How to Double Space in Word and Outlook

To double-space text in Word, select it and choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. In classic Outlook for Windows, select the message text, then use Format Text > Paragraph to set line spacing to Double. The exact controls depend on which Outlook version you use, so check the notes below if you do not see the Paragraph option.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word or Outlook with a document or draft message that you can edit.
For Outlook, know whether you are using classic Outlook for Windows, new Outlook, Outlook on the web, or Outlook for Mac. Their formatting controls are not identical.
If you want to change only some text, decide which paragraphs before you start. If you want an entire document double-spaced, you can select its body text first.

Step-by-Step

Double-space text in Word for Windows

Open the document and select the text. Drag over the paragraphs you want to change. To select the document’s main body, click in the body and press Ctrl+A. In a document with multiple sections, headers, or text boxes, this may not select every separate area; handle those separately if needed.
Open the line-spacing menu. On the ribbon, select Home. In the Paragraph group, choose Line and Paragraph Spacing. The control usually looks like horizontal lines with up-and-down arrows.
Choose 2.0. Click 2.0 in the menu. Word applies double line spacing to the selected paragraphs. If nothing was selected, the setting applies to the paragraph containing the insertion point, rather than automatically changing every paragraph in the document.
Check the paragraph gaps. Look at the space between paragraphs as well as between lines. Double line spacing changes the distance between lines within a paragraph; extra space before or after paragraphs is a separate setting and can make the page look more widely spaced than expected.

There is also a quick keyboard shortcut in Word for Windows: select the paragraphs and press Ctrl+2. For single spacing, Ctrl+1 applies single spacing; Ctrl+5 applies 1.5 spacing. These shortcuts are useful for a quick change, but the ribbon menu makes it easier to confirm which setting you selected.

Use the Paragraph dialog for precise control in Word

Select the paragraphs, then go to Home. In the Paragraph group, click the small dialog box launcher at the group’s lower-right corner.
In the Indents and Spacing tab, find the Spacing section. Open the Line spacing list and choose Double.
If you want ordinary double spacing without oversized paragraph breaks, set Before and After to 0 pt, if that suits the document’s requirements. Those fields control paragraph spacing, not the distance between lines.
Choose OK and review the result. If the document has formatting rules from a school, publisher, or workplace, follow those instructions for paragraph spacing too; some require extra space after paragraphs.

To make double spacing the starting format for new documents, open the Paragraph dialog, set Line spacing to Double, and choose Set As Default. Word asks whether to apply the change to the current document or to documents based on the Normal template. Choose the template option only if you want future documents to inherit the setting; changing the default can affect other work you create.

Double-space a message in classic Outlook for Windows

Open a new message or reply, and type the text you want to format. To change text already written, select the relevant paragraphs in the message body. Formatting is easiest to check after the message window is expanded, rather than in a compact reading-pane reply.
Open the Format Text tab in the message window. Make sure the message format is HTML if you need rich formatting; plain text messages do not preserve line-spacing styles.
In the Paragraph group, click the small dialog box launcher. In the dialog’s Indents and Spacing tab, set Line spacing to Double. Adjust Before and After separately if unwanted paragraph gaps appear.
Click OK, then look at the message in the compose window. If you are formatting existing text, confirm the whole intended selection changed. A new paragraph you type afterward may inherit the style, but check it rather than assuming it will.
Send a test message to yourself if the exact appearance matters. Open the received copy and check it in the same mail app or browser your recipient is likely to use. Email layout can look different across clients.

Classic Outlook’s formatting ribbon can vary slightly with window size and ribbon customization. If you do not see the Paragraph group, maximize the message window or expand the ribbon. The dialog launcher is a tiny arrow at the lower-right of the group; it is different from the larger line-spacing menu in Word.

New Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Outlook for Mac

New Outlook and Outlook on the web use a different compose editor from classic Outlook, and available formatting controls can vary by account and rollout. Select the text in the message body and inspect the formatting toolbar or its More options menu for a line-spacing or paragraph-spacing control. If it offers a double or 2.0 setting, choose it and check the draft. If no line-spacing control is present, do not assume that pressing Enter twice is equivalent: it creates extra paragraph breaks, not true double line spacing.

A practical fallback is to format the text in Word, copy it, then paste it into an HTML-formatted Outlook message. If Outlook asks how to paste, choose an option that keeps the source formatting. Review the message before sending, because email editors may simplify or remove some Word formatting. You can also use classic Outlook if it is available to you and you need its Paragraph dialog.

