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What is double-spacing, option 1: configure document to automatically double space, option 2: double space with a keyboard shortcut, option 3: double-space by editing the text properties.

If you need to add some line spacing to your Word document or write an APA style piece, double spacing is a useful feature. You can quickly double space your documents with just a few clicks or a keyboard shortcut.

Virtually every college student eventually has to double space a document in Microsoft Word. It provides plenty of margins to make notes or suggestions in a document. It's also a great way to make it easier to read---I can't read anything on a Kindle without changing the view to double-spaced, for instance---and can be more visually appealing for certain types of writing.

If you use Google's apps,  double spacing on Google Docs  is a common task as well. Fortunately, there are several ways to use double spacing in Microsoft Word. You can set your document up ahead of time with double-spaced formatting, or apply double spacing to the document after finishing it instead.

Related: How to Double-Space on Google Docs

If you don't have anything written yet, you can  use a cool trick  from the 2007 version of Microsoft Word (that still exists in the current version of the software) to create some random text to edit. Simply open up a new document, click anywhere in the field, and type

to create some fancy Lorem Ipsum text . Do this as many times as you like to create additional paragraphs.

Once you've generated your text or finished writing your document, it's time to set your line spacing.

Related: Undocumented Microsoft Word Feature: Insert Lorem Ipsum Text

If you want to configure your document to automatically double space as you write, there are two ways to do it.

The first method uses the "Line Spacing" icon under the "Home" tab. In the "Home" tab, navigate to the "Line Spacing" icon.

Select "2.0" from the drop-down menu. Your text will now be double spaced. You can do this to quickly double spacing at any point in the writing process, but it works best for setting up the document.

You can accomplish the same goal using the Design tab. Start by clicking the "Design" tab in the ribbon.

In the "Design" tab, navigate over to the "Paragraph Spacing" option. Select it to bring up a menu.

In the drop-down menu, select "Double :"

And that's it! Your document will now automatically set each line to double spaced as you write:

Another easy way to double space your documents is to use our old friend, the please note this method works as both a way to configure the document before writing and to double space while writing.

To double space with a keyboard shortcut, first highlight your desired text, or select everything using the Ctrl+A command.

With the desired text selected, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+2 to quickly apply double space formatting to your text.

A third method for double spacing your text is to edit the paragraph settings of specific passages. First, highlight the text you want or use Ctrl+A to select all:

Right-click your mouse to bring up a menu and select "Paragraph: "

In the "Paragraph" menu, select the drop-down menu located beneath "Line Spacing:"

Select "Double" and click "OK :"

Using these methods to quickly double space text in Microsoft Word will help you get past those formatting roadblocks with ease. Happy writing!

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Double-space the lines in a document

You can double-space all or part of a Word document.

To double-space the whole document, go to Design > Paragraph Spacing , and choose Double .

Single-space the lines in a document

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Microsoft Word Double Space Option: A Step-by-Step Guide

Double spacing your document in Microsoft Word is a breeze! Simply select the text you want to double space, go to the ‘Home’ tab, click on ‘Line and Paragraph Spacing’, and choose ‘2.0’. Voilà! Your text is now double-spaced, which not only makes it easier to read but also gives you room for editing or making notes.

After double spacing your text, the lines of text will be further apart, creating a clearer and more visually appealing document. Whether you’re writing an essay, report, or letter, double spacing can improve readability and give your document a professional look.

Introduction

Double spacing in Microsoft Word is one of those simple yet powerful tools that can make a world of difference in your documents. But why is it so important, and who should care? Well, let’s start with students and educators. When you’re writing an essay or a research paper, double spacing is often a requirement. It makes it easier for teachers to read and grade your work and leaves room for comments and corrections.

But it’s not just for the academic world. Professionals, writers, and basically anyone creating a document can benefit from double spacing. It makes your work look cleaner and more organized, which is always a plus in any setting. Plus, it can be a lifesaver for those with visual impairments, as it improves readability significantly.

You might be thinking, “Isn’t this just for long texts?” Not at all! Even short documents can benefit from some breathing room between lines. It’s all about making your text inviting and easy to navigate for the reader. And let’s be real, in our fast-paced world, anything that makes reading easier is a win. So, whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who likes their documents looking sharp, mastering the art of double spacing in Microsoft Word is a skill worth having.

Related: How to Single Space in Word for Office 365

Step by Step Tutorial: How to Use the Microsoft Word Double Space Option

Before we dive into the steps, let’s clarify what we’re trying to achieve. Double spacing will increase the space between the lines of your text, making it clearer and more readable. Now, let’s get to it!

Step 1: Select the text you want to double space

Click and drag your cursor over the text that you want to double space.

Selecting the text is crucial because it tells Word exactly which part of your document you want to apply the double spacing to. If you want to double space the entire document, simply press Ctrl+A (Cmd+A on Mac) to select all the text.

Step 2: Go to the ‘Home’ tab

Click on the ‘Home’ tab located at the top of your Word document.

The ‘Home’ tab is where all the basic formatting options are located. It’s your go-to for making any text changes, including double spacing.

Step 3: Click on ‘Line and Paragraph Spacing’

Within the ‘Home’ tab, find and click on the ‘Line and Paragraph Spacing’ icon.

This icon might look different depending on your version of Word, but it’s generally represented by a few lines with arrows pointing up and down. It’s your gateway to adjusting the space between your lines of text.

Step 4: Choose ‘2.0’

From the dropdown menu that appears, select ‘2.0’ to apply double spacing to your selected text.

The number ‘2.0’ corresponds to double spacing because it doubles the space between lines compared to single spacing. And just like that, your text is more reader-friendly!

Additional Information

Double spacing in Microsoft Word is a feature that can really elevate the professionalism and readability of your document. But there are a few additional tips to keep in mind. For instance, don’t forget to double-space your headers, footers, and references if they’re a part of your document. Consistency is key!

What if you’re working with a document that has different spacing needs throughout? No worries! You can select specific sections and apply double spacing only where needed. And hey, if you decide double spacing isn’t for you, it’s just as easy to revert back to single spacing or choose another spacing option that suits your needs better.

Remember, the double space option in Microsoft Word isn’t just about following guidelines or making your text look pretty. It’s about creating a document that’s easy on the eyes and a pleasure to read. So next time you’re working on a document, give double spacing a try and see the difference it makes!

• Select the text you want to double space.
• Click on the ‘Home’ tab.
• Click on ‘Line and Paragraph Spacing’.
• Choose ‘2.0’.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does double spacing apply to the entire document or just selected text.

Double spacing can be applied to the entire document or just specific parts of it, depending on what you select before following the steps.

Can I use a keyboard shortcut to double space my text?

While there’s no direct keyboard shortcut for double spacing, you can use Ctrl+2 (Cmd+2 on Mac) after selecting your text and opening the ‘Line and Paragraph Spacing’ dropdown with your mouse.

How do I know if I’ve properly double-spaced my document?

After applying double spacing, you should see a noticeable increase in the space between lines. You can also use the ‘Show/Hide ¶’ button to see the spacing marks.

Can double spacing be used in combination with other formatting options?

Absolutely! Double spacing can be used along with other text formatting options like font size, style, and color.

Is double spacing a requirement for APA or MLA format?

Yes, double spacing is typically required for documents that follow APA or MLA format guidelines.

Double spacing in Microsoft Word is a skill that can make your documents stand out in the best way possible. It’s not just about meeting academic or professional standards; it’s about presenting your ideas in a clear and accessible format.

Whether you’re a student, an educator, or a professional, taking the time to master the double space option can significantly enhance the quality of your work. So next time you fire up Microsoft Word, remember the power of double spacing and use it to your advantage!

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

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How to Double Space in Microsoft Word

Certain academic and professional writing requires it

Crafting the ideal document is essential, whether you’re a student, professional, or simply someone looking to organize your thoughts. Microsoft Word offers numerous formatting options to ensure your content looks clean and polished. One such option is double-spacing, which can make your text easier to read.

Microsoft Word makes adjusting line spacing simple and provides several ways to get the job done. Even better, you can set double-spacing as the default format for all future documents.

Which Writing Styles Require Double-Spaced Text?

Double-spacing is often required in various academic and professional writing styles to enhance readability and facilitate editing or annotating. Here are some of the more prominent writing styles that typically require double spacing.

• American Psychological Association (APA) Style: Commonly used for writing research papers and essays in the social sciences, education, and psychology.
• Modern Language Association (MLA) Style : Widely used for writing papers and citing sources within the liberal arts and humanities.
• Chicago Manual of Style (CMS): Used in various disciplines, including history, literature, and the arts, and often used in book publishing and manuscript preparation.

