To double space in Word, press Ctrl+A to select all the text, then go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing (the icon with up and down arrows) and choose 2.0. Or press Ctrl+2 after selecting. For school papers, also choose Remove Space After Paragraph from the same menu so there are no extra gaps between paragraphs.
Applies to: Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016 on Windows and Mac, and Word for the web. Last reviewed October 8, 2026.
- Select the text you want to double space. Press Ctrl+A (Command+A on a Mac) for the whole document.
- On the Home tab, select Line and Paragraph Spacing in the Paragraph group.
- Choose 2.0.
Method 2: Keyboard shortcut
Select the text and press Ctrl+2. Press Ctrl+1 to go back to single spacing, or Ctrl+5 for 1.5 lines. On a Mac, use Command+2, Command+1 and Command+5.
Method 3: Paragraph dialog (most precise)
- Select the text.
- Select the small arrow at the bottom right of the Paragraph group, or right-click and choose Paragraph.
- Under Spacing, set Line spacing to Double.
- Set Before and After to 0 pt for academic formatting.
- Select OK.
Method 4: Double space the whole document, including new text
- Go to the Design tab.
- Select Paragraph Spacing and choose Double.
- To use it for every new document, select Set as Default on the Design tab and confirm.
This changes the Normal style, so text you type later is double spaced too. Headings and other styles may keep their own spacing.
Double spacing for APA and MLA papers
Both styles want double spacing everywhere: the title, body, block quotes and the reference or works cited list, with no extra space between paragraphs. After setting 2.0:
- Choose Remove Space After Paragraph from the Line and Paragraph Spacing menu, or set Before and After to 0 pt.
- Check the header and any tables, which keep their own settings.
- Use 1-inch margins; see how to set 1-inch margins in Word.
For the full setup, see how to set up APA format in Word or how to set up MLA format in Word.
Double space footnotes, tables and the reference list
Ctrl+A doesn’t select footnotes, endnotes, text boxes or headers, so check them separately:
- Footnotes and endnotes: click inside a note, press Ctrl+A to select all notes, and apply 2.0. APA allows single-spaced footnotes, so check your guidelines first.
- Tables: APA allows single, 1.5 or double spacing inside tables. Select the table and set the spacing you need.
- References and works cited: double space them and add a 0.5-inch hanging indent in the Paragraph dialog under Special > Hanging.
Two spaces after a period is something else
Some teachers say “double space” and mean line spacing; a few older style guides meant two spaces after each sentence. Modern APA, MLA and Chicago all use one space. If a document has two, press Ctrl+H, type two spaces in Find what and one space in Replace with, and select Replace All. Repeat until Word finds none.
To have Word flag sentences with the wrong spacing, open Review > Editor > Settings and set Space between sentences to one space.
Word for Mac and Word for the web
- Mac: Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0, or Format > Paragraph from the menu bar.
- Web: Home > Line Spacing > 2.0. Use Line Spacing Options to set paragraph spacing to 0.
Troubleshooting
Gaps between paragraphs look bigger than between lines
Paragraph spacing is adding extra room. Choose Remove Space After Paragraph, or set Before and After to 0. To remove gaps throughout, see how to remove extra space in Word.
Some lines aren’t double spaced
Those paragraphs weren’t selected, or a picture or larger font is on the line. Press Ctrl+A and apply 2.0 again.
The spacing looks more than double
Line spacing may be set to Multiple at a value above 2, or Exactly at a large point size. Open the Paragraph dialog and pick Double. More on this in how to reduce the gap between lines.
Ctrl+2 does nothing
An add-in or keyboard tool may use that shortcut. Use the ribbon button instead.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between double spacing and 2.0?
They’re the same. Word calls it 2.0 on the menu and Double in the Paragraph dialog.
How do I double space only part of a document?
Select just those paragraphs before applying 2.0. The rest stay as they are.
Can I double space between words or letters?
Double spacing affects lines. To space out letters, use character spacing; see how to adjust spacing in Word.
Does double spacing change the page count?
Yes, roughly doubling it. A one-page single-spaced essay becomes about two pages.
Related: how to indent in Word.
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.