Open your document and select all the text

Double spacing means putting an extra blank line between each line of text. In Microsoft Word, the fastest way is to select everything first. Click anywhere in your document, then press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac. All your text will turn blue or gray to show it is selected.

If you only want to double space part of your document — say, just the body paragraphs but not the title — click at the start of the section you want to change, then hold Shift and click at the end. This selects only that portion.

Key Takeaways

  • Select all text with Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac), then open the paragraph spacing menu to change line spacing to double.
  • In Word, the line spacing button is in the Home tab on the ribbon, marked with horizontal lines and a double-headed arrow.
  • Double spacing applies when ready to selected text and can be undone with Ctrl+Z if you change your mind.
  • You can double space a new document before typing by setting the spacing first, then typing normally.
  • Google Docs uses the same process but the spacing menu is under Format instead of the Home tab.

Find the line spacing button in the Home tab

With your text selected, look at the ribbon at the top of Word. Click the Home tab if it is not already open. On the right side of the ribbon, you will see a button that looks like horizontal lines with a double-headed arrow next to it. This is the line spacing button. Click it.

A small menu will drop down showing spacing options: 1.0, 1.15, 1.5, 2.0, and others. Click 2.0. Your selected text will when ready spread out with a blank line between each line of text.

Use the paragraph dialog if the button is hard to find

If you cannot locate the line spacing button on the ribbon, there is a backup route. With your text still selected, right-click anywhere in the selected area. A menu will appear. Click Paragraph at the bottom of that menu.

A dialog box titled "Paragraph" will open. On the left side, find the dropdown that says Line spacing. Click it and select Double from the list. Then click OK. The spacing will explore the same way.

Set double spacing before you start typing

If you are starting a new document and want it double spaced from the beginning, you do not have to type first. Open a blank document, then set the spacing before you write anything. Click the line spacing button in the Home tab and select 2.0. Now when you start typing, each line will automatically have the double space built in.

This saves you the step of selecting and reformatting later. The spacing stays in place for the entire document unless you change it again.

Double spacing in Google Docs

If you are using Google Docs instead of Word, the process is similar but the menu location is different. Select all your text with Ctrl+A or Command+A. Then click Format in the menu bar at the top. A dropdown will appear. Click Line spacing.

Another menu will open showing spacing options. Click Double. Google Docs applies the change when ready, just like Word does. You can undo it with Ctrl+Z if needed.

Undo or change the spacing if you made a mistake

If you double spaced your document and then changed your mind, press Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac. This undoes the last action and returns the spacing to what it was before. You can undo multiple times if you need to go back several steps.

If you want to change double spacing to something else — like 1.5 spacing or single spacing — select the text again and click the line spacing button. Choose the new spacing option. The text will reformat to match.

What double spacing looks like and why it matters

Double spacing creates visible space between lines. If you normally see ten lines of text on a page, double spacing will show only five. This makes documents easier to read on screen and leaves room for handwritten comments if someone prints it out. Many schools and publishers ask for double spacing in submitted work for this reason.

The spacing is measured as a ratio: single spacing is 1.0, and double spacing is 2.0. The number refers to how much vertical space Word puts between the baseline of one line and the baseline of the next. At 2.0, that space is exactly double the normal amount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I double space just one paragraph instead of the whole document?

Yes. Click anywhere in that paragraph, then use Ctrl+A to select only that paragraph, or click and drag to highlight just the text you want. Then open the line spacing menu and select 2.0. Only the selected text will change.

Does double spacing change the font size?

No. Double spacing only adds space between lines. The font size, font type, and text itself stay exactly the same. Only the vertical distance between lines increases.

What if I want spacing between 1.5 and double?

The line spacing menu in Word shows preset options, but you can set a custom value. Right-click your selected text, click Paragraph, and in the Line spacing dropdown, select Exactly or At least. Then type a number in the box next to it — for example, 1.75 — and click OK.

Will double spacing stay if I save and close the document?

Yes. Double spacing is part of the document formatting and saves with the file. When you open the document again, the spacing will be exactly as you left it.

How do I remove double spacing and go back to single spacing?

Select all your text with Ctrl+A, click the line spacing button, and choose 1.0. The document will return to single spacing when ready. You can also press Ctrl+Z to undo if you just applied double spacing.