Regardless, you still need to ask about the specific guidelines for the writing style you are using. Individual institutions, professors, or editors might have their own preferences or requirements regarding line spacing.

Double-Space the Entire Document

You can adjust a setting that double-spaces the entire document, including future edits. Here’s how.

• Open the Word document you want to set to double space, then click the Design tab.
• Click Paragraph Spacing .
• Select Double from the bottom of the drop-down menu.

The document is now set to double space.

Double Space Part of a Document

Sometimes you may only need to double-space part of a document. For example, CMS uses double-spacing for the main text, but footnotes and endnotes are generally single-spaced. In this case, you’ll only want to double-space the body of the document.

• Open the document and select the text you want to double-space by clicking and dragging your cursor over it.
• Click the Paragraph Settings icon in the Paragraph group of the Home tab. This is the icon in the bottom-right corner of the group.

• The Paragraph window will appear. Click the down arrow under the Line Spacing option in the Spacing group. Select Double from the drop-down menu, and then click OK .

The selected text is now set to double space.

Double Space All or Part of a Document With a Keyboard Shortcut

There’s also a keyboard shortcut that lets you set the spacing to double. First, select the text you want to double space. Then, you can select part of the document by clicking and dragging your mouse over the text, or you can select all the text in the document by pressing Ctrl + A .

Once the text is selected, all you have to do is press Ctrl + 2 . The text is now set to double space.

Set Double Space as the Default Line Spacing

If most of the documents you create in Word are going to be set to double space, then you can set double space as the default line spacing instead of setting it with each document individually.

• Open Word and click the Design tab.
• Select Paragraph Spacing > Custom Paragraph Spacing .

• The Manage Style window will appear. Choose Double under Line Spacing .
• Select the bubble next to New documents based on this template , and then select OK .

All future documents will be set to double space.

Marshall is a technical writer based in Tokyo, Japan. His bylines are found on VGKAMI, How-To Geek, PCWorld, Zapier, and many other online magazines. Read Marshall's Full Bio

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• Writing Tips

MS Word Tips: How to Use Double Spacing

• 3-minute read
• 7th November 2023

Double spacing in Microsoft Word is a formatting technique that can enhance the readability and presentation of your documents. Whether you’re a student working on an essay, a professional drafting a report, or a writer formatting a manuscript, understanding how to use double spacing effectively is essential.

In this blog post, we’ll break down what double spacing is, and how to apply it to your text. We’ll also share some handy keyboard shortcuts to help make the process even more efficient.

What Is Double Spacing?

Double spacing refers to the practice of inserting a blank line between each line of text in a document, effectively making it appear as though there’s an empty line between each line of text. This spacing style is particularly useful for a variety of document types and scenarios.

When Is Double Spacing Commonly Used?

Most academic institutions require essays, research papers, and dissertations to be double-spaced. This format makes it easier for professors to provide feedback and annotations. Additionally, many style guides (such as MLA ) use double spacing.

If you’re a writer or author, you’ll often find publishers and literary agents prefer double-spaced manuscripts. This format allows for easier editing and readability. Business documents, such as reports and proposals, and legal documents often benefit from double spacing as well.

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How to Apply Double Spacing in Microsoft Word

Let’s go through the steps to apply double spacing to your text in Microsoft Word.

Method 1: Using the Ribbon

• Open your Microsoft Word document.
• Highlight the text you want to double space or press Ctrl + A to select the entire document.
• Go to the Home tab on the Ribbon.
• In the Paragraph group, locate the Line Spacing option. It usually looks like three lines with an arrow next to it.
• Click on the arrow to open the Line Spacing menu.
• Select 2.0 from the menu, which represents double spacing. Alternatively, you can click on the arrow at the bottom right-hand corner of the Paragraph group and select 2.0 under Line Spacing .

Method 2: Using Keyboard Shortcuts

• Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + 2 to quickly apply double spacing.

Mastering the art of double spacing in Microsoft Word is a valuable skill for anyone who deals with Word documents regularly. Whether you’re a student, writer, or professional, knowing when and how to use double spacing can greatly improve the readability and presentation of your work.

And once you’ve finished writing your document, be sure to send it to one of our expert editors! We’ll ensure your grammar, spelling, punctuation, formatting, referencing, and more are perfect. You can try out our proofreading service for free today.

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How to Double Space a Word Document

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This article explains how to double space lines, paragraphs, and the entire document in Microsoft Word. There are four ways to double space lines in Microsoft Word. You can use any of these options to modify a few lines or the entire document in Word.

Double Space Lines From the Home Tab

This is the quickest way to double-space your document. You can use this when you want to add double spaces for only part of the document. Select the paragraphs you want to change and follow the steps below.

• Open Microsoft Word.
• Go to the Home > Paragraph group > Select the Line and Paragraph Spacing icon.
• To double space lines, choose 2.0 from the dropdown.
• For more spacing options, select Line Spacing Options in the list.

Double Space Between Paragraphs From the Design Tab

Modify the vertical space between paragraphs in your document by setting the spacing before or after each paragraph. Do note that this applies spacing throughout your entire document and also affects line spacing. It gives you less scope to control line spacing than the other methods here.

• Go to Design > Paragraph Spacing and choose Double .

Double Space Lines From the Page Layout Tab

Use this option to set up double spaced lines before you start adding content to your document. The settings here allow you to finetune your text with other options.

• Go to the Page Layout tab.
• Go to the Paragraph group. Click the tiny down arrow in the bottom right corner to bring up the Paragraph settings dialog.
• Stay on the Indents and Spacing tab.
• Click the down arrow next to the Line spacing box.
• Select Double and click the OK button to exit the dialog box.

Double Space Lines With Styles

Do you write double spaced essays? You can save this as a special style in Word for only essays or modify an existing style.

• Go to the Home > Styles group . Right-click Normal .
• Select Modify from the drop-down menu.
• Under Formatting , click the Double Space button.

What Does Double Spaced Lines Mean?

Line spacing is nothing but the height of the space between each row of text. A double space means sentences will have a blank line equal to the full height of two lines of text between each line. By default, most word processors have single spacing enabled (or slightly more than single spacing), which is space that’s just one line high. Word has a default line spacing of 1.08 .

Line spacing is an important style consideration and just one of the ways to format your text for better legibility.

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How to Double Space in Word (4 Ways)

Double Space Lines in Microsoft Word Documents

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated January 11, 2023

Applies to: Microsoft ® Word ® 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 365 (Windows)

You can double space in Word using the Ribbon, the Paragraph dialog box, a keyboard shortcut or by modifying a style. If you double space a paragraph, you are setting the line spacing of the paragraph to 2.0. Since double spacing is a paragraph format, it's important to understand that a paragraph in Word is anything with a hard return after it (you pressed Enter or Return).

A paragraph can include text or an inline picture or shape. Line spacing is applied within a paragraph which is different from space above and below a paragraph. To see where paragraphs have been created in a Word document, it's helpful to turn on Show/Hide ¶ on the Home tab in the Ribbon.

Note that double space or 2.0 spacing is calculated by Word based on the font size of the selected text.

In this article, we'll review 4 ways to double space in Word:

• Use commands in the Ribbon
• Use the Paragraph dialog box
• Use a keyboard shortcut
• Modify the Normal style (or another style)

Recommended article: How to Add or Remove Page Breaks in Microsoft Word

You should follow best practices in your Microsoft Word documents if you want to avoid issues with line spacing:

• Use wordwrapping when entering text (don't press Enter until you reach the end of a paragraph).
• Delete blank paragraphs (often created when users press Enter twice after paragraphs).

Double space using the Ribbon

You can double space using two different tabs in the Ribbon – the Home tab or the Design tab.

To double space a Word document using the Design tab in the Ribbon:

• Click in the Word document.
• Click the Design tab in the Ribbon.
• Click Paragraph Spacing in the Document Formatting group. A drop-down menu appears.
• Select Double. This will change the entire document to double spacing.

The Paragraph Spacing command appears in the Design tab in the Ribbon as follows:

To double space specific paragraphs using the Home tab in the Ribbon in Word 2016 and later versions:

• Select the paragraph(s) that you want to double space. If you want to select all paragraphs, press Ctrl + A.
• Click the Home tab in the Ribbon and then click Line and Paragraph Spacing in the Paragraph group. A drop-down menu appears.
• Click 2.0 to double space.

