Line spacing in Word is the vertical distance between lines of text, and you adjust it through the Paragraph menu or the line spacing button on the ribbon

Open your Word document 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. Then look for the line spacing control — on newer versions of Word, it's a button with horizontal lines and arrows on the Home tab of the ribbon. Click the dropdown arrow next to it to see preset options like 1.0, 1.15, 1.5, and 2.0. Choose the spacing you want and it applies immediately.

If you don't see that button or want more precise control, right-click your selected text and choose Paragraph from the menu. In the Paragraph dialog box, go to the Indents & Spacing tab. Under Spacing, you'll see a dropdown labeled Line spacing. The preset options work the same way — 1.5 means 1.5 times the normal line height, and 2.0 means double spacing. You can also choose Exactly or At least to set a specific measurement in points if you need very precise control.

Key Takeaways

  • Select the text you want to change, or press Ctrl+A to select the entire document before adjusting line spacing.
  • The quickest method is the line spacing button on the Home tab of the ribbon, which shows preset options like 1.5 and 2.0.
  • For more control, right-click selected text, choose Paragraph, and use the Line spacing dropdown in the Indents & Spacing tab.
  • Common spacing values are 1.0 (single), 1.15 (default in newer Word versions), 1.5, and 2.0 (double spacing for academic papers).

Using the ribbon button for quick adjustments

The line spacing button is the fastest way to make changes if you're using Word 2010 or later. It sits on the Home tab in the Paragraph section of the ribbon — look for an icon that shows three or four horizontal lines with up and down arrows. Click the small arrow next to it to open a dropdown menu.

The menu shows you the most common options: 1.0, 1.15, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0. Below those preset options, you'll see Line Spacing Options, which opens the full Paragraph dialog if you need something the presets don't cover. This button method works on both Windows and Mac versions of Word.

Opening the Paragraph dialog for precise control

When you need exact spacing measurements or want to see all your options at once, the Paragraph dialog gives you the most control. Right-click on your selected text and choose Paragraph, or go to the Home tab, find the Paragraph section, and click the small arrow in the bottom right corner of that section box.

In the dialog, the Line spacing dropdown offers these choices: Single (1.0), 1.5 lines, Double (2.0), At least (a minimum spacing that can expand if text is large), Exactly (a fixed spacing that won't change), and Multiple (where you enter a number like 1.25 or 3). The At least and Exactly options let you type a measurement in points — useful if your document has specific formatting requirements.

Different spacing for different parts of your document

You don't have to use the same line spacing everywhere. Select only the paragraphs you want to change — you can click one paragraph, then hold Ctrl and click others to select multiple non-consecutive sections. Then adjust the spacing for just those sections. This is useful if you want single spacing for a header or title but 1.5 spacing for the body text.

You can also set default spacing for new documents by opening the Paragraph dialog, choosing your preferred spacing, and then clicking Set as Default at the bottom of the dialog. Word will remember this setting for future documents you create.

Common spacing choices and when to use them

Single spacing (1.0) fits the most text on a page and is standard for business documents, websites, and published materials. 1.15 spacing is the default in Word 2010 and later — it's slightly more readable than single spacing without taking up much extra room. 1.5 spacing is easier to read and is often used for internal documents, presentations, or when you want a less dense look.

Double spacing (2.0) is required by many academic institutions for essays, theses, and research papers. It leaves room for handwritten comments and makes the document easier to edit. Anything above 2.0 is rarely used except for specific design purposes or accessibility needs.

Troubleshooting spacing that won't change

If you adjust the line spacing and nothing seems to happen, check whether you've actually selected the text. Click once in a paragraph and then use Ctrl+A to select all, or click and drag to highlight the exact section you want to change. If you've selected text but the spacing still isn't changing, make sure you're looking at the right setting — sometimes the spacing between paragraphs (set just above the line spacing dropdown) is what you actually want to adjust instead.

Another common issue: if your document has a style applied (like "Heading 1" or "Normal"), changing the line spacing might not stick because the style overrides your manual changes. To fix this, modify the style itself instead of just the text. Right-click the style name in the Styles pane and choose Modify, then set the line spacing there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between line spacing and paragraph spacing?

Line spacing is the distance between lines within a paragraph. Paragraph spacing is the gap between one paragraph and the next. Both are in the Paragraph dialog — line spacing is under "Line spacing" and paragraph spacing is under "Spacing" with options for "Before" and "After".

Can I change line spacing in Word Online?

Yes. Select your text, then click the Home tab. Look for the line spacing button (three horizontal lines with arrows) in the Paragraph section. The preset options are available, though Word Online has fewer customization choices than the desktop version.

Why does my double-spaced document look single-spaced?

This usually happens when your font size is very large or when a paragraph style is overriding your manual spacing. Check the font size first — if it's unusually big, the spacing might look compressed. If that's not it, check whether a style is applied and modify the style's line spacing instead of just the text.

Does changing line spacing affect the whole document or just what I've selected?

It affects only what you've selected. If you select one paragraph, only that paragraph changes. If you press Ctrl+A to select all text, the entire document changes. To change the default for all future documents, select all, adjust the spacing, and click "Set as Default" in the Paragraph dialog.