set a custom multiplier. For example, 1.2 is 20% more than single spacing, and 2.5 is two-and-a-half times single spacing. It is useful when the presets (1.0, 1.5, 2.0) do not give you exactly the look you want.

Why does my document have extra space between paragraphs even though line spacing is set to Single? The extra space is likely the Before or After paragraph spacing. Select the paragraphs, open Line Spacing Options, and set Before and After to 0 pt.

Can I change line spacing in Word on a mobile phone or tablet? Yes. In the Word mobile app, tap the document to bring up the toolbar, tap the Home tab (or the paintbrush icon), then look for Line Spacing in the Paragraph section. The options are more limited than on desktop, but you can choose Single, 1.5, or Double.

Does changing line spacing affect how many pages my document is? Yes. Double spacing roughly doubles the number of pages compared to single spacing for the same text. If you have a page limit, check your spacing before finalizing.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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