The Line and Paragraph Spacing button appears as follows in newer versions of Word (2016 and later):

The Line and Paragraph Spacing drop-down menu offers the following options:

To double space specific paragraphs using the Home tab in the Ribbon in Word 2013:

• Select the paragraph(s) you want to double space. If you want to select all paragraphs, press Ctrl + A.
• Click the Home tab in the Ribbon and then click Double in the Paragraph group.

Line spacing buttons appear as follows in Word 2010 or 2013:

Double space using the Paragraph dialog box

To double space one or more paragraphs using the Paragraph dialog box:

• Right-click and select Paragraph from the drop-down menu. The Paragraph dialog box appears.
• Click the Indents and Spacing tab if necessary.
• From the Line spacing drop-down menu, select Double.

Below is the Paragraph dialog box:

Double space using a keyboard shortcut

To use a keyboard shortcut to double space one or more paragraphs in a Word document:

• Press Ctrl + 2 to double space.

If you want to change a paragraph back to single spacing, press Ctrl + 1 to single space.

Double space by modifying the Normal style

When you create a new blank document, it starts out using the Normal style which contains default paragraph and character formatting. You can modify line spacing in the Normal style (as long as another style has not been used for standard paragraphs) and change your entire document. If manual line spacing has been applied to one or more paragraph(s), this overrides the Normal style.

To double space a Word document by modifying the Normal style:

• Click in a paragraph using the Normal style.
• Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
• In the Styles group, right-click Normal and select Modify from the drop-down menu. A dialog box appears.
• Click Format at the bottom left of the dialog box. A drop-down menu appears.
• Click Paragraph. The Paragraph dialog box appears.
• Ensure that Only in this document is selected.

Below is the Modify Style dialog box:

You may encounter issues if you modify spacing in the Normal style since other styles are based on this style by default. Cells in tables would likely be affected and so would other styles that are based on the Normal style (such as Header, Footer and Heading styles). Paragraphs using these styles would then also be double spaced (unless spacing has been specifically modified in these styles). If you are comfortable using styles, you could create your own style for double spaced paragraphs or use and modify a different Word style to avoid this issue.

You can right-click other styles and modify the spacing in the same way.

This article was first published on October 24, 2019 and has been updated for clarity and content.

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How to double space in Microsoft Word

Double-spacing is a great way to organize your word processing, and an excellent optimization that is built into most word processing tools. And whenever we hear “word processing,” one of the first programs that comes to mind is Microsoft Word. Learning how to use Microsoft Word is usually straightforward, but it has various formatting features that aren't immediately obvious. Here, we’re going to teach you how to implement double spaces throughout your next Word doc.

How to double space in Word for certain paragraphs

How to double space in word for the entire document, what’s the difference between line and paragraph spacing, is line and paragraph spacing the same as alignment, how do you undo double spacing, what you need.

Microsoft Word

It only takes a few clicks to double space certain paragraphs in a Microsoft Word document, and it's as easy as any other formatting task, such as how to set a hanging indent . Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Open your Word document and select the paragraphs you want to double space.

Step 2: Select the Home tab from the Ribbon menu at the top of the screen.

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Step 3: Within the Paragraph section of the Home tab, click on the Line and paragraph spacing icon. The icon looks like a paragraph with two vertically-oriented, opposite-facing arrows to the left of it.

Step 4: From the drop-down menu that appears, click on 2.0 . Your selected paragraphs should now be double spaced.

Note: You can also use a variation of this method to double space an entire Word document that's already been written. To do so, use the following keyboard shortcut to select the entire text: Ctrl + A . Then complete steps 2 to 4 as usual.

If you haven't written your Word document yet, but you already know you want it to be double spaced, you can format your whole document ahead of time. This way, your document will automatically be double spaced as you type. Here's how to do that:

Step 1: Open a new Word document.

Step 2: Select the Home tab from the Ribbon menu.

Step 3: Click on the Line and paragraph spacing icon. (This icon is located within the Paragraph section of the Home tab.)

Step 4: From the drop-down menu that appears, select 2.0 . After that, you can begin typing your document, and your lines of text should automatically be double spaced.

Note: You can also use the Design tab to double space your document before writing it. Just open a new document, choose the Design tab, and click on Paragraph spacing . A drop-down menu will appear. From this menu, click on Double . You can then start typing your document and your lines should automatically be double spaced.

Line spacing refers to the vertical space available between the lines of text in your Word doc. If you have several sentences on the page already, you can think of line spacing as a measurement of height between a line in Row 1, and a second line in Row 2.

Paragraph spacing is a similar concept, but instead of the spacing between two lines of prose, paragraph spacing refers to the size of the indentation between two different paragraphs.

No they’re not. Line and paragraph spacing refers to just the vertical spacing between two or more sentences, or two or more paragraphs. Alignment refers to what part of the page a line or paragraph will be justified toward.

In Microsoft Word, there are four alignment options: Left, Center, Right, and Justified.

If you're not satisfied with the results of the double spacing, you can try a different setting. If this doesn't work, reset to the original setting (usually 1.0 ). If this doesn't work, use the Undo feature, which is the curvy left-facing arrow in the top left of the window. Otherwise hit Ctrl + Z . Should none of this seem right and you just want to start again, it might be useful to know how to delete a page in Microsoft Word .

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How to double space or change line spacing in Microsoft Word

When typing in Microsoft Word , you might need to change the line spacing, depending on the document's style. The steps to enable double spacing differ slightly between versions. Consequently, you may need to use intuition to adapt them for older versions.

Use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + 1 to single space, Ctrl + 2 to double space, or Ctrl + 5 to set the spacing to 1.5 line spacing on any line, paragraph, or all highlighted text.

When pressing Enter , it starts a new paragraph with extra space between the two paragraphs. To go to the next line without starting a new paragraph, press Ctrl + Enter .

To increase or decrease line spacing or enable double spacing, select a link below and follow the steps.

• Enable double spacing for the whole document.
• Modify line spacing for all or part of an existing document.
• Related information.

Enable double spacing for the whole document

Microsoft word 2016 and later (office 365), and word online.

• Open Microsoft Word.

• Select the desired spacing option from the available list.
• For additional spacing options, select Line Spacing Options in the list.

Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, and 2013

• On the Home tab, in the Styles group, right-click Normal .
• Select Modify from the drop-down menu .
• Under Formatting , click the Double Space button (shown below).

• Click the Page Layout tab.
• Click the down arrow in the bottom right corner next to Paragraph to bring up the Paragraph window.

• In the Paragraph window, make sure you are on the Indents and Spacing tab.

• Click the down arrow next to the Line spacing box.
• Select Double and click the OK button.

Modify line spacing for all or part of an existing document

Microsoft word 2007 and later.

• Open Microsoft Word and the document you want to modify.
• Highlight the text where you want to change the line spacing or select all .
• Right-click the highlighted text, and select Format and then Paragraph , or only Paragraph or Paragraph Options , depending on your version of Word.

• Click the down arrow in the Line spacing drop-down box.

Related information

• See the double space definition for further information and related links.
• Microsoft Word help and support.

How to double space in Microsoft Word on different versions of the word processor

• You can double space in Word for an entire document or selected paragraphs and increase the amount of space between your lines of text.
• To double space in newer versions of Word, click on the Design tab and set your Paragraph Spacing to 2.0. 
• In older versions of Word, including Word 2007-2010, you will need to go to the Styles section of the Home tab and in the Formatting menu click Double Space. 

Whether you've been asked to double space a Word document or prefer to read double space documents, this formatting can be applied to an entire Word document or selected sections with just a few clicks. 

Double spacing increases the amount of space between lines of text and can be helpful to a teacher or editor in marking the document or adding comments. Double spacing a Word document will differ depending on which version of Word you have. 

Here are the steps for newer versions of Word and for Office 2007-2010.

• Main content

How to Double Space in Word: 4 Quick Methods

by Sam McKay, CFA | Power BI

Double spacing in Microsoft Word has become a standard practice in various documents, such as academic papers, theses, and professional reports .

This formatting technique increases the readability of the text by providing extra space between the lines, making it visually appealing and more accessible for readers.

In Microsoft Word, there are several ways to implement double spacing within your documents. These options include configuring the document’s design settings, using keyboard shortcuts, and modifying the text properties.

Learning how to double space in Word is an essential skill that can greatly enhance the quality of your work.

In this article, we’ll explore these approaches, ensuring you’re well-equipped to apply double spacing to your Word documents with ease and precision.

Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

4 Methods to Double Space in Word

In Microsoft Word, part of Microsoft 365 , you can easily configure your document to have double-spaced lines. This can be achieved by accessing the settings through different tabs and settings.

1. Home Tab

To double-space your document or selected text using the Home tab:

• Open Microsoft Word and select the text you want to double-space.
• Click the Home tab in the top menu.
• Locate the Line and Paragraph Spacing icon (which looks like lines with an arrow) in the Paragraph group.
• Click on the icon and choose 2.0 from the drop-down menu. Your selected text will now be double-spaced.

2. Design Tab

Another method to double-space your entire document is through the Design tab:

• Open your Word document.
• Click the Design tab at the top of the window.
• Locate the Paragraph Spacing button in the Document Formatting group.
• Click on Paragraph Spacing and select Double from the menu. Your entire document will now be double-spaced.

3. Layout Tab

Although the Layout tab does not have a specific option for double spacing, it provides adjust line spacing options and paragraph spacing options, which can indirectly set up double spacing for your document:

• Open your Word document and select the text you want to double-space.
• Click the Layout tab in the top menu.
• In the Paragraph group, find the Spacing section.
• Set the Before and After options to control the space between paragraphs (choose a value like 12 pt for a more prominent spacing).
• Click the Line Spacing dropdown and choose Exactly . Set the value to twice the size of your font (e.g., 24 pt for a 12 pt font) for double spacing.

4. Style Settings

One effective method to double-space a Microsoft Word document is by modifying the style settings. In Word, styles determine the appearance of text elements throughout a document, and by altering the “Normal” style, you can easily apply double spacing to the entire file.

To modify style settings:

• Locate the Styles Pane on the Home tab of the ribbon.
• Right-click on the ‘Normal” style and select Modify .
• In the dialog box, access the line spacing settings.
• Choose the double spacing option and click OK to apply the change.

This modification will update the “Normal” style; thus, applying double spacing to your entire document. Should you want to double-space only specific sections or paragraphs within the file, simply select those portions and follow the same steps.

How to Apply Double Space Using Line and Paragraph Spacing

If you’ve not used one of the 4 methods offered in the previous section to configure your settings to create a double-spaced document, you can still use the Line and Paragraph Spacing button as outlined here.

1. Selected Text

To double-space selected text in a Word document, follow these steps:

• Select the text you want to apply double-spacing to.
• On the Home tab, click the Line and Paragraph Spacing button.
• Choose 2.0 in the dropdown menu.

This will apply double-spacing only to the selected text, keeping the rest of the document unchanged.

2. Entire Document

To change the line spacing for an entire Word document, follow these steps:

• Press Ctrl + A to select all the content in the document.

This will apply double-spacing to the entire document, including paragraphs, headings, and bullet points.

3. Paragraphs

If you want to change the line spacing for specific paragraphs in your Word document, follow these steps:

• Place the cursor within the paragraph you want to apply double-spacing to.

This method will apply double-spacing only to the paragraph(s) containing the cursor, leaving the rest of the document unchanged.

4. Keyboard Shortcut

You can also use keyboard shortcuts to quickly adjust line spacing by:

• Hold down Ctrl + 2 to double-space the selected text or Command + 2 for Macs.

Benefits of Double Spacing

Double spacing offers various advantages in different contexts, including enhanced readability, simplified editing, and a professional look.

• Readability plays a significant role in producing effective documents.
• Double spacing creates more whitespace between lines, making it easier for readers to follow the text and reducing the chances of losing their place. This improved readability is particularly valuable for lengthy documents or when dealing with complex information.
• Editing becomes a more straightforward process when lines are double-spaced. The additional space allows editors and reviewers to add comments, suggestions, and corrections directly between the lines of text. This clear separation of original content and feedback helps authors understand and address the suggested changes efficiently.
• Double spacing lends a sense of importance and professionalism to a document. Many academic and professional writing styles recommend double spacing to maintain a consistent and polished appearance.

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Ok, let’s wrap this article up.

Final Thoughts

Applying double-spacing to your Microsoft Word documents can be achieved in numerous ways, each with its own unique advantages.

From using the ‘Paragraph’ settings, and applying styles, to modifying default settings, you have a wealth of options at your fingertips.

We’ve laid out numerous ways you can double-space segments of your document or your entire document. Find the way that works best for you, and get ready to elevate your documents.

We hope this article has made the process of applying double-spacing in Microsoft Word clearer and more manageable. Armed with this knowledge, you’re now equipped to enhance the legibility and professional appearance of your Word documents. Happy writing!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i add double spacing in word.

To apply double spacing in Word, simply navigate to the “Home” tab and find the “Line Spacing” icon. Click the icon and select “2.0” from the drop-down menu. This will apply double spacing to your selected text or entire document if no text is selected.

What is the shortcut for double spacing in Word?

The keyboard shortcut for applying double spacing in Word is Ctrl + 2 (Windows) or Command + 2 (Mac). This will apply double spacing to the selected text or the entire document if nothing is selected.

Is there a difference between 1.5 and 2.0 spacing?

Yes, 1.5 spacing has less space between lines compared to 2.0 (double) spacing. 1.5 spacing provides 50% more space than single-spacing, while 2.0 spacing provides double the space of single-spacing.

How do I double-space my entire Word document?

To double space, your entire Word document, go to the “Design” tab, under “Document Formatting” click on the dropdown in “Paragraph Spacing” and select “Double” from the dropdown list.

Can I double-space specific sections of a Word document?

Yes, you can double-space specific sections of a Word document by selecting the paragraphs you want to change. After selecting the desired paragraphs, navigate to the “Home” tab, click on “Line and Paragraph Spacing” and choose “2.0”.

How can I change the spacing settings in Word?

To change spacing settings in Word, go to the “Home” tab, click on “Line and Paragraph Spacing” and select the desired spacing option from the dropdown menu. Options range from single-spacing to custom spacing values.

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How to Double Space

Last Updated: April 17, 2024

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 178,859 times. Learn more...

Whether you are writing an essay for school or a narrative report for work, you have to choose line spacing for any written work. Most people prefer to write with a double space between lines, because it makes it easier for the reader to follow the flow of the text. How you format your spacing depends on the word processing program you are using. Double space your work by setting up the right parameters for either an entire document or a selected amount of text.

Double Spacing in Microsoft Word

• Look in the Styles group on the toolbar. On the home tab, right-click on Normal. Once a menu pops up, click on Modify.
• Look for the Formatting prompt and click the Double Space button.
• Click OK. This will set your entire document in a double space format.

• Highlight the text you want to double space.
• Click on Line and Paragraph Spacing, which can be found in the Paragraph group of the Home tab.
• Click on the 2.0 option. This will double space the area of the document you have highlighted.

Double Spacing in WordPerfect Programs

• Place your cursor on the very top of the page if you want the entire document to be double spaced. Everything will be double spaced until you reset it to something else, such as 1.0 for single spacing.

Double Spacing in Google Docs

• Click on Create New if you are starting a new document and you want to use double spacing.

• Choose the last option, or 2.0. This is the value for double spacing.

Community Q&A

• Read instructions on double spacing for other word processing programs that are not in the Word, Wordperfect or Google families. Searching within the Help menu of most programs will provide instructions. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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You can change the amount of space between your lines and paragraphs to give documents structure and improve readability.

Change Line Spacing

• Select the paragraph or paragraphs you want to adjust.
• Click the Line and Paragraph Spacing button.

A list of line spacing options appears. The options here range from 1.0 , which adds no extra space between lines, to 3.0 , where the spacing for each line is triple that of a single-spaced line.

For more spacing options, select Line Spacing Options to open the Paragraph dialog box.

The spacing between the selected lines is changed.

Change Paragraph Spacing

If you want to add space above or below the paragraph, adjust the paragraph spacing.

• Adjust the settings in the Spacing group.
• Before: Adds space above the paragraph.
• After: Adds space below the paragraph.

Additional space will be added before or after the selected paragraph.

You can quickly add or remove 12 pts of spacing before or after the selected paragraph by clicking the Line and Paragraph Spacing button on the Home tab, then selecting Add/Remove Space Before Paragraph or Add/Remove Space After Paragraph .

Double spacing is a formatting technique commonly used in word processing to increase the amount of vertical space between lines of text. When applying double spacing, each line of text is followed by an additional blank line, creating a clear and legible appearance. This formatting style is often preferred in academic and professional documents such as essays, research papers, and manuscripts. By utilizing double spacing, readers can easily distinguish between individual lines of text, making it easier to read, review, and annotate the document. Additionally, the increased spacing allows for ample room for handwritten notes or corrections. Overall, double spacing is a valuable feature in word processing applications like Microsoft Word that enhances document clarity and readability.

