How to Double Space a Paragraph in Microsoft Word

To double-space a paragraph in Microsoft Word, click anywhere in the paragraph, then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. You can also select the paragraph and press Ctrl+2 on Windows or Command+2 on Mac. Double spacing increases the space between lines, making text easier to read, mark up, or review; it does not add extra blank lines between paragraphs.

You do not need to select every word if you are changing just one paragraph: clicking inside it is enough. If you want to change several paragraphs but not the whole document, select those paragraphs first. The instructions below are for Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, with Mac differences noted where useful.

What You’ll Need

A document open in Microsoft Word. Save a copy first if you want to preserve the original formatting or are making several changes.
A mouse or trackpad, or the keyboard shortcuts listed below. No add-ins or special settings are required.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and find the paragraph. Scroll to the text you want to format. If the document is long, use Word’s Find feature to locate a distinctive word or phrase, then click in the matching paragraph. Make sure you are working in the document body rather than a comment or text in a separate object, since those may have different formatting controls.
Decide how much text to change. To double-space one paragraph, click anywhere inside it; Word applies paragraph formatting to the entire paragraph. To change a run of paragraphs, drag across the text or click at the start, then Shift-click at the end. You can also click in the first paragraph, hold Shift, and click in the last. Avoid selecting unrelated text if it should keep its current spacing.
Open the line-spacing menu. Select the Home tab on the ribbon. In the Paragraph group, select Line and Paragraph Spacing. The button usually shows horizontal lines with vertical arrows. If the ribbon is simplified or the Word window is narrow, expand the ribbon or look for the spacing control within the Paragraph group.
Choose double spacing. Select 2.0 from the menu. The selected paragraph, or the paragraph containing the cursor, should immediately show more vertical room between its lines. This setting changes line spacing to double; it does not insert blank paragraphs or add space before or after the paragraph.
Check the result in context. Look at the paragraph above and below it. If only the intended paragraph changed, the formatting is set. If the text still looks crowded, continue to Troubleshooting: paragraph spacing, font size, or display zoom can affect how the result appears even when line spacing is set to Double.
Use the keyboard shortcut if you prefer. Click in the paragraph or select the paragraphs, then press Ctrl+2 on Windows. In Word for Mac, press Command+2. The shortcut applies double line spacing without opening the ribbon menu. Keyboard shortcuts can vary if Word’s shortcuts have been customized, so use the ribbon path if the key combination does something unexpected.
Use the Paragraph dialog for a precise setting. On Windows, go to Home, then select the small dialog box launcher in the lower-right corner of the Paragraph group. In the Indents and Spacing tab, open the Line spacing list, choose Double, and select OK. In Word for Mac, use Format > Paragraph and set Line spacing to Double. This dialog is useful when you also need to inspect spacing before or after the paragraph.

If you change your mind immediately, use Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac to undo. To verify the setting rather than judging by appearance, open the Paragraph dialog and check that Line spacing is set to Double. When only one paragraph is supposed to change, keep the selection local and inspect nearby paragraphs before saving.

Common Mistakes

Adding blank lines instead of changing line spacing. Pressing Enter repeatedly creates extra paragraphs, not double-spaced lines. It can leave large gaps, affect numbering, and make later edits awkward. Use the 2.0 line-spacing setting instead.
Choosing Add Space After Paragraph. That command creates space between paragraphs; it does not double the distance between lines within a paragraph. Use Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0 for line spacing.
Changing more text than intended. If a large section is selected, the spacing command affects all selected paragraphs. Click in a single paragraph to change only that paragraph, or carefully select the exact group you need.
Assuming the whole document is now double-spaced. Clicking within one paragraph changes that paragraph, not every paragraph in the file. To format the entire document, select all text with Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac, then apply 2.0. In documents with tables, headers, or text boxes, check those areas separately because they may have independent formatting.
Confusing visual size with line-spacing settings. A larger font or a different font can make lines look farther apart. Check the Paragraph dialog if you need to confirm the actual spacing value.

