The quickest way to change line spacing
Open your document in Microsoft Word and select the text you want to change. If you want to change the spacing for the whole document, press Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac) to select all text. Then go to the Home tab on the ribbon at the top, find the Paragraph group, and click the line spacing icon — it looks like horizontal lines with arrows pointing up and down. Choose your spacing from the menu that appears.
The menu shows common options: 1.0 (single spacing, the tightest), 1.15, 1.5, 2.0 (double spacing), and a few others. Pick the one you need and it applies instantly. If none of those match what you're looking for, click Line Spacing Options at the bottom of that same menu to set a custom spacing value.
Key Takeaways
- Select the text you want to change, or press Ctrl+A to select your entire document before adjusting spacing.
- The line spacing button is in the Home tab under the Paragraph group and shows as stacked horizontal lines with arrows.
- Common options like 1.5 and 2.0 (double spacing) appear in the dropdown menu for quick selection.
- Click Line Spacing Options at the bottom of the menu to set custom spacing values that aren't in the standard list.
- Changes take effect immediately and you can undo them with Ctrl+Z if you change your mind.
Finding the line spacing button on different Word versions
The location of the line spacing control is the same across Word 2016, Word 2019, Word for Microsoft 365, and the web version of Word. It always lives in the Home tab in the Paragraph group. On your screen, look for the icon that shows three or four horizontal lines with up and down arrows — that's the one you need.
If you're using Word Online (the free version in your web browser), the process is identical. Select your text, click Home, find the Paragraph group, and click the line spacing icon. The menu and options work the same way as the desktop version.
Understanding what each line spacing number means
Single spacing (1.0) means there is no extra space between lines — the lines sit as close together as the font size allows. This is the tightest option and saves the most space on the page.
1.15 spacing adds a small amount of breathing room without taking up much extra space. Many people find this slightly easier to read than single spacing while still keeping documents compact.
1.5 spacing puts noticeably more space between lines. This is common in academic writing and makes longer documents easier on the eyes.
Double spacing (2.0) puts a full blank line's worth of space between each line of text. This is standard for many academic submissions and formal documents. It makes text very easy to read but uses significantly more pages.
Setting custom line spacing for specific needs
If the preset options don't match what you need, you can set an exact value. Select your text, click the line spacing icon, and choose Line Spacing Options at the bottom of the menu. A dialog box opens with more detailed controls.
In that dialog, you'll see a dropdown that says Line spacing. Click it and you can choose Exactly to set a fixed spacing amount (measured in points), or At least to set a minimum spacing that Word can increase if needed to fit content. You can also choose Multiple and enter a decimal number like 1.25 or 1.75 for spacing between the standard options.
Below that, you'll find Spacing Before and Spacing After, which control the space between paragraphs rather than between lines within a paragraph. These are separate from line spacing but often adjusted at the same time.
Changing spacing for just one paragraph
You don't have to change spacing for your whole document. Click anywhere in the paragraph you want to adjust — you don't even need to select the whole thing — then use the line spacing button as usual. The change applies only to that paragraph.
This is useful when you have a title or heading that looks better with tighter spacing, or a section that needs extra space for readability. You can mix different line spacings throughout a single document.
Spacing between paragraphs versus spacing between lines
Line spacing and paragraph spacing are two different things. Line spacing is the space between lines within a single paragraph. Paragraph spacing is the blank space that appears before or after an entire paragraph.
When you use the line spacing button, you're only changing the space between lines. If you want to add space between paragraphs instead, use the Spacing Before and Spacing After options in the Line Spacing Options dialog. Many documents use single or 1.15 line spacing but add extra paragraph spacing to make sections visually distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 1.5 and double spacing?
1.5 spacing puts one and a half line heights of space between lines. Double spacing (2.0) puts two full line heights of space between lines. Double spacing creates noticeably more white space and uses roughly 33 percent more pages for the same content.
Can I set line spacing to something like 1.25?
Yes. Select your text, click the line spacing icon, choose Line Spacing Options, click the Line spacing dropdown, select Multiple, and type 1.25 in the box next to it. This gives you any decimal value you want between the preset options.
Does changing line spacing affect the whole document or just what I select?
It affects only what you select. If you want to change the entire document, press Ctrl+A first to select all text, then adjust the spacing. If you select just one paragraph, only that paragraph changes.
What if I want different spacing for different sections?
Select each section separately and apply the spacing you want. You can have single spacing in one part of your document and double spacing in another. Just select the text for each section before changing its spacing.
Will changing line spacing affect my document's formatting in other ways?
No. Line spacing only affects the vertical space between lines. It doesn't change font, margins, indentation, or any other formatting. You can undo any spacing change with Ctrl+Z if you change your mind.