To double space in Word, select the text (press Ctrl + A for the whole document), go to the Home tab, select the Line and Paragraph Spacing button, and choose 2.0. You can also press Ctrl + 2 after selecting the text. To double space the whole document, go to Design > Paragraph Spacing and choose Double.
This guide follows Microsoft’s Double-space the lines in a Word document, Change the line and paragraph spacing in Word, Change the default line spacing in Word and Keyboard shortcuts in Word articles.
In this article:
- Double space selected text
- Use the keyboard shortcut
- Double space the whole document
- Make double spacing the default
- Control the space between paragraphs
- Word for Mac and Word for the web
- Frequently asked questions
How to Double Space Selected Text in Word
- Select the paragraphs you want to change. Press Ctrl + A to select everything.
- Select the Home tab.
- Select Line and Paragraph Spacing in the Paragraph group. It looks like lines with up and down arrows.
- Select 2.0.
For more control, choose Line Spacing Options instead, pick an option in the Line spacing box, and select OK.
Result: the selected text is double spaced.
Single Space Selected Text in Word
In desktop Word, including Word 2019, select the paragraphs you want to change, then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 1.0. On Windows, Ctrl+1 also applies single line spacing. To change the whole document, select its body with Ctrl+A first. If the numeric menu is unavailable, choose Line Spacing Options, set Line spacing to Single and confirm with OK. Microsoft explains selected-paragraph spacing and the separate Before/After controls. Inspect the affected text and print preview, then save. A remaining gap between paragraphs can come from Before or After spacing; review those separately rather than assuming 1.0 failed. Undo an unintended change or reapply the previous spacing. This changes the selected paragraphs, not the default for every future document; follow the default-setting section below for that scope.
How to Double Space With a Keyboard Shortcut
Microsoft’s list of Word shortcuts includes these spacing shortcuts. Select the paragraphs first, then press:
- Ctrl + 2 for double spacing.
- Ctrl + 1 for single spacing.
- Ctrl + 5 for 1.5-line spacing.
Result: you can switch spacing without opening a menu.
How to Double Space the Whole Document
- Select the Design tab.
- Select Paragraph Spacing.
- Choose Double.
Microsoft notes this overrides the settings of the style you’re currently using. To go back to the original settings, Microsoft says to return to Design > Paragraph Spacing and choose the option under Style Set, which might be Default or the name of the style you’re using.
Result: the entire document is double spaced.
How to Make Double Spacing the Default in Word
Microsoft says Word’s default line spacing is 1.15. To start every new document double spaced:
- Go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing and choose Line Spacing Options.
- Under Spacing, choose Double in the Line spacing box.
- Select Set as Default.
- Choose All documents based on the Normal template.
- Select OK.
Result: new documents open with double spacing already set.
How to Control the Space Between Paragraphs
Many school and work styles want double spacing with no extra gap between paragraphs. Microsoft notes that by default, paragraphs in Word are followed by a blank line.
- Select the text.
- Go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options.
- Adjust the Before and After settings (set them to 0 to remove extra space), then select OK.
Result: your lines are double spaced without bigger gaps between paragraphs.
Double Spacing in Word for Mac and Word for the Web
- Word for Mac: select the paragraphs, go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing, and choose the number of line spaces you want. Design > Paragraph Spacing also works for the whole document.
- Word for the web: select the paragraphs (or press Ctrl + A), go to Home > Line Spacing, and choose the number of line spaces you want.
Result: you can double space on any version of Word.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn’t Ctrl + 2 work?
Make sure the text is selected first. If the shortcut still does nothing, use the Line and Paragraph Spacing button.
What’s the difference between 2.0 and Double?
They’re the same spacing. 2.0 is the label in the Line and Paragraph Spacing menu, and Double is the label in the Line spacing box and Design tab.
How do I switch back to single spacing?
Select the text and choose 1.0 from Line and Paragraph Spacing, or press Ctrl + 1.
What is Word’s default line spacing?
Microsoft says it’s 1.15.
Related: how to create a lined document in Word and how to repeat a header on each page in Word.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
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