How to Go From Double to Single Space in Microsoft Word

To change double-spaced text to single spacing in Microsoft Word, select the text—or press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac to select the document—then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 1.0. This changes the line spacing for the selected paragraphs. If you still see large gaps between paragraphs, adjust paragraph spacing separately.

What You’ll Need

A document open in Microsoft Word. These instructions apply to Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows; the ribbon steps are similar in Word for Mac and Word for the web.
Permission to edit the document. If it is read-only or protected, you may need to save an editable copy first.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and decide what to change. If only one section needs single spacing, you can select just that section. If the entire document should be single-spaced, leave the selection step until the next instruction and select everything. Changing spacing does not alter the words, font, or page size, but it can change page breaks and the document’s total page count.
Select the relevant text. Click and drag across the paragraphs you want to change. To select all main document text on Windows, press Ctrl+A; on Mac, press Command+A. In Word for the web, use Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac while the document editing area is active. If the document is open in a browser but not in editing mode, first switch to editing. A second Ctrl+A or Command+A in some contexts may select more content, so check that the intended text is highlighted before applying formatting.
Open the line-spacing menu. Go to the Home tab. In the Paragraph group, select Line and Paragraph Spacing, shown as horizontal lines with up-and-down arrows. If the Word window is narrow, the Paragraph controls may be compressed or displayed in a menu; widen the window or open the Paragraph group to find the control. The wording and icon are broadly similar on Mac and in Word for the web.
Choose 1.0. Select 1.0 from the menu. Word applies single line spacing to the selected paragraphs. The change should be visible immediately: lines within each paragraph move closer together. If you did not select text first, the setting normally applies to the paragraph containing the cursor, not automatically to the whole document.
Check the paragraph gaps. Look at the space between paragraphs as well as the space between lines within a paragraph. If paragraphs are still separated by broad gaps, select the affected text and open Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing again. Choose Remove Space After Paragraph if it appears. If you need more control, open the Paragraph settings dialog: on Windows, use the small dialog launcher in the Paragraph group, then set Spacing values for Before and After to 0 pt. On Mac, select Format > Paragraph and adjust the spacing values there. Do not remove paragraph gaps if the document’s style guide calls for them.
Review the result and save. Scroll through the document, especially headings, lists, and page breaks. Confirm that only the intended text changed and that the page layout still works. Save with Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac. If the document is shared, make sure your changes have finished syncing before closing it.

Keyboard shortcut: In Word for Windows, Ctrl+1 applies single line spacing to the selected paragraphs, or to the paragraph where the cursor is. In Word for Mac, Command+1 is the corresponding single-spacing shortcut. These shortcuts change line spacing, not the separate before-and-after paragraph spacing.

Common Mistakes

Changing only the paragraph under the cursor. Choosing 1.0 without selecting a range affects the current paragraph. For a whole-document change, select the document first, then apply the setting.
Confusing line spacing with paragraph spacing. Single spacing reduces the distance between lines within a paragraph. A large gap between two paragraphs can remain because Word also stores spacing before or after paragraphs. Adjust those settings only if you want those gaps reduced too.
Selecting too much or too little. A partial selection can leave a few paragraphs double-spaced. Conversely, selecting all text can change spacing in sections that were intentionally formatted differently, such as a title page, quotation, or reference list. Review the highlighted area before applying the change.
Expecting the setting to affect every part of a file. Headers, footers, footnotes, text boxes, and some tables may need to be selected and formatted separately. Ctrl+A or Command+A while editing the main document may not include every separate text area.
Using repeated Enter presses to make visual gaps. Blank paragraphs are different from paragraph spacing. Single spacing will not remove extra empty lines created with Enter; delete unwanted blank paragraphs rather than adding more manual line breaks.

Tips

Use a targeted selection for mixed-format documents. If a paper has single-spaced headings but double-spaced body text, select only the body paragraphs. This preserves intentional formatting elsewhere.
Use the Paragraph dialog when the menu is not enough. The dialog lets you inspect line spacing and the Before and After spacing values together. For ordinary single spacing, set Line spacing to Single; set Before and After to 0 pt only if you also want to remove added paragraph gaps.
Know what 1.0 means. It is Word’s single line-spacing setting, not a promise that every font will have identical physical line height. Font size and font design affect the space a line occupies.
Consider the document’s requirements. If an instructor, employer, or publication specifies double spacing or a particular gap after paragraphs, follow that requirement rather than changing the whole file for appearance alone.
Undo a broad change right away if needed. Press Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac to reverse the most recent formatting change. You can then select a narrower range and apply 1.0 again.

Troubleshooting

The document still looks double-spaced. Check that the text itself was selected and that 1.0 was chosen. Click inside a paragraph and reopen the spacing menu to see its current setting. If some paragraphs remain different, select those paragraphs and apply 1.0 to them directly. Formatting pasted from another document or a manually formatted section can make a document inconsistent.

There is still a large blank gap between paragraphs. That gap is probably paragraph spacing, not line spacing. Select the paragraphs, open the Paragraph settings, and inspect the Before and After values. Reduce them if appropriate, or use Remove Space After Paragraph from the spacing menu when available. Also look for empty paragraphs: turn on formatting marks with Home > ¶ (Show/Hide) and delete extra paragraph marks if they are not needed. The marks are display aids and do not print.

The line-spacing control is missing or unavailable. Make sure the document is open in editing mode and that you are not viewing a protected or read-only file. If the ribbon is simplified or the window is narrow, expand the ribbon or widen the window. In Word for the web, confirm that you have editing permission; otherwise, open the file in the desktop app or request access.

Only some text changes, or the layout shifts unexpectedly. Some paragraphs may be in a table, text box, footnote, or another separately formatted area. Select that content and apply the setting within its area. If the page count changes, that is normal when lines take less space; check page breaks, tables, and headings before saving or printing. Use Undo if the change disrupts a carefully designed layout, then format only the intended paragraphs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make the whole Word document single-spaced?
Select the main document text with Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac, then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 1.0. Review separate text areas such as headers, footnotes, and text boxes because they may not be included in the main selection.

What is the shortcut for single spacing in Word?
Use Ctrl+1 in Word for Windows or Command+1 in Word for Mac. Select the paragraphs first if you want to change more than the paragraph containing the cursor. The shortcut does not remove extra space before or after paragraphs.

Why does my text still have gaps after I choose 1.0?
Word treats line spacing and paragraph spacing as separate settings. The lines within each paragraph may now be single-spaced while the paragraphs retain spacing before or after them. Adjust those values in the Paragraph dialog if you want the paragraphs closer together.

Can I single-space just one paragraph?
Yes. Click inside that paragraph and choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 1.0, or select the paragraph first and use the menu. Only that paragraph should change unless other text is selected or linked formatting is involved.

Does changing to single spacing change my font or margins?
No. It changes line spacing, though the shorter text block can move page breaks and reduce the page count. Font, margins, and paragraph spacing are separate settings and remain as they were unless you change them too.

Will these instructions work in Word for the web?
Generally, yes: select the text, then use Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 1.0. If a control is missing or unavailable, check that you have editing permission, or open the document in the desktop version of Word.

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