How to Make 2 Columns in Word for Part of a Page

To make only part of a page two columns in Word, select the text, then choose Layout > Columns > Two. Word places the selected text in a separate section so the rest of the document can stay in one column. For more control, insert continuous section breaks around the text and apply columns to that section only.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, or Word for Mac. The labels and locations are nearly the same in current desktop versions.
A document with the text you want to format. It is easiest to work with complete paragraphs rather than a selection that starts or ends halfway through a paragraph.
Optional: formatting marks, if you want to see the section breaks Word adds. On Windows, use Home > ¶ (Show/Hide); on Mac, use Home > Show/Hide ¶.

Step-by-Step

Save a working copy and identify the exact text. Decide where the two-column area should begin and end. For example, you might want a short two-column list in the middle of a report, with the introduction above it and a conclusion below it in normal, single-column format. Select entire paragraphs wherever possible. This gives Word clear boundaries and reduces the chance that a heading or final line will unexpectedly move into a different layout.
Select the text you want to split. Drag across the paragraphs, or click at the start of the first one, hold Shift, and click at the end of the last one. Include the paragraph marks at the boundaries if practical. If the text is not continuous, format each separate area as its own section rather than trying to select unrelated passages together. Check the highlighted selection before changing the layout.
Open the column settings. On Windows, select the Layout tab on the ribbon and choose Columns. On Word for Mac, use Layout > Columns. If the Columns button is not visible, make the Word window wider or look under the Layout tab’s page setup controls. Do not use a table as a substitute unless you specifically need independent cells; columns are a page-layout feature and are better for flowing text.
Choose Two for the selection. Click Two in the Columns menu. Word applies the layout to the selected text, typically placing it in a section bounded by section breaks, while text outside the selection remains in its existing layout. Look at the page before making more changes: the text may flow down the first column and then continue at the top of the second. It does not necessarily balance the columns evenly unless the section ends there.
Use More Columns for precise control. If you need to adjust the gap or widths, choose Layout > Columns > More Columns on Windows. In the Columns dialog, select Two, clear Equal column width if you want different widths, and set the measurements. Choose a suitable spacing value so the columns are easy to distinguish. In the Apply to list, choose Selected text if that option appears. On Mac, open Layout > Columns and choose the option for additional column settings if available in your version. Select OK to apply the changes.
Check where the text flows. Word fills the first column from top to bottom, then continues at the top of the next column. If you want a particular heading or paragraph to start in the second column, place the cursor at its beginning and insert a column break: on Windows press Ctrl+Shift+Enter; on Mac press Command+Shift+Return. A column break moves following text to the next column without starting a new page.
Keep following text single-column. When you applied columns to selected text, Word usually creates the needed section boundaries automatically. Scroll to the next paragraph after the two-column passage and confirm that it is back to one column. If later text also appears in columns, click in that later section and choose Layout > Columns > One. In the Apply to list, select This section if Word offers it; avoid applying the change to the whole document.
For a more controlled setup, add section breaks yourself. Click at the beginning of the first paragraph that should be in columns. Choose Layout > Breaks > Continuous. Then click at the beginning of the paragraph that should follow the two-column area and insert another continuous section break. Click inside the text between those breaks, choose Layout > Columns > Two, and apply the setting to This section. The continuous break changes the layout without forcing the next section onto a new page. On Mac, use Layout > Breaks > Continuous as well; if the ribbon is arranged differently, look for Breaks on the Layout tab.
Review the page and save. Check the page above and below the columns, as well as headers, footers, and page numbering if the document uses them. If the text starts on an unexpected page, inspect the breaks and paragraph spacing before deleting anything. Save the file after the layout looks right. If you are preparing a document for someone else, export a PDF as a quick way to confirm how the page will appear when shared or printed.

Common Mistakes

Changing the whole document instead of the selected passage: If no text is selected and no section is specified, Word may apply Two to the whole document or the current section. Undo immediately with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac, then select the passage or click inside the intended section and retry using the appropriate Apply to option.

Using a page break instead of a continuous section break: A page break starts content on another page; it does not create a boundary for a different column layout. Use Layout > Breaks > Continuous when you need the layout to change on the same page. Choose Next Page only when you deliberately want the next section to begin on a new page.