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How to Double Space in Word 2010: A Step-by-Step Guide

Doubling the space in Word 2010 is a straightforward task. Just select the text you want to double space, click on the ‘Page Layout’ tab, then click on the ‘Paragraph’ dialog box launcher. In the ‘Line and Paragraph Spacing’ option, choose ‘2.0’. This will instantly make your text double spaced.

After you complete the action, your selected text will have increased spacing between lines, which can improve readability and give your document a more polished look.

Introduction

Have you ever looked at a document and felt it was a little cramped? Or maybe you’re writing an essay for school and the instructions specifically call for double spacing? Whatever the reason, knowing how to adjust the spacing in your documents is a useful skill. Double spacing in Word 2010 is especially helpful for editing, making notes, and it is often a requirement for academic papers. It’s a feature that might seem elusive if you’re not familiar with the layout of Word 2010, but once you know where to find it, it’s a breeze.

It’s not just for students or writers – business professionals, teachers, and anyone who uses Word can benefit from this knowledge. So, if you want your document to have that neat, airy look, or simply need to adhere to the double spacing guidelines, keep reading!

Double Spacing in Word 2010 Tutorial

Before we dive into the steps, it’s essential to understand that following these steps will change the visual formatting of your document. It will expand the text and can affect the number of pages of your document.

Step 1: Select the text

Select the text you want to double space.

If you want to double space the whole document, you can press Ctrl+A to select all the text.

Step 2: Open the Paragraph settings

Click on the ‘Page Layout’ tab, then click on the ‘Paragraph’ dialog box launcher.

The ‘Page Layout’ tab is located in the ribbon at the top of Word, and the ‘Paragraph’ dialog box launcher is a small icon at the bottom right of the ‘Paragraph’ group.

Step 3: Set the spacing

In the ‘Paragraph’ dialog box, under ‘Line and Paragraph Spacing’, choose ‘2.0’.

This will change the line spacing for the selected text to double space. If you’re working with a document that has different sections with various spacing, you’ll need to select each section separately and repeat this step.

Additional Information

When you’re working with Word 2010, there are a few more things to keep in mind. The default spacing might not always be set to single spacing, so if your document looks off, you might need to check the default settings. Also, remember that spacing can impact the overall design of your document, so consider how your headings, margins, and indentations interact with the increased line spacing.

If you’re working with a document created by someone else, or using a template, be cautious – there might be sections with different spacing that could be overlooked. Lastly, while double spacing is the focus here, Word 2010 also allows for custom spacing, which can be useful in special situations where neither single nor double spacing fits the bill.

• Select the text.
• Click on the ‘Page Layout’ tab, then the ‘Paragraph’ dialog box launcher.
• Choose ‘2.0’ under ‘Line and Paragraph Spacing’.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if i want to apply double spacing to only part of my document.

Select only the portion of the text that you want to double space and follow the same steps.

Can I set double spacing as my default for all documents?

Yes, you can. After setting double spacing, click on the ‘Set As Default’ button in the ‘Paragraph’ dialog box.

Will double spacing affect my document’s format when I convert it to a PDF?

The PDF should retain the formatting from Word, including double spacing.

What’s the shortcut for double spacing in Word 2010?

There isn’t a specific keyboard shortcut, but you can create a macro or modify the ribbon to add a quick access button.

Is double spacing the same as ‘2.0’ line spacing?

Yes, in Word 2010, ‘2.0’ line spacing is equivalent to double spacing.

Mastering the simple art of double spacing in Word 2010 can elevate the quality of your documents, making them more readable and professional. It’s a skill that comes in handy for students, writers, and professionals alike. With the steps outlined in this tutorial, you’re now equipped to give your documents the breathing room they deserve.

Remember, the key is in the details, and understanding how to manipulate the spacing in your documents is a detail that can significantly impact the presentation of your work. So the next time you’re typing up an essay, a report, or even just a letter, give double spacing a try – your readers will thank you for it!

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.

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How to Write a Double-Spaced Essay: Full Guide with Examples

MS word double spacing

Double spacing is an editing method that refers to the space between the lines of your essay. The tutor will ask the student to double-space to add the comments and editing marks. 

Double spacing happens to be the norm in essay writing. The student can change the spacing depending on the word processing programs. They could be Microsoft Word or Mac’s Pages word-processing programs. 

Need Help with your Homework or Essays?

What is a double spaced essay.

A double-spaced essay is an essay where the author formatted the space between the lines and the paragraphs using double spacing selection. Ideally, a double-spaced essay contains between 275 and 300 words per page depending on the font. The format is common to students and tutors as they use the space to make corrections. 

A double-spaced essay can carry 275 words per page.

It all depends on the page margins where you are placing your text.

Suppose your page is of standard size, then the words will increase naturally.

When you are using an A4-sized page, the same essay may contain fewer words. 

Notably, the author can write as many words as he or she desires. The only limit could be your ability. The shortest essay could range between 500 and 1000 words. However, any essayist could write thousands of words to expound on the provided topic. 

The standard font for a double-spaced essay should be 12. Such empowers the writer to create at least 200 words for each page. When you are writing using this 12-point font, it makes the paragraphs to be understandable. 

The college can penalize the student if he fails to stick to the instructions. As such, it is vital to work with 12 points when you are writing an essay.

When you are writing the essay, you can use any font type unless indicated in the instructions. If unsure, then you can select the Home tab as you click on the correct font icon. 

Why Double Space? 

We do double spacing to meet the requirements of the checker. Again double spacing is necessary to allow the teacher to comment on the feedback while evaluating the essay.

The essay should meet the desires of the reader and not the writer. You can read more about writing good essays in the guide about the contents and the structure.

Difference between Single and Double Spaced Essays

The double-spaced document involves creating additional space between the paragraphs. Such a format will feature two spaces where the writer will have to press the Enter button twice. The added space allows the teacher to make changes and other remarks. 

A single-spaced paper is where there is little white space between the paragraphs. For this case, the tutor can also give instructions to students to use that format when writing a particular essay. The author only presses the Enter button once. 

How to Write a Double-Spaced Essay

Whether writing a narrative report or an essay for your school, you should select a line for spacing your work. The double spacing design becomes great as it makes it easier for the author to get the flow of the text. 

One can double-space the work by making the correct parameters for the selected text or the entire document. Several word processing documents exist to help you double-space your work, as indicated in the following examples. 

Double-Spacing in MS Word 

Begin by opening the document that you are working with. It could be either a blank document or some needs text in it. 

• You can now create a default document to enable the whole document to stay double-spaced by following the simple procedure as
• Locate the toolbar and select the styles. 
• Right-click on the Normal on the Home tab
• Click on modify on the pop-up menu.
• Select the Formatting prompt and choose the Double-spaced button. 
• Choose OK to activate the Double spacing design. 
• Create a space within your document where you desire to double space.
• Highlight the text you desire to double-space. 
• Click on Paragraph spacing and Line.
• Choose option 2.0 to double-space the highlighted space. 

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How to Spice up Double-Spacing your essay

One can make the essay remain engaging and interesting by double spacing it. Some of the things that could make it appealing are as follows:

a) Using Short Sentences

The purpose of essay writing is to impress the reader. As the research study indicates, you should use short sentences to make your essay more readable. The reason behind short sentences is that they are easy to understand. 

It could be tempting if you settled on using a large and complex vocabulary in your essay construction. In practice, complex sentences make it hard for the reader to enjoy the flow.

The secret is writing short and meaningful sentences and coming up with some charming lines. This is one of the recommended ways to become a better essay writer because you present your points in precise sentences.

b) Use Ordinary Words 

The reader’s nature is that they appreciate small and ordinary words. Another thing is that the readers do not like to be exposed as having a vocabulary problem. You can make it more appealing by using simple common words. 

The reader will be interested in the article if it carries common words that they understand without any struggle. Such an engaging document will bring desirable outcomes. 

c) Structure Your Essay Properly

A well-structured essay should arouse the interest of the reader. Precisely, a well-structured essay is ever reader-friendly. The author should make the content to be in the right structure. Follow simple steps to ensure that your essay remains in the proper structure. 

For example, you should begin with the introduction but other content in the body and make your conclusion.

Such carries a standard format of organizing your work in an engaging manner. 

Suppose your essay is talking about what history is all about, then you should write what comes up first.

