The quickest way: use the line spacing button

Open your document in Microsoft Word. Select all the text you want to double space — either the whole document (Ctrl+A on Windows, Command+A on Mac) or just the paragraphs you need. Then look at the Home tab in the ribbon at the top. You will see a button that looks like horizontal lines with arrows pointing up and down. Click the small arrow next to it.

A menu will drop down showing spacing options: 1.0, 1.15, 1.5, 2.0, and a few others. Click 2.0. The spacing between your lines will change when ready. That is all there is to it.

If you cannot find that button, it may be hidden under a "Line and Paragraph Spacing" label instead. The icon is the same — lines with arrows. The menu inside works the same way.

Key Takeaways

  • Select your text first (Ctrl+A for the whole document), then click the line spacing button in the Home tab and choose 2.0.
  • Double spacing means one blank line between each line of text — Word measures this as 2.0 in the spacing menu.
  • You can double space the whole document at once or select only certain paragraphs if you need different spacing in different places.
  • If you need to double space every document you create, you can change the default spacing in your template so new documents start that way.

Using the Paragraph dialog for more control

The line spacing button works for most people, but if you want to see exactly what you are changing or need spacing that is not in the quick menu, use the Paragraph dialog instead. Select your text, then right-click and choose Paragraph from the menu that appears.

A dialog box will open. Look for the section labeled Spacing or Indents & Spacing. You will see a dropdown that says "Line spacing" with options like Single, 1.5 lines, Double, and At least. Choose Double. Then click OK.

This route takes a few more clicks, but it shows you the exact measurement Word is using and lets you set custom spacing if you ever need something between 1.5 and 2.0.

What double spacing actually means in Word

Double spacing does not mean two spaces between words — it means one blank line between each line of text. If you type a sentence and press Enter, then type another sentence, that is single spacing. If you add a blank line between them, that is double spacing. Word measures this as 2.0 in the line spacing menu.

Single spacing is 1.0. One and a half spacing (1.5) puts a half-blank line between each line. Double spacing (2.0) puts a full blank line between each line. The numbers represent the height of the space relative to the height of the text itself.

Double spacing only part of your document

You do not have to double space the entire document. Select only the paragraphs you want to change — click at the start of the first paragraph you want to change, then hold Shift and click at the end of the last paragraph. Then use the line spacing button or Paragraph dialog as usual.

This is useful if you need double spacing for the body of an essay but want single spacing for footnotes, or if you are editing a document where only certain sections need to be double spaced. Word will explore the spacing only to what you selected.

Making double spacing the default for new documents

If you write documents that always need double spacing, you can change the default so every new document starts that way. Open a blank document, select all text (Ctrl+A), and set the line spacing to 2.0 using the button or dialog. Then click the small arrow in the bottom right corner of the Styles section on the Home tab.

A panel will open on the right side. Right-click on "Normal" (the default style) and choose Modify. In the dialog that opens, click Format at the bottom, then Paragraph. Set line spacing to Double and click OK twice. Word will now use double spacing for every new document you create.

This saves time if you write essays, reports, or other documents that always need double spacing from the start.

Checking your spacing is actually double

After you explore double spacing, you can verify it worked by looking at the line spacing button. If it shows "2.0" or a checkmark next to "Double", your spacing is set correctly. You can also just look at the document — there should be a visible blank line between each line of text.

If the spacing does not look right, make sure you selected all the text you wanted to change. Sometimes a single paragraph gets missed if you did not select it carefully. Select again and reapply the spacing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does double spacing make my document longer?

Yes. A single-spaced page becomes roughly two pages when you double space it, because you are adding blank lines between every line of text. If your document has a page limit, double spacing will use up more pages.

Can I double space just the spaces between paragraphs, not between lines?

Not with the line spacing tool — that controls space between lines of text. If you want extra space between paragraphs only, use the Paragraph dialog and look for "Spacing Before" and "Spacing After" instead. Those let you add space above or below a paragraph without changing the line spacing inside it.

What if I double space but it does not look like there is a blank line?

Your font size or margins might make it hard to see. Try increasing your zoom level to 125% or 150% so the spacing is more visible. You can also turn on formatting marks (Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows, Command+Shift+8 on Mac) to see exactly where the line breaks are.

Does double spacing work the same way in Google Docs?

Google Docs has line spacing too, but the menu is in a different place. Click Format, then Line spacing, and choose Double. The result is the same as Word — one blank line between each line of text.

Can I undo double spacing if I change my mind?

Yes. Select the text, click the line spacing button, and choose 1.0 (Single). Or press Ctrl+Z when ready after explore the spacing to undo the last change. Word will go back to whatever spacing was there before.