Hanging Indent in Word: Use Ctrl+T

To create a hanging indent in Microsoft Word for Windows, click in the paragraph or select the paragraphs you want to format, then press Ctrl+T. Word indents the first line less than the lines that follow, a layout often used for reference lists and bibliographies. Press Ctrl+T again to increase the indent; use Ctrl+Shift+T to reduce it. You need a document open in the desktop version of Word, with the text you want to format already entered.

What You’ll Need

A document open in Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows. The shortcut also works in many recent desktop versions of Word.
One or more paragraphs to format. A hanging indent changes paragraph formatting, so you do not need to select every character, but selecting the relevant paragraphs helps avoid changing the wrong text.
A keyboard with a Ctrl key. On a Mac, use the Command-key equivalent described below. If you are using Word in a browser, the ribbon method is a useful alternative because browser shortcuts can take priority.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and locate the text. Find the paragraph or group of paragraphs that needs a hanging indent. This format is useful when a paragraph begins with a label, such as an author and date, and the following lines should line up farther to the right. It is especially common in bibliographies, reference lists, and numbered or labeled notes. Make sure the text is in separate paragraphs where appropriate: pressing Enter creates a new paragraph, while a manual line break made with Shift+Enter stays within the same paragraph.
Choose the paragraph or paragraphs. To change one paragraph, click anywhere inside it; you do not have to highlight the text. To apply the format to several consecutive paragraphs, drag to select them or click at the start of the first and Shift-click at the end of the last. You can also select the paragraphs with the keyboard. If formatting an entire reference list, select only the entries, not the heading above them, unless you want the heading indented too. Paragraph formatting applies to each paragraph touched by the selection, so check the selection before using the shortcut.
Press Ctrl+T once. Keep the document editing area active and press the Ctrl key and T together. Word applies a hanging indent to the paragraph or selected paragraphs: the first line stays at the paragraph’s original left edge, while subsequent lines move inward. The change may be subtle if the paragraph is short or does not wrap onto a second line. If you do not see a visible difference, look at a paragraph that wraps or use the ruler or Paragraph dialog to check the indentation settings.
Check the result on a wrapped line. A hanging indent is easiest to identify in a paragraph that spans at least two lines. The first line should begin farther left than the next line or lines. If the text does not wrap, temporarily widen the paragraph’s content or inspect the ruler; you do not need to add spaces or press Tab to create a wrap. Avoid inserting spaces at the start of the later lines, because those characters will shift if the wording, font, or page width changes.
Adjust the amount if needed. Press Ctrl+T again to increase the hanging indent. Press Ctrl+Shift+T to decrease it. Each press changes the indent by Word’s step for this shortcut; the exact amount can depend on the document’s settings. Watch the ruler or wrapped lines as you adjust, and stop when the later lines sit at the position you want. If several paragraphs are selected, the adjustment applies to all of them.
Use the Mac shortcut when working on a Mac. In Word for Mac, select or click in the paragraph and press Command+T to create or increase a hanging indent. Use Command+Shift+T to decrease it. Keyboard shortcuts can vary with macOS settings, keyboard layout, and customized Word shortcuts, so if the command does not work, use the Paragraph settings described in Troubleshooting. The Windows Ctrl shortcuts should not be assumed to work the same way on a Mac.
Save and review the full section. Press Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac to save. Review the surrounding paragraphs, especially the first and last items in a list, to confirm you did not include a heading or leave out an entry. If the lines look right but the indent is too deep, reduce it one step rather than adding spaces or changing the page margins.

Common Mistakes

Pressing Tab instead of Ctrl+T. Tab inserts a tab character or moves the insertion point, depending on where you are in the document. It does not reliably set a hanging indent for a paragraph. Ctrl+T changes the paragraph’s indentation formatting, so the layout adjusts when text wraps or is edited.

Using Ctrl+T while the document is not active. If the cursor is in a search box, comment, dialog, or another application, Word may not receive the shortcut. Click in the document text first, then try again. Also confirm that you are using the desktop app: in a browser, Ctrl+T commonly opens a new browser tab rather than formatting text.

Selecting too much or too little. A paragraph formatting command can affect every paragraph in a multi-paragraph selection. If a title or neighboring paragraph shifts unexpectedly, undo with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac, make a narrower selection, and apply the shortcut again. Clicking inside a single paragraph is enough when only that paragraph needs changing.

Confusing a hanging indent with a first-line indent. A first-line indent moves only the first line to the right. A hanging indent keeps that first line at the left edge and moves the later lines inward. If the first line has moved right instead, the wrong indentation setting may have been applied; use the Paragraph dialog to correct it.