End with what came last to ensure you are achieving proper structure. 

d) Be Factual When Substantiating Your Claims 

The most common mistake the essayists make is writing what they only believe. The correct format is to substantiate those arguments with facts.

Never leave out empirical evidence because you do not believe in it. Such could make it easy to be undesirable. Also, avoid saturating the points with facts that appear too odd.

The writer should also be keen never to jump to conclusions.  Let the author present the point backed by utmost research and weight.

The essay should address what the reader should find interesting. For that matter, make strong arguments for increasing your authority as a writer. 

e) Keep Your Essay Relevant 

Suppose your essay lacks relevancy, then it may fail to score better marks. An irrelevant essay means that it lacks sense in the common application. You can increase its relevancy by writing hot topics. 

When you complete your essay, ensure you proofread it to fine-tune it for any deviations and errors. Become your first judge. Such tactics make you improve your writing as you move on.

You can retain your authority over the topic by sticking with the right facts. At that point, you will make any reader get glued to your piece. 

f) Choose Hot Topics

The purpose of writing an essay is to engage the reader. The essay could fail to be interesting if you are writing on a boring old topic. The challenge lies in selecting the hot topic.

The writer should be careful in selecting the right topic. It calls for doing enough research to come up with the right topic of study. When unsure, then you can seek guidance from your faculty to know the correct topic to research and craft the essay about. 

Benefits of Double-Spacing in Academic Writing

1. easy to read.

First, leaving extra space between lines improves readability and makes the content easier to absorb and follow. Additionally, double spacing allows for comments and suggestions from professors or fellow students within the text.

Additionally, it enhances the essay’s general appearance, making it more polished and pleasing. Also, double spacing makes it easier to insert adjustments or amendments, facilitating effective editing and proofreading procedures.

2. It Makes an Essay Longer

Double spacing might sometimes give the impression that an essay is longer. The content is dispersed and gets more words by widening the line space. When an assignment has definite duration requirements, this may be useful.

It is vital to remember that lengthening an essay unnecessarily without adding relevant material could hurt the writer’s overall quality and consistency.

3. One can read while underlining

Another advantage of double spacing in essays is that it makes it simple for readers to underline or highlight key passages.

Since there is more area between lines, readers can mark or comment on particular portions, making it simpler to interact with the text and grasp its main ideas.

Also, because the underlined passages act as visual indicators for essential content, this can be very helpful for studying, revisiting, or referring to the essay in the future.

4. Offers space for personal notes

The wider line spacing allows students to make notes or add additional thoughts to their essays in the margins or between the lines.

This provides a handy way to write notes, draw connections, or provide additional context for specific textual passages.

These private notes can improve the overall learning and engagement with the essay by acting as helpful references for discussions, edits, or subsequent study sessions.

5. Easy to Spot mistakes

The increased spacing between lines allows for clearer visibility of individual words, sentences, and punctuation marks. This enhanced readability helps identify typos, grammatical errors, and formatting inconsistencies.

With white space, the eyes can navigate the text more comfortably, enabling a more careful and thorough review.

As a result, double spacing facilitates the proofreading and editing process, leading to a higher chance of catching and correcting mistakes before the final submission.

6. The paper looks professional

In essays, double spacing gives them a more polished appearance. The wider line spacing makes the document’s layout neater and more streamlined.

Also, this formatting decision complies with accepted academic standards and improves the essay’s overall presentation, giving it a polished and expert appearance.

7. Conforms with most referencing styles

Many style guides, such as APA, MLA, and Chicago, recommend double spacing as a standard requirement.

When you adhere to this spacing format, your essay aligns with the guidelines and expectations of these referencing styles, ensuring consistency and conformity in your writing.

8. Promotes clarity of text

In essays, double spacing encourages text clarity. The legibility is improved, and word crowding is prevented by leaving more space between lines.

The reader’s capacity to discern between individual words and sentences is improved by the greater spacing, which lowers the possibility of misunderstanding or misinterpretation.

Effective communication relies heavily on clarity, and double spacing makes the substance of the essay easier to understand.

Watch this video to learn more about this.

Josh Jasen or JJ as we fondly call him, is a senior academic editor at Grade Bees in charge of the writing department. When not managing complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In his spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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How to Do Double Spacing in Word

When you’re working on a document, there are specific formatting guidelines you may need to follow. One common requirement in academic writing and various professional documents is double spacing. Understanding how to do double spacing in Word can make your text more readable and even meet specific guidelines you may have. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the various methods to achieve double spacing in Microsoft Word, ensuring you never struggle with this task again.

Table of Contents

Why Double Spacing Matters

Before diving into the details of how to do double spacing in Word, it’s essential to understand why this formatting option is so important. The double spacing provides several benefits, including:

• Enhanced Readability: More space between lines makes your text easier to read.
• Professional Appearance: Double spacing often follows standard formatting guidelines in many documents.
• Ease of Editing: Teachers, editors, and peers can make notes and corrections more quickly.

Getting Started with Microsoft Word

Before we delve into how to do double spacing in Word, ensure you have Microsoft Word installed on your computer. This guide will apply to most versions of Word, including 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Office 365.

Method 1: Using the Ribbon

The most straightforward way to apply double spacing is through the ribbon at the top of Word’s interface.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• Open Your Document: Load the Word document you wish to format. If you’re starting from scratch, create a new document.
• Select Your Text: Select the text you wish to format with double-spacing. To apply it to the entire document, press ‘Ctrl+A’ to select all.
• Navigate to the Ribbon: Go to the “Home” tab on the ribbon.
• Open Paragraph Settings: To reach the Paragraph settings, click the small arrow at the bottom-right corner of the “Paragraph” section.
• Set Line Spacing: In the dialog box that appears, you’ll find a “Line spacing” dropdown menu. Click on it and choose “Double.”
• Apply settings: Click “OK” to apply your changes.

You should now see your highlighted text or entire document formatted with double spacing.

Method 2: Keyboard Shortcuts

For those who prefer keyboard shortcuts, there’s a fast way to achieve double spacing without navigating through menus.

• Highlight Text: As with the ribbon method, select the text you want to format.
• Apply Shortcut: Press’ Ctrl + 2′ on your keyboard.

This action will instantly convert your selected text to double-spaced.

Method 3: Format Paragraph (Context Menu)

Another way to double spacing is through the context menu, which is especially handy if you’re already working within your document.

• Highlight Text: Choose the text you want to modify.
• Right-Click: Right-click on the highlighted text to bring up the context menu.
• Choose Paragraph: From the options, select “Paragraph.”
• Set Line Spacing: Find the “Line spacing” dropdown in the Paragraph dialog box and choose “Double.”
• Apply Changes: Click “OK.”

You’ll see that your selected text is now double-spaced.

Method 4: Style Settings

Consider modifying the style settings if you’re working on extensive documents or want to apply double spacing by default.

• Open Styles Pane: Go to the “Home “ tab on the ribbon and click the “Styles “ pane.
• Modify Style: Right-click the “Normal “ style (or any other style you are using) and choose “Modify.”
• Format Paragraph: In the Modify Style dialog box, click “Format “ at the bottom, then select “Paragraph.”
• Set Line Spacing: Change the “Line spacing “ option to “Double “ and click “OK “ twice to confirm.

Double spacing will be the default for the selected style, impacting all text with that style applied.

Method 5: Custom Line Spacing

For those who need more specific spacing options, Microsoft Word also allows custom line spacing.

• Open Paragraph Settings: As in the ribbon method, click the small arrow in the “Paragraph “ section of the “Home “ tab.
• Select Custom Spacing: Select “Exactly “ from the dropdown menu for “Line spacing.”
• Set Line Height: Enter a numeric value in the “At “ box. For instance, if you want spacing between double and triple, set it to 2.5 lines.
• Apply Settings: Click “OK.”

Custom line spacing allows for more granular control over your document’s appearance.

Applying Double Spacing to Headers and Footers

Sometimes, you may need to apply double spacing to specific parts of your document, such as headers or footers. Here’s how:

• Edit Header/Footer: Double-click the header or footer area.
• Select Text: Highlight the text within your header or footer.
• Apply Double Spacing: To apply double spacing, use any previously mentioned methods (Ribbon, Keyboard Shortcut, Context Menu).

Make sure to exit the header/footer area by double-clicking outside of it to return to your main document.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

While double spacing is generally straightforward, you may encounter a few hitches.

Issue 1: Extra Space Between Paragraphs

If you notice extra spacing between paragraphs even after setting double spacing, ensure you haven’t inadvertently added extra space settings.

• Open the Paragraph dialog box.
• Ensure that “Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style “ is checked.