In Outlook for Mac, select the text and check the compose window’s Format Text or formatting toolbar for paragraph and line-spacing controls. Mac versions and editor layouts differ, so the classic Windows dialog path may not be present. In Word for Mac, select the paragraphs and use Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0; the Paragraph dialog is another option for setting line spacing and paragraph gaps. Word’s common double-spacing shortcut on Mac is Command+2.

Common Mistakes

Changing only the current paragraph: Clicking in a paragraph without selecting text usually changes only that paragraph. Select the full passage, or use Ctrl+A in Word when the whole main body should change.
Confusing line spacing with paragraph spacing: Double spacing affects lines inside each paragraph. The Before and After paragraph values add separate gaps and may make the page seem too loose.
Pressing Enter twice between every line: This inserts additional paragraphs and can disrupt lists, editing, and screen-reader flow. Apply a line-spacing setting instead of adding blank lines as a substitute.
Expecting the setting to apply to every part of a document: Headers, footers, footnotes, tables, and text boxes can have their own paragraphs and styles. Select and format those areas separately when they need the same appearance.
Using plain text in an email: Plain text does not support the same visual paragraph formatting as HTML. A spacing change may disappear when the message is sent or displayed.
Assuming every recipient sees the identical email layout: Mail clients may render message formatting differently. Keep the message readable even if precise spacing is not retained.

Tips

Use the dialog when accuracy matters. The Word Paragraph dialog lets you check both line spacing and the separate Before and After values in one place.
Format the whole document before polishing it. Applying the spacing first can change page count and page breaks. Check headings, lists, tables, and page breaks afterward.
Use styles for repeatable documents. If several paragraphs use the same Word style, modify that style’s paragraph settings instead of fixing every paragraph individually. This keeps later text consistent.
Save a copy before a large formatting change. This is particularly helpful for a long report with custom styles or complex sections. You can compare the copy if the new layout is not what you wanted.
Check the result at normal reading size. Zoom level changes how spacing looks on screen. Use Print Layout in Word or a test email to judge the page or message rather than relying only on a close zoom.

Troubleshooting

The spacing menu is missing. In Word, make sure the Home tab is open and the ribbon is expanded. In classic Outlook, open the message in its own window and select Format Text. If you are in new Outlook or Outlook on the web, inspect the compose formatting toolbar; its controls are not the same as classic Outlook’s ribbon.

Only some lines changed. The selection may have stopped partway through a paragraph or missed content in another area. In Word, click in the affected text, select the full paragraph or section, and apply 2.0 again. Check tables, text boxes, footnotes, and headers individually. In Outlook, select only the message text you mean to change and confirm the selection highlight covers it before opening the paragraph settings.

The document still looks too spread out. Open Word’s Paragraph dialog and review both line spacing and the Before and After values. A style may add paragraph spacing even when the line setting is correct. If the requirement is exactly double-spaced text, ask whether paragraph gaps should be zero or whether a specified amount is required.

The setting changes back as you type. New paragraphs can inherit formatting from the paragraph before them, while pasted text may bring in another style. In Word, check the selected paragraph’s style and reapply the setting to the affected range. In Outlook, format after composing or select the entire message body and apply the setting at once. Avoid mixing content pasted from several sources without reviewing its formatting.

The recipient does not see double spacing. Confirm that the Outlook message is HTML rather than plain text and send a test to an account you can inspect. Some receiving clients may override or simplify spacing. If consistent appearance is essential, a PDF attachment may preserve page layout better than email body formatting; use that only when a fixed-layout attachment is appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ctrl+2 double-space text in Outlook?
Ctrl+2 is a Word for Windows shortcut for double spacing, but it is not a dependable Outlook message-formatting shortcut. In classic Outlook, use the Paragraph dialog on the Format Text tab. Shortcuts can differ across Outlook versions and ribbon contexts.

How do I double-space an entire Word document?
Click in the document body, press Ctrl+A, then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. Check separate headers, footers, tables, or text boxes if they also need double spacing.

Can I double-space only one paragraph?
Yes. Select that paragraph, or click inside it, and choose 2.0 from Word’s line-spacing menu. In classic Outlook, select the paragraph in the message and set Line spacing to Double in the Paragraph dialog.

Is double spacing the same as adding a blank line?
No. Double spacing increases the vertical distance between lines within a paragraph. A blank line is a separate paragraph or line break and can create a larger, inconsistent gap.

Why does double spacing add pages to my document?
It increases the vertical space used by each line, so fewer lines fit on a page. Additional paragraph spacing, larger fonts, margins, or manual page breaks can increase the page count further.

Will Outlook preserve spacing when I send a message?
HTML email can carry paragraph formatting, but the recipient’s mail app may display it differently or simplify it. Send a test message when layout matters, and consider an attachment when exact page appearance is essential.

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

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

Spotted an error in this guide? Let us know.