Deleting a break without checking its effect: Section breaks store layout settings. Removing one can merge neighboring sections and make columns spread into text that was meant to remain single-column. Turn on Show/Hide to locate the break, and save a copy before removing or moving it.

Expecting two balanced columns automatically: Word flows text from the first column into the second. If the section continues for several paragraphs, the columns may not end at the same height. That is normal. A column break can control where text starts, but adding one just to make the bottom edges match may create awkward gaps when you edit the text later.

Tips

Use section breaks when the layout change needs to be predictable, especially if the passage begins or ends near a heading, image, table, or page boundary.
Apply two columns to the body text, not necessarily to the heading above it. A heading that spans the full page often looks clearer in its own single-column section.
For a narrow list, consider whether a two-column bulleted list is easier to read than continuous prose. Keep related items together and check that bullets do not become separated from their text.
Adjust the column gap before changing font size. A readable gap helps distinguish the columns; very narrow spacing makes the passage look crowded.
Use the ruler and paragraph marks to diagnose layout rather than adding repeated spaces or tabs. Spaces are not a reliable way to align content into columns.
If you are collaborating, remember that edits can change where text wraps and where a column break falls. Recheck the page after substantial revisions.

Troubleshooting

The entire document turned into columns. Undo the change, select only the target paragraphs, and apply Two again. If the selection method does not isolate the passage, insert continuous section breaks before and after it, click within that section, and choose Two. In More Columns, check Apply to and select Selected text or This section, rather than Whole document.

The text below the passage is still in columns. Turn on Show/Hide and look for the section boundary after the passage. If it is missing, place the cursor where the single-column text should begin and insert Layout > Breaks > Continuous. Click in the following section and choose Layout > Columns > One, applying it to This section. If the document has several sections, confirm the cursor is in the correct one before changing the setting.

The columns begin on a new page or leave a large blank area. A Next Page section break, page break, or paragraph setting may be pushing text down. Show formatting marks and inspect the area immediately before the columns. Replace a Next Page break with a Continuous break if you want the layout to change on the same page. Also check the paragraph’s Line and Page Breaks settings for options such as Page break before or Keep with next.

A heading or image jumps into the wrong column. Check whether it was included in the selected text or belongs to a neighboring section. Move the heading outside the column section if it should span the page. For an image, select it and review its text-wrapping options; a floating image can affect column flow differently from an inline image. If a particular paragraph should begin in column two, put the cursor at its start and use the column-break shortcut.

The layout changes after editing or opening the file elsewhere. Text reflows when fonts, page size, margins, or printer settings differ. Confirm that the document uses the intended paper size and margins under Layout, and use commonly available fonts when sharing. Save and reopen the file, then review the affected section again. A PDF is useful when the recipient needs to see a fixed layout rather than edit the Word document.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make only one paragraph into two columns?

Yes, but columns are designed to flow text, so a very short paragraph may leave much of the second column empty. Select the paragraph and choose Layout > Columns > Two. If you want two separate blocks of text side by side rather than text flowing between columns, a two-cell table may be more suitable.

How do I make two columns on just one page?

Select the text on that page and apply Two, or place continuous section breaks immediately before and after the passage. If the text does not fit on one page, Word may continue the section onto the next page; columns apply to a section, not a fixed page-sized box.

Can I make the columns different widths?

Yes. Open Layout > Columns > More Columns, choose Two, and clear Equal column width. Enter the widths and spacing you want, then apply them to the selected text or current section. Make sure the total widths and gap fit within the page’s printable text area.

How do I put text at the top of the second column?

Place the cursor at the start of the text that should move, then insert a column break with Ctrl+Shift+Enter on Windows or Command+Shift+Return on Mac. This starts the text in the next column without starting a new page.

Why does Word add section breaks when I select text?

Column formatting is stored in a section. When you apply columns to only a selection, Word needs boundaries to separate that passage from the surrounding layout, so it creates section breaks as needed. Show formatting marks to see them, and avoid deleting them unless you are ready to check the layout again.

Can I use this method in Word for the web?

Word for the web may not offer all the section-break and column controls available in the desktop app. For a precise, partial-page layout, open the document in the Word desktop application, apply the columns there, and then check the saved document in the browser.

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.