The spacing in a document can have a big impact on its readability.
Most word processing applications like Google Docs or Microsoft Word will have ways that you can modify the line spacing.
Since double spacing is a popular option, it is one of the default choices when you select your document’s line spacing, and many Word guides will include information about adjusting that setting.
Our guide below will show you how to double space in Word Office 365 so that you can create a new document with that spacing, or switch the spacing in an existing document to that option.
How to Switch to Double Space in Microsoft Word for Office 365
- Open the document.
- Press Ctrl + A to select everything.
- Choose the Home tab.
- Select the Line and Paragraph Spacing button.
- Click the 2.0 option.
Our guide continues below with additional information on how to double space in Word Office 365, including pictures of these steps.
Our tutorial on can you cross out text on iPhone will show you a simple way to apply strikethrough formatting on your phone.
An existing document in Microsoft Word will likely have single spacing, or something similar, if you, or the person who created the document, never changed that setting.
Single spacing is a very common choice in documents, but some schools and organizations prefer that documents use double spacing to make them easier to read, or to make it easier write notes near the content.
If you have a single spaced document and need to switch it to double spaced, then the steps in this article will show you how.
You can also learn how to remove grid from Word if you see a series of vertical and horizontal lines on your document that you need to get rid of.
How to Double Space a Microsoft Word Document (Guide with Pictures)
This guide will show you how to change the formatting of a document in Microsoft Word so that it is double spaced. While the steps in this article were performed in the Word for Office 365 version of the application, it will also work in most other versions of Word as well.
Step 1: Open the document in Microsoft Word.
Step 2: Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select the entire document.
Step 3: Click the Home tab at the top of the window.
Step 4: Click the Line and Paragraph Spacing button in the Paragraph section of the ribbon.
Step 5: Choose the 2.0 option from the list.
Your entire document should now be double-spaced.
Now that you know how to double space in Word Office 365 you may need to know how to make some other adjustments. Our guide on how to make columns in Word Office 365 can show you how to add or remove columns in a document.
If you are starting with a new, blank document, then you can skip the step above concerning the selection of the entire document.
How to Change Line Spacing Options in Microsoft Word for Office 365
You may have noticed in the image shown in Step 5 above that there is a Line Spacing Options item on that menu. If you need to make some additional changes to the spacing in your document, then you can click on that option to see the image shown below.
On this menu you can adjust some additional line spacing options, such as your paragraph indentation, and the amount of spacing before and after your paragraphs.
Additionally, there is a Set as Default button at the bottom of this window. If you click that button after making changes to your document’s line spacing, then those changes will applied to all future new documents that you create in Word. If you are only creating documents in Word that will have double-spacing, and you would like to make your document creation process a little smoother, then using this default button can save you some time.
Have you written something in your document that you probably don’t need, but you don’t want to delete it? Find out how to use strikethrough in Microsoft Word to draw a line through text rather than delete it.
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.