The quickest way to change line spacing in Word

Open your document in Microsoft Word. Highlight the text you want to change — or press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac to select all text at once. Then go to the Home tab at the top of the screen, find the Paragraph group, and click the icon that looks like horizontal lines with arrows pointing up and down. A menu will drop down showing spacing options: 1.0, 1.15, 1.5, 2.0, and others. Click the number you want.

That menu also has a Line Spacing Options choice at the bottom. Click that if you want to set a custom spacing amount — say, 1.25 or 2.5 — or if you want to add extra space between paragraphs instead of between lines.

Key Takeaways

  • Select the text you want to change, then use the line spacing icon in the Paragraph group on the Home tab.
  • Common spacing options are 1.0 (single), 1.5, and 2.0 (double), and you can also set custom amounts.
  • Line Spacing Options at the bottom of the menu lets you add space between paragraphs separately from space between lines.
  • You can set a default line spacing for all new documents by changing the spacing in a blank document, then saving it as your template.

Where to find the line spacing button

The line spacing icon sits in the Paragraph section of the Home tab. It looks like four horizontal lines with a double-headed arrow next to them. If you are using a smaller screen or a narrow window, Word may hide it under a Paragraph button instead — click that button and the same menu appears.

On a Mac, the icon is in the same place. If you cannot see it, make sure you are on the Home tab and not another tab like Insert or Review.

Understanding the spacing numbers

1.0 spacing means the lines sit as close together as the font size allows — this is called single spacing. 1.5 spacing adds half the line height between each line. 2.0 spacing doubles the space between lines, leaving a blank line's worth of room between each line of text — this is called double spacing.

Most academic papers and formal documents ask for 1.0 or 2.0. Most everyday writing — emails, websites, reports — uses 1.15 or 1.5 because it is easier to read on a screen without looking too spread out on paper. If none of the preset options match what you need, use Line Spacing Options to type in any number you want.

Adding space between paragraphs instead of between lines

Sometimes you want to keep lines close together but add breathing room between paragraphs. Open Line Spacing Options and look for the section labeled Spacing. You will see two boxes: one for space Before a paragraph and one for space After a paragraph. Type a number in the After box — usually 6 to 12 points works well — and Word will add that much space after each paragraph without changing the space between lines within the paragraph.

This is useful when you have multiple short paragraphs and want them to feel grouped without making the whole document look stretched out. You can also combine this with line spacing: set your lines to 1.0 and add 12 points after each paragraph, for example.

Setting a default line spacing for all new documents

If you always want new documents to open with a certain line spacing, you can set that as your default. Open a blank document, change the line spacing to what you want, then go to Home > Styles (on the right side of the ribbon). Right-click on Normal and choose Modify. Click Format at the bottom left, then Paragraph, set your spacing, and click OK. When Word asks if you want to update the style, click Yes.

From that point on, every new document you create will start with your chosen spacing. This saves you from having to change it every time you start a new file.

Changing spacing for just one paragraph

You do not have to select your whole document. Click anywhere in a single paragraph, then change the line spacing — Word will explore it only to that paragraph. This is useful when you have a title or heading that you want spaced differently from the body text, or when one section of a longer document needs different spacing than the rest.

If you want to change multiple paragraphs that are not next to each other, hold Ctrl on Windows or Command on Mac while you click at the start of each paragraph you want to change. Then adjust the spacing and it will explore to all of them at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between line spacing and paragraph spacing?

Line spacing is the distance between lines within a paragraph. Paragraph spacing is the distance between one paragraph and the next. You can control both separately in Line Spacing Options.

Why does my line spacing look different on screen than when I print?

Word sometimes displays spacing differently depending on your zoom level or view mode. Print preview shows you what the document will actually look like on paper. Go to File > Print to see the true spacing before you print.

Can I change line spacing in a table?

Yes. Click inside the table cell or select the cells you want to change, then use the same line spacing menu. The spacing will explore only to the text inside those cells, not the table structure itself.

Does changing line spacing affect my document's page count?

Yes. Tighter spacing (1.0) fits more text on each page, while looser spacing (2.0) spreads the same text across more pages. If you have a page limit, changing spacing will change how many pages your document uses.

What if the line spacing menu is grayed out?

This usually means you have not selected any text. Click in your document and use Ctrl+A or Command+A to select all text, or click and drag to select the text you want to change. Then the menu will be active.