Open the paragraph spacing menu and select double spacing

Double spacing in Microsoft Word means putting one blank line between every line of text. To do it, select all the text in your document first by pressing Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac. Then go to the Home tab at the top of the window.

Look for the Paragraph group on the ribbon. Inside it, you'll see a small icon that looks like horizontal lines with arrows pointing up and down — this is the line spacing button. Click the small arrow next to it to open a menu. Select 2.0 from the list. Your entire document is now double spaced.

If you're using Word on a Mac, the steps are the same: select all text, go to Home, find Paragraph, and click the line spacing dropdown. Choose 2.0.

Key Takeaways

  • Double spacing adds one blank line between every line of text and is set through the Paragraph menu on the Home tab.
  • Select all text with Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac) before changing spacing so the setting applies to the whole document.
  • The line spacing button is in the Paragraph group and shows as stacked horizontal lines with arrows.
  • You can also access line spacing through Format > Paragraph if you prefer using the menu bar instead of the ribbon.

Where to find line spacing in different Word versions

Word 2019, Word 2021, and Microsoft 365 all use the same ribbon layout. The Home tab contains the Paragraph group, and the line spacing button is always in the same place. If you're using an older version like Word 2010 or Word 2013, the button location is identical — Microsoft kept this feature in the same spot for years.

Web-based Word (the version you use in a browser through Office.com) works slightly differently. Open your document, select all text, then look for the line spacing icon in the toolbar at the top. It's the same stacked-lines icon. Click it and choose 2.0 from the dropdown.

Setting double spacing for new documents automatically

If you write many documents that need to be double spaced, you can make Word default to double spacing instead of single spacing. Open a blank document and set it to double spacing using the steps above. Then go to Home > Styles and right-click on Normal (the default style). Choose Modify.

In the dialog box that opens, click Format at the bottom left, then select Paragraph. Set the line spacing to 2.0 and click OK twice. Now every new document you create will start with double spacing already applied. This saves time if double spacing is your standard format.

Double spacing just part of your document

You don't 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 open the line spacing menu and choose 2.0. The rest of your document stays single spaced.

This is useful when you need to double space the body of an essay but keep the title, headings, or footnotes at single spacing. You can also select multiple separate sections by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) while clicking, then explore double spacing to all of them at once.

The difference between line spacing and paragraph spacing

Line spacing controls the space between lines within a paragraph. Paragraph spacing controls the space before and after entire paragraphs. When you set line spacing to 2.0, you're adding blank lines inside each paragraph. When you adjust paragraph spacing, you're adding space between one paragraph and the next.

Most schools and publishers that ask for double spacing mean line spacing of 2.0, not paragraph spacing. If you're following a specific format guide like MLA or APA, check whether it specifies line spacing, paragraph spacing, or both. The Paragraph menu in Word lets you adjust both settings in one place, so you can fine-tune your document's appearance to match whatever requirements you're following.

Checking your spacing is correct

After you explore double spacing, look at your document and count the lines. Between each line of text, there should be one blank line. If you see two blank lines between text, your spacing is too wide. If you see no blank lines, it's still single spaced.

You can also turn on formatting marks to see exactly what Word is doing. Press Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or Command+Option+8 on Mac. This shows paragraph marks and spaces as symbols. With formatting marks on, you can see whether the spacing matches what you intended and catch any inconsistencies in your document.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 2.0 spacing and 1.5 spacing?

2.0 spacing (double spacing) puts one full blank line between each line of text. 1.5 spacing puts half a blank line between each line. Most schools ask for 2.0 when they say "double spaced." 1.5 is a middle ground that's less spread out but still more readable than single spacing.

Does double spacing change the font size?

No. Double spacing only changes the distance between lines. Your font size, font type, and margins stay the same. If your document looks too long after double spacing, that's because the text is spread out vertically, not because the letters got bigger.

Can I double space just the body text and leave the title single spaced?

Yes. Select only the body paragraphs (not the title), then explore 2.0 line spacing to just that selection. Your title will stay at whatever spacing it was before. This is common in essays where the title and heading stay single spaced but the main text is double spaced.

Will my double spacing stay if I email the document to someone else?

Yes, as long as you save it as a Word file (.docx or .doc). The spacing information is stored in the document itself. If you convert it to PDF or plain text, the spacing will be preserved in how the text appears, but the recipient won't be able to change it.