Double-spacing can improve how readable your document is, and sometimes it’s a necessary format. Word defaults to single-spacing, but changing it is pretty straightforward. Just be aware that double spacing will make your document longer, and might not be suitable for every document type.
Double-space the entire document
Want to double space your whole document? Here’s the quickest way:
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Go to the Design tab on the Word ribbon.
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Look for Paragraph Spacing option, usually on the right-hand side, and click it.
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From the dropdown menu, select Double. This will instantly double-space the entire document.
The whole document should now have double-spaced lines.
Double-space selected text
If you only need to double-space part of your document, use these methods:
Method 1: Using the ‘Home’ Tab
- First, highlight the text that needs double-spacing.
- Head over to the Home tab, and look for the Line and Paragraph Spacing icon (it’s the one with the up and down arrows).
- From the dropdown, click on 2.0. This will double-space your selected text.
That selected portion is now nicely double-spaced.
Method 2: Using the ‘Paragraph’ Dialog Box
- Select the text you want to change, then right-click it and select Paragraph from the menu.
- A Paragraph window will open; look for the Line spacing dropdown.
- Choose Double from the list and then press OK.
Your chosen text is now double-spaced!
By using either of these methods, you can easily adjust line spacing in Word to achieve the formatting you need for your document.