Using line breaks where paragraphs are needed. If an entry uses Shift+Enter to start a new visual line, Word may treat the lines as one paragraph. The hanging indent then follows the paragraph structure, not the visual line you intended as a new entry. Use Enter between separate entries, while keeping wrapped lines within the same paragraph.

Tips

Format a whole list at once. Select all the reference entries and press Ctrl+T once. This keeps their indents consistent and saves applying the shortcut line by line. Do not include the section heading unless it should share the same format.
Use the ruler to inspect the setting. If the ruler is not visible, open the View tab and turn on Ruler. For a selected paragraph, the upper triangle marks the first-line indent and the lower triangle marks the left indent for the remaining lines. A hanging indent typically shows the upper marker farther left than the lower marker. Drag carefully, since moving the markers changes paragraph formatting.
Use the Paragraph dialog for exact control. On Windows, go to Home > Paragraph and select the small dialog launcher at the lower-right of the Paragraph group. Under Indentation, open Special and choose Hanging, then set the amount in By if you need a particular measurement. Choose OK to apply it. On Word for Mac, open Format > Paragraph and use the Special indentation controls. The dialog is helpful when a style guide specifies an exact indent rather than a shortcut step.
Keep formatting consistent with styles. For a long document, consider modifying the paragraph style used for the entries instead of formatting every list independently. A style can preserve the same indent when you add new paragraphs. If you only need to change one short list, Ctrl+T is usually quicker.
Remember that the shortcut changes formatting, not text. You can edit, reorder, or wrap the paragraph after applying the indent. Word will keep the hanging layout as the line lengths change, unlike manually inserted spaces. If the appearance changes after pasting, check the paragraph settings because pasted text can bring its own formatting.

Troubleshooting

Nothing happens when you press Ctrl+T. Click directly in the document body and try again. Check that the document is not in a dialog or a field where the shortcut has another purpose. If you are using Word for the web, use the ribbon or open the file in the desktop app; a browser can interpret Ctrl+T as a request for a new tab. On a Mac, try Command+T instead of Ctrl+T.

The wrong paragraph changed. Press Ctrl+Z immediately, then click inside the intended paragraph or select only the target entries and repeat the command. If undo is no longer available, select the affected paragraph and use Home > Paragraph dialog launcher > Indentation. Set Special to None to remove the hanging indent, then apply it to the correct text.

The first line is indented too. Open the Paragraph dialog and check the Special setting. Choose Hanging for a hanging indent. If Special is set to First line, the first line will move right instead. Also check the Left indentation value; a large left indent can shift the whole paragraph, including its first line.

The indent looks uneven across a list. Select the entries together and apply the same setting once. Mixed paragraph settings or pasted formatting can make individual items differ. In the Paragraph dialog, set Special to Hanging and enter the same By value for the selection. If the list uses different styles, consider applying one consistent style before fine-tuning the indent.

The shortcut changes an indent but not by the amount you expected. Repeated Ctrl+T presses adjust the setting in steps, which may not match an exact style requirement. Use the Paragraph dialog’s By field to enter the required measurement. If the ruler or dialog is unavailable, check whether you are in a simplified ribbon layout or a restricted editing mode; switching to the full desktop Word window can expose the controls.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ctrl+T do in Word?

In Word for Windows, Ctrl+T applies or increases a hanging indent for the current paragraph or selected paragraphs. It leaves the first line at the paragraph’s starting position and moves the following lines inward. The shortcut works only when Word receives the keystroke in the document.

How do I undo a hanging indent?

Press Ctrl+Shift+T to reduce the hanging indent one step at a time. To remove paragraph indentation more generally, open the Paragraph dialog and set Special to None and Left indentation to zero, if zero is what the document requires. Undo with Ctrl+Z if you have just applied the change and want to reverse it completely.

Can I apply a hanging indent to multiple paragraphs?

Yes. Select the paragraphs, then press Ctrl+T once. Word applies the paragraph formatting to each selected paragraph. Review the selection first so that headings, blank lines, or unrelated text are not included unintentionally.

Does Ctrl+T work in Word for the web?

Shortcut behavior in a browser can depend on the browser and the editing context, and Ctrl+T is commonly reserved for opening a new tab. Use Word’s paragraph indentation controls if the shortcut is intercepted, or choose Open in Desktop App and use Ctrl+T there.

What is the Mac shortcut for a hanging indent?

In Word for Mac, use Command+T to apply or increase a hanging indent, and Command+Shift+T to reduce it. If your keyboard settings or shortcut customization interfere, use Format > Paragraph and choose Hanging under Special.

Can I set an exact hanging-indent measurement?

Yes. Open the Paragraph dialog, set Special to Hanging, and enter the desired amount in By. The keyboard shortcut is convenient for quick adjustments, while the dialog is the better choice when a formatting guide gives a specific measurement.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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