In Microsoft Word, set Line Spacing to “Double” (2.0) for the selected text, or apply it to the whole document through Paragraph Spacing.
Double spacing sounds simple until Word starts acting picky: some lines space out, others don’t, and suddenly your page count balloons. The good news is that Word has a few different “double space” controls, and each one behaves a little differently. Once you know which lever you’re pulling, you can get clean, consistent spacing in under a minute.
This walkthrough shows the fastest ways to apply double spacing, how to make it stick, and how to fix the common “it still looks wrong” moments. You’ll see options for Windows, Mac, and Word on the web, plus how to avoid extra blank-looking gaps that come from paragraph spacing (not line spacing).
What “Double Space” Means In Word
In Word, line spacing controls the vertical space inside each line of text. When you choose Double (or 2.0), Word increases the distance between baselines so each line has room to breathe.
There’s a second spacing control that trips people up: space before and after paragraphs. If your document looks “more than double spaced,” that’s often paragraph spacing stacking on top of double line spacing. Fixing the look usually means setting double line spacing and managing Before/After values.
When Double Spacing Helps
Double spacing isn’t only for school papers. It’s handy any time you want easy markup or breathing room:
- Drafting contracts or policy docs where people add comments
- Printing pages for review with a pen
- Creating manuscripts with room for edits
- Improving readability for dense paragraphs
How To Put Double Space On Microsoft Word
If you want the cleanest, least-surprising result, do this in two passes: apply double line spacing, then confirm paragraph spacing. That combo avoids the “why are my paragraphs so far apart?” headache.
Double Space A Selected Section
This is the best move when you only need part of a page double spaced.
- Select the text you want to change (drag, or click in a paragraph for a single paragraph).
- Go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing.
- Choose 2.0 (or Double depending on your Word version).
Double Space The Entire Document
This method is quick and keeps the document consistent.
- Press Ctrl + A (Windows) or Command + A (Mac) to select all text.
- Go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing.
- Choose 2.0 (Double).
Fastest Shortcut If You’re In A Hurry
If your cursor is in the paragraph you want to change (or you’ve selected multiple paragraphs), use the spacing shortcuts:
- Ctrl + 2 = double spacing (Windows)
- Command + 2 = double spacing (Mac)
These shortcuts apply spacing at the paragraph level. If your cursor is in one paragraph, only that paragraph changes. If you’ve selected a block, the whole selection changes.
Putting Double Spacing In Microsoft Word For Clean Submissions
Here’s the part that keeps your document from looking “off” even after you set Double: paragraph spacing. A lot of Word templates add space after each paragraph to make documents easier to read on screen. That’s fine in many settings, but it can clash with double spacing rules for essays, submissions, and print review copies.
To keep the look tight and consistent, open the Paragraph settings and verify both line spacing and paragraph spacing in the same place.
Use The Paragraph Dialog For Full Control
- Select the text you want to change, or press Ctrl + A/Command + A for the whole document.
- On the Home tab, find the Paragraph group.
- Click the small dialog launcher (tiny arrow icon) to open Paragraph settings.
- Set Line spacing to Double.
- Set Spacing > Before to 0 pt and After to 0 pt if you want no extra gaps between paragraphs.
- Click OK.
If you want double spacing and a little paragraph separation, leave After at a small value (many templates use something like 6–10 pt). Just know that your page count will grow.
Microsoft’s own steps for applying double spacing match these menu paths, including using Design/Paragraph Spacing for whole-document changes and Home/Line Spacing for selected text. Microsoft Support: “Double-space the lines in a Word document”
Pick The Right Method For Your Situation
Word gives you several ways to reach “Double,” and they don’t all behave the same. This table helps you choose quickly without clicking around.
| Method | Best Fit | What You Do |
|---|---|---|
| Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0 | Most docs, fast change | Select text (or all), pick 2.0/Double |
| Ctrl + 2 / Command + 2 | Speed while typing | Place cursor in paragraph or select block, press shortcut |
| Paragraph dialog (Line spacing: Double) | When spacing looks weird | Set Double plus Before/After to control extra gaps |
| Design > Paragraph Spacing > Double | Whole document consistency | Apply a style-set spacing choice across the doc |
| Modify the Normal style | Make new text match | Update Normal so new paragraphs inherit Double |
| Use styles for headings/body | Long structured docs | Set body style to Double, keep headings separate if needed |
| Word for the web Line Spacing | Browser editing | Select text, use Line Spacing option in the ribbon |
| Mac ribbon + Paragraph settings | Word on macOS | Same logic: set Double, then confirm Before/After |
Make Double Spacing Stick For New Text
A common frustration: you double space a page, then you hit Enter and the next paragraph snaps back to a tighter spacing. That’s usually a style setting at work. Word formats paragraphs through styles, and if the style says “single” or “1.15,” new paragraphs can inherit that rule.
