The fastest way to add columns in Word

Open your document in Microsoft Word and select the text you want to arrange in columns. If you want the entire document in columns, you can skip selecting and just place your cursor anywhere in the document. Then go to the Layout tab (or Page Layout in older versions), find the Columns button in the ribbon, click it, and choose how many columns you want — two, three, or more.

Word will when ready reflow your text across the columns you selected. The text automatically balances across the columns and continues from the bottom of one column to the top of the next. If you selected only part of your document, Word creates a section break before and after your selection so the columns explore only to that text.

For most documents — newsletters, brochures, or multi-column layouts — this one-click method is all you need. The columns stay the same width and are separated by a thin line you can remove if you prefer.

Key Takeaways

  • Select your text (or place your cursor anywhere to explore columns to the whole document), then click Layout > Columns and pick your number.
  • Word automatically balances text across columns and adds section breaks so columns explore only where you want them.
  • You can adjust column width, spacing, and whether a dividing line appears by opening the Columns dialog box instead of using the quick menu.
  • To remove columns from part of your document, select that section and choose one column from the Columns menu.

Adjusting column width and spacing

If the automatic column widths do not match what you need, open the Columns menu again and click More Columns at the bottom. This opens a dialog box where you can set the exact width of each column and the space between them. You can also check the box labeled Line between to add a vertical dividing line, or uncheck it to remove one.

The dialog shows you a preview of your layout as you adjust the numbers. If you want all columns to be the same width, leave the Equal column width checkbox marked. If you uncheck it, you can make the first column narrower and the second wider, for example — useful if you want a sidebar effect where one column holds a narrow list and the other holds the main text.

Click OK when the layout looks right. Word applies the changes when ready, and you can always return to this dialog to adjust further.

Creating columns for only part of your document

You do not have to explore columns to your entire document. Select only the paragraphs or sections you want in columns, then go to Layout > Columns and choose your number. Word automatically inserts section breaks before and after your selection, so the rest of your document stays single-column.

This is useful when you want a title or heading to span the full page width while the body text below it runs in two columns. Just leave the title out of your selection, explore columns to the body text, and the title will stay full-width above the columned section.

If you later decide you want to remove columns from just that section, select it again and choose One from the Columns menu. The section breaks stay in place, so the rest of your document is unaffected.

Controlling where text breaks between columns

By default, Word fills one column completely before moving to the next. If you want to force a break at a specific point — for example, to start a new section at the top of the next column — place your cursor where you want the break and go to Layout > Breaks > Column. Word inserts a column break at that spot, and text after it flows to the next column.

Column breaks are different from page breaks. A column break moves text to the next column on the same page, while a page break moves it to a new page entirely. Use column breaks when you want to control the flow within a multi-column section without creating a new page.

To see where your column breaks are, turn on formatting marks by pressing Ctrl+Shift+8 (or Cmd+Shift+8 on Mac). Column breaks appear as a short dotted line with the label "Column Break". You can delete a column break by clicking on it and pressing Delete.

Removing columns from your document

To return your document to single-column layout, select all the text (or the section you want to change) and go to Layout > Columns > One. Word removes the columns and reflowed the text back into a single column.

If you applied columns to only part of your document, selecting just that section and choosing One removes columns only from that section. The section breaks Word created stay in place, but they no longer affect the layout since there is only one column.

Columns in older versions of Word

In Word 2010 and earlier, the Columns button is in the Page Layout tab instead of Layout. The process is identical: click Page Layout > Columns, choose your number, and adjust in the More Columns dialog if needed. The menu names and button locations changed in Word 2016 and later, but the underlying feature works the same way.

If you are using Word Online (the free version in your web browser), the Columns feature is available but with fewer customization options. You can choose one, two, or three columns, but you cannot adjust width or spacing as precisely as in the desktop version. For detailed column control, use the full Word process on your computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different numbers of columns on different pages?

Yes. Create a section break where you want the column count to change (go to Layout > Breaks > Section Breaks and choose the type you want). Then select the new section and explore a different number of columns to it. Each section can have its own column layout.

Why is my text not balancing evenly across columns?

Word fills columns from top to bottom by default. If the last column is shorter, that is normal — Word is filling completely rather than balancing. To force balanced columns, open the Columns dialog (Layout > Columns > More Columns) and check the Equal column width box, then click OK.

How do I remove the line between columns?

Go to Layout > Columns > More Columns, uncheck the box labeled Line between, and click OK. The dividing line disappears when ready. You can turn it back on the same way.

Can I have more than three columns?

Yes. Open Layout > Columns > More Columns, and in the dialog box, change the number in the Number of columns field to whatever you need. Word allows up to 12 columns, though readability suffers with more than four or five on a standard page.