To set 1-inch margins in Word, go to the Layout tab, select Margins and choose Normal. Normal is 1 inch (2.54 cm) on the top, bottom, left and right. To set them exactly, choose Margins > Custom Margins, type 1″ in all four boxes, make sure Apply to says Whole document, and select OK.
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.
Method 1: Use the Normal preset
- Open the document and go to the Layout tab.
- Select Margins.
- Choose Normal (Top 1″, Bottom 1″, Left 1″, Right 1″).
Word applies it to the whole document unless the document has several sections; then it applies only to the section your cursor is in.
Method 2: Set each margin to 1 inch
- Go to Layout > Margins > Custom Margins.
- On the Margins tab, type 1″ in Top, Bottom, Left and Right.
- Leave Gutter at 0″ unless you’re binding the document.
- Set Apply to to Whole document.
- Select OK.
This is the safest way when a teacher or publisher asks for “1-inch margins all around”, because it fixes any section with different settings.
Make 1-inch margins the default
In the Custom Margins box, after entering 1″ for all four, select Set As Default and then Yes. Every new blank document will start with 1-inch margins.
Word for Mac and Word for the web
- Mac: Layout > Margins > Normal, or Custom Margins for exact values. You can also use Format > Document from the menu bar.
- Web: Layout > Margins > Normal, or Custom Margins to type values.
Check that the margins are 1 inch
Turn on the ruler with View > Ruler. The white area of the ruler is the text area; the grey ends are the margins. On Letter paper (8.5 x 11 inches) with 1-inch margins, the white area is 6.5 inches wide. You can also show the margin lines on the page; see how to show margins in Word.
Margins for common formats
- APA: 1 inch on all sides. See how to set up APA format in Word.
- MLA: 1 inch on all sides. See how to set up MLA format in Word.
- Chicago: usually 1 inch, sometimes up to 1.5 inches on the left for binding.
- Business letters: 1 inch is standard.
Troubleshooting
Margins show in centimeters
Go to File > Options > Advanced, scroll to Display, and set Show measurements in units of to Inches. Or type 1 in and Word converts it.
Some pages still have different margins
The document has several sections. Use Custom Margins with Apply to: Whole document, or press Ctrl+A first.
Text still looks too close to the edge
The paragraphs have negative indents. Select all text and set indents to 0 on Layout > Indent.
The printer cuts off the edges
1 inch is wider than any printer’s minimum, so check the paper size in Layout > Size matches your paper (Letter or A4).
Frequently asked questions
What are Word’s default margins?
Word’s Normal template uses 1 inch on all sides in recent versions. Older templates or templates from other regions may use 1.25 inches on the left and right.
How do I get narrower margins?
Choose Narrow (0.5 inch) from the Margins menu. See how to change margins to narrow or how to remove margins in Word.
Do headers and footers count toward the margin?
They sit inside the top and bottom margins, measured by the Header and Footer distances on the Layout tab of Page Setup.
Related: how to double space 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.