How to Double Space in Word (2026)
Double spacing puts a full blank line’s worth of space between each line — required by most academic and editing styles. Word does it from one button. Here’s how to apply it, fix the extra gaps between paragraphs, and make it stick.
1. Double Space the Whole Document (Windows & Mac)
- Press Ctrl+A (⌘+A on Mac) to select everything.
- On the Home tab, click Line and Paragraph Spacing (the icon with up/down arrows).
- Choose 2.0.
Shortcut: with text selected, press Ctrl+2 (Windows).
2. Double Space Just a Selection
Highlight only the paragraphs you want, then use the same Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. Unselected text keeps its original spacing.
3. Double Space in Word for the Web
- Select the text (Ctrl+A for all).
- Home > Line Spacing button.
- Choose 2.0.
4. Remove Extra Space Between Paragraphs
True double spacing often needs the paragraph “after” space turned off so gaps stay even:
- Select the text.
- Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Remove Space After Paragraph.
Or open the Paragraph dialog (corner arrow) and set Before and After to 0 pt with Line spacing: Double.
5. Make Double Spacing the Default
- Open the Paragraph dialog (arrow in the corner of the Paragraph group).
- Set Line spacing to Double.
- Click Set As Default > All documents based on the Normal template > OK.
6. Troubleshooting
Only part of the document changed
You didn’t select all of it. Press Ctrl+A first, then apply 2.0.
The gaps between paragraphs are too big
That’s added paragraph spacing on top of line spacing. Use Remove Space After Paragraph or set After: 0 pt.
Spacing looks uneven around headings
Headings have their own style spacing. Adjust the heading style, or select those lines separately.
My new documents reverted to single spacing
The default was set for this document only. Use Set As Default > All documents based on the Normal template.
Related Word guides: How to do a hanging indent · How to add page numbers · How to delete a page · How to add columns · How to add a table of contents
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