Many of the documents created in Microsoft Word are perfectly fine using the default formatting and layout settings you get with any document that uses the Normal template. Whether it’s a paper you are writing for school or a report for work (or a collaboration with others where you may need to hide the comments when you print), you may only need to change a couple of formatting settings for the content you add to the document.
But certain types of documents will need to utilize columns for their layout, which you may have trouble adding if you have’t had to use them before. Fortunately adding a second column to a document in Microsoft Word is fairly simple, and existing content in the document will automatically be reformatted to fit into the columns.
How to Split a Document Into Two Columns in Word for Office 365
The steps in this article were performed in Microsoft Word for Office 365, but will also work in other versions of Word as well. We are going to be focusing specifically on making the document into two columns, but you can add more if you wish.
Step 1: Open your document in Microsoft Word.
Step 2: Select the Layout tab at the top of the window.
Step 3: Click the Columns button in the Page Setup section of the ribbon.
Note that you can use the More Columns option if you want to create more than three column in your document.
Step 4: Select the Two option to split the document into two columns, or choose one of the other options if you prefer.
Do you need to change something in Word to a physical size, but you’re having trouble getting it right? Find out how to display the ruler in Word so that you can see how large a document elements will be when it’s printed.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop and more.