Tips

Use the cursor instead of selecting text for one paragraph. Word’s line-spacing controls work on the paragraph containing the insertion point. This is often quicker and avoids accidentally including the next paragraph.
Keep line spacing and paragraph spacing separate. Double spacing affects the baseline distance between lines in the same paragraph. The Before and After settings in the Paragraph dialog control extra space around paragraphs. A document can have double-spaced lines and still have additional space after each paragraph.
Check whether a style is involved. If many paragraphs share a style, changing the style can update them together. To change only one paragraph, apply the spacing directly to that paragraph rather than modifying the style. If formatting repeatedly reverts, inspect the style or template that controls the text.
Use the dialog when matching a format specification. A requirement that says double-spaced usually means the Line spacing value is Double. If instructions also specify no extra paragraph gaps, set Before and After to the requested values separately; do not assume selecting 2.0 changes those fields.
Save after checking the layout. Spacing changes can move later text onto another page. Use Print Layout and review page breaks if page count matters. The text may wrap differently on another printer or screen, but the paragraph setting remains double.

Troubleshooting

The paragraph looks unchanged. Confirm that Word registered the command: click in the paragraph, open Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing, and select 2.0 again. If the button is unavailable or hidden, widen the window or expand the ribbon. You can also inspect Home > Paragraph dialog launcher > Indents and Spacing to see the current Line spacing value.

There is a big gap between paragraphs. Check whether you have an empty paragraph created by an extra Enter key, or whether the Paragraph dialog has a large Before or After value. Turn on paragraph marks with Home > Show/Hide ¶ to reveal empty paragraphs and paragraph breaks. Remove only unwanted blank paragraphs, then adjust Before and After if needed. Do not reduce line spacing if the lines within each paragraph are already correct.

Only part of the text changed. The selection may have ended in the middle of a different paragraph, or some text may be inside a table, text box, or separate section. Click within each affected paragraph and apply 2.0, or select the complete range again. For text in a table cell, click inside that cell first; the same paragraph controls generally apply, but each cell can contain its own paragraphs.

The setting changes back after editing. A style, template, or pasted formatting may be reapplying a different value. Check the paragraph’s style on the Home tab and inspect its Paragraph settings. If a particular paragraph needs to differ from its style, reapply Double after placing the cursor in it. When pasting text, use Word’s paste options and choose a format that does not bring unwanted spacing from the source.

The shortcut does something else. Ensure the cursor is in the document text, not in a search box or another field. Use the ribbon menu as a dependable alternative, and check whether custom shortcuts or keyboard settings are in use. On Mac, use Command+2 rather than the Windows Ctrl+2 combination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I double-space just one paragraph?

Yes. Click anywhere inside that paragraph and choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. Word applies paragraph formatting to the whole paragraph, even if you did not select all of its words. Check neighboring paragraphs afterward to make sure they stayed as intended.

How do I double-space the entire document?

Press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac while the document body is active, then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. Review tables, headers, footers, and text boxes separately; select-all may not include every independent text area.

Is Ctrl+2 the same as choosing 2.0?

In Word for Windows, Ctrl+2 applies double line spacing to the current paragraph or selected paragraphs, just like choosing 2.0 from the spacing menu. Word for Mac uses Command+2. If a shortcut has been reassigned or does not work in your setup, use the ribbon command.

Does double spacing add a blank line between paragraphs?

No. It increases the distance between lines inside a paragraph. Extra space between separate paragraphs is controlled by the Before and After paragraph-spacing settings, while an actual blank line is usually an empty paragraph made with Enter.

Why does double-spaced text still have large gaps?

The paragraph may have extra space before or after it, an empty paragraph may be present, or the font may be large. Turn on Show/Hide paragraph marks and check the Paragraph dialog’s Before and After values. Keep those settings distinct from Line spacing: Double.

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