How to Change Line Spacing in Word (and Stop Extra Gaps)

A proposal that looks cramped on screen, a handout that needs room for notes, a client template where every new paragraph seems to have a gap you didn't ask for: line spacing sits behind all of these. Word gives you separate controls for the space between lines and the space between paragraphs, and mixing them up is why so many documents look slightly off.

Changing the spacing for selected paragraphs

1. Select the paragraphs you want to change. Press Ctrl+A if you want everything.
2. Go to Home and select the Line and Paragraph Spacing button in the Paragraph group.
3. Pick a value from the list, or choose Line Spacing Options.
4. In the box that opens, choose an option in the Line spacing list, and adjust Before and After if you want to change the gap between paragraphs.
5. Select OK.

Those are Microsoft's steps for Word on Windows, and the Mac version follows the same path from the Home tab.

Line spacing keyboard shortcuts

Spacing	Shortcut on Windows
Single	Ctrl+1
One and a half lines	Ctrl+5
Double	Ctrl+2
Back to the Normal style	Ctrl+Shift+N

Click anywhere in a paragraph and press the shortcut; you don't have to select the whole paragraph first. I use Ctrl+2 on drafts I'm going to print and scribble on, then Ctrl+1 to tighten everything back up.

Spacing a whole document in one go

If you want the entire document to change, Microsoft points you to the Design tab instead:

• Go to Design, then Paragraph Spacing.
• Choose No Paragraph Space to single-space the document.
• Choose Custom Paragraph Spacing to set your own numbers.
• To undo it later, go back to Paragraph Spacing and pick the option under Style Set, often called Default.

Microsoft notes this overrides the settings of the style you're using, which is handy for a quick change and less handy if you've carefully set up styles.

Line spacing versus paragraph spacing

Here's what catches most people. Line spacing controls the gap between lines inside a paragraph. Paragraph spacing, the Before and After boxes, controls the gap between one paragraph and the next. Microsoft says that by default paragraphs are followed by a blank line and headings have a space above them. So if you set single spacing and still see a big gap every time you press Enter, it's the After setting, not line spacing.

The fix is to open Line Spacing Options and set After to zero, or use the menu option to remove space after the paragraph. Do that and your single-spaced text looks single-spaced again.

Changing the default for every new document

Microsoft says Word's default line spacing is 1.15. If you'd rather every new document start at single or 1.5, set it once:

1. Go to Home, Line and Paragraph Spacing, Line Spacing Options.
2. Choose your spacing under Spacing, and adjust Before and After if you like.
3. Select Set as Default.
4. Choose All documents based on the Normal template and select OK.

One caveat from Microsoft: in Word for the web you can change spacing in a document, but new documents go back to 1.15. The default change works in the desktop app.

When the spacing won't change

• Only part of the text changes. You probably selected only some paragraphs. Press Ctrl+A and apply it again.
• Gaps between paragraphs stay. It's the Before or After setting, as above.
• Headings jump about. Headings have their own space above them by default. Change the heading style rather than each heading.
• A pasted section looks different. Pasted text often brings its own formatting. Select it and press Ctrl+Shift+N to apply the Normal style.

Spacing for CVs, proposals and handouts

For anything people read on screen, such as a proposal, 1.15 or a little more reads comfortably. Handouts and drafts for comment benefit from 1.5 or double spacing so there's room to write. For a CV, tight but not cramped is the aim; my guide to formatting a resume in Word covers spacing alongside the other layout choices, and if you're starting from a blank page, my walkthrough on building a resume in Word from scratch sets the spacing up right from the first line.

Whatever you choose, keep it consistent. Mixed spacing is one of the quickest ways to make a document look as though it's been stitched together from several sources, even when it hasn't.

Spacing inside tables and bullet lists

Tables and bulleted lists follow the same rules, which surprises people. Select the cells or list items and use the same Line and Paragraph Spacing button. If a list looks too airy, it's usually the After setting again, applied to every bullet. Setting After to zero for the list, while leaving a little space after the paragraph that follows it, gives you a tight list that still sits comfortably on the page. Microsoft has a separate help page on spacing between bullets if you want to go further.

What I'd do

Use the Line and Paragraph Spacing button for a quick change, the Ctrl+1, Ctrl+5 and Ctrl+2 shortcuts when you're typing, and Set as Default once if 1.15 isn't for you. If gaps between paragraphs won't shift, check the After setting before anything else. It's nearly always that.

Frequently asked questions

What is the default line spacing in Word?

Microsoft says it's 1.15, with a blank line after paragraphs and space above headings.

What is the shortcut for double spacing in Word?

Ctrl+2 applies double spacing. Ctrl+1 is single and Ctrl+5 is 1.5 lines.

Why is there still a gap after I set single spacing?

That's paragraph spacing. Set the After value to zero in Line Spacing Options.

How do I change line spacing for the whole document?

Use Design, Paragraph Spacing, or press Ctrl+A and choose a line spacing on the Home tab.

Can I change the default spacing in Word for the web?

You can change spacing in a document, but Microsoft says new documents in Word for the web go back to 1.15.