The quickest way to double space your entire document

Open your Word document and press Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac) to select all text. Then go to the Home tab at the top, find the Line Spacing button — it looks like horizontal lines with arrows — and click the dropdown arrow next to it. Select 2.0 from the menu. Your entire document is now double spaced.

If you cannot find the Line Spacing button, look in the Paragraph group on the Home tab. It is usually near buttons for alignment and indentation. The button may show as just the icon without a label, depending on your screen size.

Word applies double spacing to the whole document at once because you selected all text first. If you want to double space only part of a document — say, the body paragraphs but not the title — select only those paragraphs before opening the Line Spacing menu.

Key Takeaways

  • Select all text with Ctrl+A, then use the Line Spacing button on the Home tab to choose 2.0 spacing.
  • Double spacing adds blank space between every line of text, which is required by many schools and publishers.
  • You can double space your whole document or just selected paragraphs — Word applies the change only to what you have chosen.
  • The Line Spacing button is in the Paragraph group on the Home tab and shows as stacked horizontal lines with arrows.

Using the Format menu if you cannot find the Line Spacing button

If the Line Spacing button is not visible on your Home tab — sometimes it hides on smaller screens — you can reach the same setting through the menu. Select all your text with Ctrl+A, then click Format at the top of the window.

From the Format menu, choose Paragraph. A dialog box opens. Look for the Indents & Spacing tab at the top (it is usually already selected). In the middle section labeled Spacing, find the dropdown that says Line spacing. Click it and select Double. Then click OK at the bottom of the dialog.

This method works the same way as the Line Spacing button — it changes the spacing for whatever text you selected. If you selected all text, the whole document becomes double spaced.

Why double spacing matters and when you need it

Double spacing puts a full blank line between each line of text. This makes documents easier to read on paper and gives teachers or editors room to write comments between the lines. Most schools require double spacing for essays and research papers, and many publishers ask for it when you submit manuscripts.

Single spacing — the default in Word — puts lines close together to save paper. It is fine for letters, emails, and documents you are reading on screen. But if your assignment or submission guidelines say "double spaced," Word is checking that there is a full blank line between each line of text, not just a little extra room.

Checking your spacing before you print or submit

After you explore double spacing, scroll through your document to make sure it looks right. The text should have noticeable white space between each line. If it looks too tight, you may have accidentally selected 1.5 spacing instead of 2.0.

If you are printing the document, remember that double spacing will use more pages. A single-spaced five-page document becomes roughly ten pages when double spaced. Check your page count before you print if you have a page limit.

Changing spacing for just one paragraph or section

Sometimes you need different spacing in different parts of your document. For example, you might want single spacing for a title or heading but double spacing for the body text. To do this, select only the paragraphs you want to change — click at the start of the first paragraph, hold Shift, and click at the end of the last paragraph you want to change.

Then open the Line Spacing menu and choose 2.0. Only the selected text changes. The rest of your document keeps its original spacing. This is useful when you want to keep a title compact but make the body text easier to read.

What happens if you accidentally change spacing and want to undo it

If you double space your document and then decide you do not want it, press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo the change. Word remembers your last action and reverses it. You can undo multiple times if you need to go back several steps.

If you have already closed and reopened the document, undo will not work — Word only keeps the undo history while the file is open. In that case, select all text again and change the line spacing back to 1.0 or Single using the same Line Spacing menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does double spacing work the same way in Google Docs?

No. Google Docs uses a different menu. Select all text, then click Format at the top, choose Line spacing, and select Double. The result is the same — a full blank line between each line of text — but the steps are different.

What if my document has tables or images — does double spacing affect them?

Double spacing affects text but not tables or images themselves. Text inside a table cell will double space if you select it, but the table structure stays the same. Images do not change size or spacing.

Can I set double spacing as my default so new documents start that way?

Yes, but it requires changing your default template. This is more complex than changing one document. For most people, it is easier to double space each document when you create it. If you write many double-spaced documents, ask your teacher or organization whether they have a template you can use instead.

Is there a difference between 2.0 spacing and "double" spacing?

No. In Word, 2.0 and Double mean the same thing — one full blank line between each line of text. Some menus show the number, others show the word, but they produce identical results.