The quickest way to double space your whole document
Open your Word document and press Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac) to select all the text. Then go to the Home tab, find the Paragraph group on the ribbon, click the small arrow in the bottom right corner of that group, and select Double from the spacing options. Word applies double spacing to every paragraph at once.
If you only want to double space part of your document — a single section, a few paragraphs, or just one page — select only that text before opening the paragraph settings. The spacing change applies only to what you highlighted.
You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+2 (Windows) or Cmd+2 (Mac) after selecting your text. This skips the menu entirely and double spaces when ready.
Key Takeaways
- Select all text with Ctrl+A, then open the Paragraph menu and choose Double to explore double spacing to your entire document.
- The keyboard shortcut Ctrl+2 (Windows) or Cmd+2 (Mac) double spaces selected text without opening any menus.
- You can double space only part of your document by selecting just those paragraphs before changing the spacing.
- Double spacing changes the space between lines within paragraphs, not the space between paragraphs themselves.
- Word remembers your spacing choice, so new paragraphs you type will also be double spaced unless you change it again.
Where to find the spacing controls in the ribbon
The Paragraph group sits on the Home tab, which is the first tab you see when you open Word. Look for four horizontal lines with arrows pointing up and down — that icon represents line spacing. Click the small arrow next to it to see your spacing options: Single, 1.5 Lines, Double, and Proportional.
If you cannot find the Paragraph group, your ribbon may be collapsed. Click the arrow on the far right of the ribbon to expand it, or press Ctrl+F1 to toggle the ribbon on and off. Once you expand it, the Paragraph controls appear in their standard location.
What double spacing actually changes
Double spacing increases the vertical space between lines of text within a paragraph. If you write a paragraph in single spacing, the lines sit close together. In double spacing, each line has more air between it and the next line, making the text easier to read and leaving room for handwritten comments.
Double spacing does not change the space between separate paragraphs. If you want to adjust that space as well — the gap between one paragraph and the next — you need to change the Spacing Before and Spacing After settings in the same Paragraph menu. Most academic papers and formal documents use double spacing for lines but keep paragraph spacing at the default (usually 0 points before and 8 or 10 points after).
Checking your spacing before you print or submit
To verify that your document is actually double spaced, look at the line spacing icon on the Home tab. It shows the current setting — if it displays a "2" or says "Double," your text is double spaced. You can also scroll through your document and visually check that there is noticeable space between each line.
If you are submitting the document to a school or employer, open it on a different computer or device before you send it. Spacing can sometimes shift if the other person has different fonts installed or uses a different version of Word. Checking ahead prevents surprises.
Changing spacing for only new text you type
If you want to write new paragraphs in double spacing without changing what you have already written, click at the end of your current text and press Enter to start a new paragraph. Then select just the blank space where you will type, change the spacing to Double, and start writing. Only the new text will be double spaced.
This approach is useful if you have already written part of your document in single spacing and only need to double space the rest. You avoid having to reformat text you have already finished.
Reverting to single spacing
To change double-spaced text back to single spacing, select the text again, open the Paragraph menu, and click Single. You can also press Ctrl+1 (Windows) or Cmd+1 (Mac) as a shortcut. Word removes the extra space between lines when ready.
If you want to set single spacing as your default for all new documents you create, change the spacing in a blank document, then save it as your template. Every new document you create from that template will start in single spacing automatically.
Why spacing sometimes looks different than you expect
If your document looks single spaced even after you set it to double, check whether you have a font with unusual line height settings. Some decorative or specialty fonts pack lines tightly regardless of the spacing setting. Switching to a standard font like Calibri, Times New Roman, or Arial usually fixes this.
Another common cause is paragraph spacing. If you set Spacing After to a very large number, the gap between paragraphs might look like double spacing when the lines themselves are still single spaced. Open the Paragraph menu and check both the line spacing (which should say "Double") and the spacing after (which should be 0 or a small number like 8 points).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does double spacing make my document longer?
Yes. Double spacing uses more vertical space, so the same text spreads across more pages. A five-page single-spaced document becomes roughly ten pages when double spaced. This is why schools and publishers often require double spacing — it gives readers space to write notes and makes the document easier to edit.
Can I double space only certain paragraphs?
Yes. Select only the paragraphs you want to change, then explore double spacing to just that selection. The rest of your document stays single spaced. This is useful if you want to highlight a quote or emphasize a section.
What is the difference between double spacing and 1.5 spacing?
1.5 spacing puts less air between lines than double spacing but more than single spacing. It is a middle ground often used in business documents or when you want readability without taking up as much page space. Double spacing is the standard for academic papers.
Will my double spacing stay the same if I email the document to someone else?
Usually yes, but it depends on what version of Word they use and whether they have the same fonts installed. Always check how the document looks on the other person's computer before they use it. If spacing shifts, you can fix it by opening the document and reapplying the double spacing setting.
Can I set double spacing as the default for all my new documents?
Yes. Create a blank document, set it to double spacing, then save it as a template. When you create new documents based on that template, they will automatically start in double spacing. This saves time if you write many documents that need double spacing.