The ruler appears at the top and left side of your document to help you align text and objects

Microsoft Word includes a ruler — a measurement tool that runs horizontally across the top of your page and vertically down the left side. The ruler shows you where your margins are, lets you see how wide your text area is, and makes it easier to position images, tables, and text boxes exactly where you want them. By default, the ruler is hidden in most versions of Word, so you need to turn it on yourself.

The ruler measures in inches by default, though you can change this to centimeters or other units through Word's settings. Once visible, you can click and drag the ruler markers to adjust your paragraph indents, tab stops, and margins without opening a dialog box.

Key Takeaways

  • The ruler is hidden by default in Word and must be turned on through the View tab at the top of the screen.
  • Word displays both a horizontal ruler across the top and a vertical ruler on the left side when the feature is active.
  • You can drag the ruler markers to adjust left indent, right indent, first-line indent, and tab stops directly on your page.
  • The ruler measurement unit defaults to inches but can be changed to centimeters or other units in Word's Options menu.

How to turn on the ruler in Word

Open the document you want to work with in Microsoft Word. Look at the top of the screen where you see tabs labeled File, Home, Insert, Design, Layout, and so on. Click the View tab.

In the View tab, look for a checkbox labeled Ruler. It is usually in the upper left area of the ribbon, near other display options like Gridlines and Navigation Pane. Click the checkbox next to Ruler to turn it on. The ruler should now appear at the top of your page (horizontal) and along the left side (vertical).

If you do not see the Ruler checkbox, make sure you are in Print Layout view, which is the default editing view in Word. You can switch to Print Layout by clicking View and then selecting Print Layout from the options. The ruler only displays in Print Layout and Web Layout views, not in Outline or Draft view.

Understanding what the ruler shows you

The horizontal ruler at the top displays the width of your page in inches (or your chosen unit). The left edge of the ruler shows where your left margin begins, and the right edge shows where your right margin ends. The white area in the middle is your text area — the space where your words can go.

On the horizontal ruler, you will see small triangular and rectangular markers. The top triangle controls your first-line indent (where the first line of a paragraph starts). The bottom triangle controls your left indent (where the rest of the paragraph lines start). The small rectangle below both triangles moves both indents together. On the right side of the ruler, another triangle marks your right indent.

The vertical ruler on the left side shows the height of your page in inches. It helps you see how much space you have from top to bottom and is useful when positioning images or text boxes vertically on the page.

How to adjust indents and tabs using the ruler

To change your left indent, click and drag the bottom triangle on the horizontal ruler to the right. This moves where all lines of your paragraph start. To indent only the first line of a paragraph (a common formatting choice), click and drag the top triangle to the right instead.

To change your right indent, click and drag the triangle on the right side of the ruler to the left. This moves where your text stops on the right side of the page. You can adjust this for a single paragraph or for your entire document, depending on what text you have selected.

To set a tab stop (a position where your cursor jumps when you press the Tab key), click anywhere on the horizontal ruler where you want the tab to be. A small marker will appear. Click and drag it to move it, or click and drag it off the ruler to remove it. Tab stops are useful for aligning columns of text or creating straightforward lists without using a table.

Changing the ruler measurement unit

By default, Word measures the ruler in inches. If you prefer centimeters, millimeters, or another unit, you can change this setting. Click File at the top left, then select Options at the bottom of the menu.

In the Options window, click Advanced in the left sidebar. Scroll down until you find the section labeled Display. Look for a dropdown menu that says Measurement units and click it. Select your preferred unit — Centimeters, Millimeters, Points, Picas, or Inches — and click OK. The ruler will now display in your chosen unit.

Turning off the ruler when you do not need it

If the ruler takes up space and you do not need it, you can hide it again. Go to the View tab and click the Ruler checkbox again to uncheck it. The ruler will disappear from your screen, giving you more room to see your document.

Some people prefer to keep the ruler visible at all times for frequent formatting adjustments. Others turn it on only when they need to adjust indents or tab stops, then turn it off again. There is no right answer — use it however works best for your workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I not see the ruler even after clicking the checkbox?

The ruler only appears in Print Layout and Web Layout views. If you are in Outline or Draft view, the ruler will not show even if the checkbox is on. Switch to Print Layout by clicking View and selecting Print Layout. Also check that you are not in a read-only document, which may hide the ruler.

Can I change the ruler to show centimeters instead of inches?

Yes. Go to File, then Options, then Advanced. Scroll to the Display section and change the Measurement units dropdown to Centimeters. This changes the ruler for all your Word documents going forward.

What is the difference between the top and bottom triangles on the ruler?

The top triangle controls first-line indent — where the first line of a paragraph starts. The bottom triangle controls left indent — where the rest of the paragraph lines start. Moving them separately lets you create a hanging indent or indent only the first line.

Does the ruler work the same way in Word Online as in the desktop version?

Word Online has limited ruler support. The desktop version of Word gives you full control over indents and tab stops through the ruler. Word Online may not display the ruler or may display it differently depending on your browser and settings.