Issue 2: Consistent Formatting

If the newly inserted text loses double spacing, verify and consistently apply the styles throughout the document.

• Modifications should be applied to the style settings as outlined in Method 4.

Issue 3: Resetting to Default

You can reset the formatting to its default if you’ve made multiple changes and want to return to the initial settings.

• Select all the text (Ctrl+A).
• Set the line spacing back to “Single, “ then re-apply double spacing.

Frequently Asked Questions Related to How To Do Double Spacing In Word

Q. What is double spacing in Word? A. Double spacing means an extra blank space between each line of text. This feature makes the text easier to read and gives it a cleaner look.

Q. How do I double-space my document in Word? A. To increase the line spacing in Word, navigate to the “Home “ tab, locate the “Line and Paragraph Spacing “ button, and choose “2.0 “ from the options provided.

Q. Can I double-space just part of my document? A. Yes! Highlight the text you want to double-space, then follow the same steps to change the spacing only for that selected text.

Q. What if I can’t find the Line and Paragraph Spacing button? A. If you can’t find it, look in the “Home ” tab’s “Paragraph “ section. The button has an icon with up and down arrows and lines next to it.

Q. How do I set double spacing as the default for all new documents? A. To make double spacing the default, go to the “Design “ tab, select “Paragraph Spacing, “ choose “Double, “ then click on “Set as Default.”

Q. Can I double space in a table? A. Yes! Click inside the table cell, then follow the same steps to change the line spacing to double within that cell.

Q. Is there a way to change the spacing in headers and footers? A. Yes. You can double-space in headers and footers by selecting the text there and changing the line spacing as you do in the document’s main body.

Q. What is the keyboard shortcut for double spacing in Word? A. The keyboard shortcut for double spacing is to select your text and then press “Ctrl + 2 “ on your keyboard.

Q. Will double spacing affect the page count of my document? A. Double spacing usually increases the number of pages in your document because the text takes up more space.

Q. Can I change the line spacing in Word Online? A. Yes! In Word Online, highlight the text, click the “Home “ tab, then click the “Line and Paragraph Spacing “ button to select double spacing.

Knowing how to double spacing in Word is crucial for students, professionals, and anyone involved in writing and formatting documents. You should find it easy to manage your document’s line spacing by following these simple steps and utilizing the available methods. Microsoft Word provides several methods to format your text as required, including using the ribbon, keyboard shortcuts, style settings, and the context menu. Now that you have become proficient in double spacing, you can devote more attention to your writing and less to formatting. Happy writing!

About the Author

CJ grew up admiring books. His family owned a small bookstore throughout his early childhood, and he would spend weekends flipping through book after book, always sure to read the ones that looked the most interesting. Not much has changed since then, except now some of those interesting books he picks off the shelf were designed by his company!

How to Write a Double-Spaced Essay and Score an A for it

Many guidelines for formatting essays, as presented in rubrics, recommend double-spacing as one of the proper formats for standard comprehensive essays . For instance, when you receive the assignment instructions, essay prompts, or other academic homework assignment instructions, the Spacing of the work is usually specified.

The common spacing specifications include a 1.5 spaced essay, single-spaced essay, and a double-spaced or 2.0 spaced essay. In most cases, instructors will insist that your essay must be typed and double-spaced on standard-sized 8.5" by 11" paper, with margins of 1" on all sides.

In this detailed guide, we focus on the definition of a double-spaced essay, how to double-space an essay on MS Word or Mac Pages, and how to spice up that essay so that you score higher marks.

What is a double-spaced essay?

Here is the meaning of a double-spaced essay : A double-spaced essay is a standard essay written on a standard-sized (8.5" x 11") paper with a one-inch margin around the paper formatted with double spaces between the lines that make a paragraph with no extra spacing between paragraphs.  

In terms of word count, a double-spaced essay contains either 275 or 300 words in total per page, depending on the font used. Formatting a paper in double-spacing makes it easier for the tutor to read through the essay, make corrections within the left spaces, and follow through with ideas in your essay.

The number of words in a double-spacing essay also depends on the page margins you have set for your text. For instance, if you use A-4 sized page, an essay will have fewer words, the same as an A3 page. However, a standard-sized age with one-inch margins all around should have 275 words as a standard.

With short essays being between 250 words and 1000 words, with the most common in college being a 500-word essay, you can write as many words as you wish depending on the scope of the question, essay prompt, and the topic.

In most instances, students are advised to use font 12 points of 11 depending on the font type you are using. Failure to format your essay in the required Spacing might lead to penalties ranging from deduction of grades to poor grades.

As you set out to write or edit your essay, ensure that you choose a font that your professor advises. But this should only be the last thing you do as you polish your essay. For instance, some students find it comfortable writing with a given font, say Arial font 13, and then converting to Times New Roman font 12 when editing.

What is the significance of Double Spacing in essays and assignments?

You are probably wondering why we double-space essays or why it is the preferred standard for essays you write in high school and college. Below are some of the top three reasons why teachers want essays to be double-spaced.

• Double-spacing makes it easier to read through the document quickly as the lines do not blur together.
• Double-spaced essays are also reader-friendly. A reader can easily read and trace the points in your essay without needing extra aids or larger fonts.
• Double-spaced essays or assignments are also preferred because they leave whitespaces where the instructors can write comments on the paper.
• Another reason is that double-spaced essays give you (the essayist) enough room to communicate to your readers. The Spacing enhances the spatial mode of the essay or paper, making it easier to spot main points, read without getting lost or straying into other lines, and use one's fingers.

Double-Spacing vs. Other tyles of Spacing for Essays

When writing an essay, report, dissertation, annotated bibliography, or research paper for school, you should be aware of the type of Spacing required. There are three types of Spacing for school assignments: single, 1.5, and double Spacing.

A double-spaced paper or document, which is the most common, entails creating 2.0 spaces between lines in a paragraph without spaces between paragraphs. Double-spacing is a norm of most college assignments; even dissertations and theses are mostly double-spaced.

A 1.5 spaced essay or document means that the lines or sentences in a paragraph are spaced 1.5 mm from one another without spaces between paragraphs.

Finally, a single-spaced paper has little white spaces between the typed lines in the paragraphs. The lines within the paragraph are spaced 1.0 from one another. This means that there is little room for comments, remarks, or feedback from the professor. You should only use single and 1.5 spacing if your instructor advises so.

If you have typed your paper and realize that you have the wrong spacing, do not worry. You can do the Spacing of an essay or document either on a word document or on a Mac, as we shall explain shortly. The good news is that you can do this at any point in your writing process. The process will differ depending on the program you are using. Let's explore widely.

If you are wondering what a double-spaced essay looks like, have a look below.

Here is how single Spacing should look like in an essay:

Pages vs. Spacing Chart

To try to bring things to their perspective, here is a table comparing word count to Spacing. It can help you plan your essays.

You can simply conclude from the table abov e that a single-spaced page has the exact word count as twice a double-spaced paper.

How to set Double-Spacing on your Computer

Some people prefer to use other font styles and formats when writing, then edit the entire document to the required format and Spacing later, which is okay. Others like to keep everything organized from the beginning, which means setting double-spacing from the onset. Whether on Mac Page's word processor or MS word processor, here are some steps to take.

Pages on a Mac

If you are using a Page's word processor on a mac, you can follow these steps to double-space your paper:

• Highlight the text that you wish to double-space
• Click on Inspector, a blue button on the top right of your window
• In the new window, select the Text tab or the "T."
• Find the section labeled Spacing and type 2 into the box to the right of the slide bar.

On Microsoft Word Processor

If you are typing your assignment on a word document, follow the following steps to double-space it:

1. Select the text that you wish to change its Spacing

2. Under the Home tab , go to the Paragraph Click on the small arrow in the bottom left corner, as shown below.

3. A new window will pop up with various settings, including general, indentation, and Spacing, as shown in the figure below.

4. Click on the line spacing drop-down arrow

5. Select " Double " from the list

6. Check the " Don't add space between paragraphs of the same style ."

7. Press OK to execute the changes and save

The process is more or less the same for all Microsoft word processing versions. 

You can also adjust the line-spacing from the toolbar on your Microsoft word processor . This is probably the best way if you are one of those that want a page with double-spacing from the onset.

