Easy Ways to Double Space in Word

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:

  1. Go to the Design tab on the Word ribbon.
    Design Tab

  2. Look for Paragraph Spacing option, usually on the right-hand side, and click it.
    Paragraph Spacing Option

  3. From the dropdown menu, select Double. This will instantly double-space the entire document.
    Double Spacing Option

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

  1. First, highlight the text that needs double-spacing.
  2. 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).
    Line Spacing Icon
  3. From the dropdown, click on 2.0. This will double-space your selected text.
    Double Space 2.0
    That selected portion is now nicely double-spaced.

Method 2: Using the ‘Paragraph’ Dialog Box

  1. Select the text you want to change, then right-click it and select Paragraph from the menu.
    Paragraph from Right-Click
  2. A Paragraph window will open; look for the Line spacing dropdown.
    Paragraph Window
  3. Choose Double from the list and then press OK.
    Double Line Spacing
    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.
Double Space Result