Update The Normal Style
If this is your document and you want double spacing as the default inside it, updating Normal often solves it.
- Click in a paragraph that already looks the way you want (double spaced, correct Before/After).
- Go to Home and find the Styles area.
- Right-click Normal (or your body-text style) and choose Update Normal to Match Selection.
Now, new paragraphs that use Normal should keep the same spacing. If your document uses a custom style set, update the style that actually controls body text instead of Normal.
Set Double Spacing As The Default For Future Documents
If you want every new Word file to start double spaced, save the style change to the default template. The exact steps vary by Word version, but the general idea is the same: modify the style, then choose to apply it to new documents based on the template.
Tip: do this only if you truly want every document to behave that way. A lot of business templates depend on tighter spacing for layout.
Word On Windows, Mac, And The Web
The buttons may sit in slightly different spots depending on your platform, yet the same rules apply: line spacing changes how lines sit inside paragraphs, and Before/After changes paragraph gaps. When a doc looks wrong, check both.
Windows
- Fast path: Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0
- Precise path: Paragraph dialog > Line spacing: Double and adjust Before/After
macOS
- Shortcut: Command + 2 for the selected paragraph(s)
- Menu path: Home > line spacing button, or open Paragraph settings for Before/After
Word For The Web
Word in a browser supports double spacing, though some deeper template and style controls can be slimmer than the desktop apps. If you can’t get the result to match a strict format, opening the file in the desktop version often gives you the missing style controls.
Fix Common Double Spacing Problems
When “double spacing” still doesn’t look right, it’s usually one of these: paragraph spacing, mixed styles, or pasted text dragging hidden formatting into your document. The fixes below are quick, and you can test them without breaking the whole file.
| What You See | What’s Going On | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Paragraphs look farther apart than lines | Extra spacing After paragraphs | Open Paragraph settings, set After to 0 pt (or a small value you choose) |
| Some paragraphs are double spaced, others aren’t | Mixed styles or partial selection | Select the whole section, apply Double again, then update the style if needed |
| New paragraphs revert after you press Enter | Style rule still set to tighter spacing | Update Normal (or the body style) to match your spaced paragraph |
| Pasted text ignores your spacing | Pasted formatting overrides your style | Paste using “Keep Text Only,” then apply your spacing |
| Line spacing looks uneven inside a paragraph | Inline objects or font size jumps | Check for large font runs, images, or equations on the line |
| Double spacing applies to one paragraph only | Cursor is inside a single paragraph | Select the whole block (or Ctrl+A), then apply Double |
| Shortcut doesn’t work | Keyboard mapping conflict or focus issue | Click inside the document body, try the ribbon button, then re-test Ctrl+2 |
| You want double lines, not double paragraphs | Paragraph spacing is doing the “extra gap” | Set line spacing to Double, then set Before/After to 0 pt |
Keyboard Shortcuts That Save Time
Shortcuts are handy when you’re adjusting spacing while you write. These work on a paragraph where your cursor sits, or on whatever text you’ve selected.
- Ctrl + 1: single spacing
- Ctrl + 2: double spacing
- Ctrl + 5: 1.5 spacing
- Ctrl + A: select all
Microsoft lists these paragraph-format shortcuts in its official Word shortcut reference. Microsoft Support: “Keyboard shortcuts in Word”
A Quick Final Check Before You Export Or Submit
If you’re turning the document in to a school, a client, or a teammate with strict formatting rules, do a fast scan before you send it:
- Click in three different paragraphs on different pages and confirm the same spacing is applied.
- Check one spot where you pasted text. Pasted content is the main source of mixed formatting.
- Look at paragraph gaps. If they feel too wide, set Before/After to 0 pt.
- Save as PDF and skim the PDF quickly. If spacing shifts, it usually points to style inconsistency.
Once you’ve done that, your document should read cleanly, print cleanly, and meet typical double-spacing requirements without surprise gaps.
References & Sources
- Microsoft Support.“Double-space the lines in a Word document.”Shows the official menu paths for double spacing the whole document or selected text.
- Microsoft Support.“Keyboard shortcuts in Word.”Lists Ctrl+2/Command+2 as the shortcut to apply double spacing to a paragraph or selection.