1. Under the Paragraph section of the Home Tab , locate the line-spacing button .

2. Click on the button to expand it as shown below.

3. Choose 2 . 0 for double-spacing , 1.5 for 1.5 line-spacing, and 1.0 for single spacing.

4. Click on OK to make the paper double-spaced.

How to Write a Double-Spaced Essay: 9 Steps to Take

Suppose you are assigned to write a double-spacing essay and you are wondering how to proceed, here is a little cheat sheet to keep you going. We asked our top essay writers and here were their exact recommendations; they can help you craft a double-spaced essay or assignment.

1. Read the essay prompt

The first thing you should always do when assigned to write a double-spaced essay is to thoroughly read the assignment prompt. It helps you unpack the question, brainstorm on a good topic, and pick the best topic for your essay. additionally, you also get to understand the Spacing, font type and size, and length/wordcount of your essay. It is an integral step in writing an essay.

2. Select a good essay topic

After reading the instructions, you need to rewrite the question on your own terms, conduct some research, evaluate the viable topics, then choose a hot topic for your essay. depending on your area of study, select a topic that is neither too narrow nor too broad. Go with a topic that is easy to find resources and one that you have genuine interest in writing a paper. If you are left with the option of selecting a topic on your own, select a topic that is relevant to the subject of study.

3. Use appropriate evidence

We cannot insist less how much it is important to cite all the sources that you use in an essay. First, failure to cite sources used in an essay could amount to plagiarism, which is a punishable offense in higher education and even professional realms. Therefore, you need to manage your in-text citations and reference list to ensure that your paper has some scholarly rigor. Citing facts paraphrased, quoted, or summarized from a source bolsters the arguments in the paragraphs of your essay. It brings in a string of a scholarly streak that makes the paper flow, make sense, and support your thesis statement.

4. Present your facts well

When planning for your essay or writing an essay outline/structure, you ought to have thought of the scaffolding of your essay. An essay scaffold refers to the order in which you present your arguments, themes, or texts in an essay. Have some semblance of organization in your essay. As an essayist, ensure that you substantiate your claims using proper evidence.

Instead of casually presenting an idea because you do not believe in it, use the available empirical evidence to make the essay even more desirable. It is also appropriate not to jump into unwarranted or unsupported conclusions.

If you do so, let it be on grounds of the evidence presented to support your thesis statement. Equally, your essay must always address the readers, so focus on what would interest them. From the title to the reference page, ensure that your readers are well-entertained and hooked.

5. Have a good essay structure

Apart from determining the order of argument, ensure that your essay is also well-structured. A comprehensive essay with a definite structure intrigues the readers. It also simplifies the writing process because everything falls into its rightful place.

You will have a laser-sharp focus on a structured essay than an essay you write haphazardly. Such an essay (a poorly-planned essay) will probably miss a thing or two. But when you have an essay outline , your chances of intriguing your readers increased. In short, a well-structured essay is reader-friendly.

Instead of beginning with the introduction, like anyone else, why not begin with the body paragraphs. Because you have a preliminary thesis, your body paragraphs can be developed without the introduction.

You can then finalize the writing process by tweaking the thesis into a final thesis, based on the arguments on the body paragraphs, and then writing a catchy introduction.

When you have your introduction, you can now finalize the writing process by writing an equally catchy conclusion that leaves your readers yearning for more.

As long as you maintain the standard format of a three-paragraph or a five-paragraph essay, whichever order you use to write does not matter provided the quality of the essay is met.

Choose the essay scaffold depending on the type of essay you are writing. For instance, you can use Toulmin, classic argument method, or Rogerian approach when writing an argumentative essay . similarly, you can choose to use chronology or point-by-point contrast when writing a classification or compare and contrast essay .

6. Use simple vocabulary

When writing any essay, it is not the chance to measure who knows what vocabulary. Instead, it is a chance to present facts from research to reinforce your ideas and thoughts on a given topic. Resist the temptation of using tough words to impress your teacher. Simplicity always wins when it comes to essay writing. Write in plain and simple language.

Use the ordinary words that makes it easier for your instructor to read and flow with your ideas. They never have the time to peruse a thesaurus, and even if they do, you would probably irritate their appetite leading to poor grades.

Use simple common words to communicate with the audience. Most engaging and top-grade essays are written in simple language. Students who write simple papers end up scoring better, as long as the facts are presented, flowing, and well organized.

7. Use short and long sentences

Every piece of assignment you write is meant to impress your readers. Using short sentences and long sentences blended together makes an essay readable. Short sentences are brief, easy to understand, and allow for easier navigation.

Although sometimes it is tempting to use complex sentences, they are counted as run-on or ambiguous sentences. When writing, this should not trouble you. However, when editing the paper, shorten the long sentences that have empty but complex vocabularies. It narrows down to simplicity again.

All our writers are better because they have mastered the art of balancing short and long sentences. With such a craft, you can convince even the toughest professor on earth for the best grades.

Brevity, coherence, accuracy, composition, and clarity comes from a mastery of how to use short sentences. So, try to practice often and use this approach for success in your essays.

8. Balance your paragraphs

To achieve a perfect paragraph in an essay is akin to getting an A+. It is not hard although it is something that most people struggle with.

Ensure that your topic sentences achieve cohesion and coherence. Cohesion means a good flow while coherence means achieving a sense of the whole. Your paragraphs should transition into one another.

Each paragraph should present a single idea linked to the order. Check out our guide on the PEEL paragraphing format . We also have a checklist for a good essay paragraph . A paragraph is an indispensable or irreplaceable node within a coherent sequence of logic. They are the building blocks of the essays. So, make them count.

Finally, your paragraphs need to be balanced in terms of number of words. Remember, by default the body paragraphs comprise 80% of the entire word count. This means that if you are writing a five-paragraph essay, the three body paragraphs should be spread to cover for the same.

9. Edit and format correctly

The writing process is no doubt the hardest part. Since it comes with researching, reading, and critical thinking, by the time you are done chances are that you are exhausted and probably fatigued. If you make the mistake of rushing directly to edit and format the paper, you'll probably make mistakes. It is the sole reason why it is good to plan an essay � allocate some good time for editing and polishing the essay or any assignment for that matter.

Now, when you're done with writing, take some much-deserved break. You can go for a walk, have a nap, watch your favorite show, activate your social media and plug back, or visit a friend, whatever will ease your mind.

After the rest, spend some quality time objectively reading, editing, and formatting your essay. focus on spelling, grammar, stylistic, and organization mistakes. You should also check the right Spacing, fonts, and font type. If you find the process consuming and tiresome, you can use our essay editing service. We have keen editors who can always help.

After everything is okay, check your paper for plagiarism, and submit it before the deadline.

Parting Shot!

To this end, you now understand what a double-spaced essay is, how to set double Spacing on your Computer, and how to make a double-spacing interesting enough to earn you a better grade.

Whether you are writing in MLA, Harvard, APA , or Chicago, the process remains the same. If you need tips on how to make an essay longer , check out our guide on the same. We also have various guides that can help you become a better essay writer.

Related: How to indent in an essay or paper.

Otherwise, if all you need is someone who can assist you with writing a well-researched, refined, and polished school essay, we have excellent and talented writers on the wait. Place an order through the form on our homepage and experience a perfect essay help you have never seen before.

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

How to Double Space Your Paper

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Double spacing refers to the amount of space that shows between the individual lines of your paper. When a paper is single-spaced, there is very little white space between the typed lines, which means there is no room for marks or comments. This is precisely why teachers ask you to double space. The white space between the lines leaves room for  editing marks  and comments.

Double spacing is the norm for essay assignments, so if you are in doubt about expectations, you should format your paper with double spacing. Only use a single space if the teacher asks explicitly for it. 

Don't worry if you've already typed your paper and you now realize that your spacing is wrong. You can change spacing and other types of formatting easily and at any time in the writing process. But the way to go about these changes will differ, depending on the word processing program you're using.

Microsoft Word

If you are working in Microsoft Word 2010, you should follow these steps to set up double-spacing.

• Select (highlight) text if you have already typed some lines. If not, go to the next step.
• Click on the Page Layout tab.
• Go to the Paragraph section. You will see a small arrow in the bottom left corner.
• Click on the arrow to bring up a new window.
• Select the Indents and Spacing tab (it is probably already open).
• Find the Line spacing menu and select double from the list. Then select OK .

Other versions of Microsoft Word will use a similar process and the same wording.

Pages (Mac)

 If you're using the Pages word processor on a mac, you can double-space your paper following these instructions: 

• First highlight text, if you have already typed some lines
• Click on  Inspector , which is a blue button on the top right of your window
• When a new window opens, select the  Text  tab which is a large "T"
• Find the section labeled  Spacing  and type  2  into the box to the right of the slide bar
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