How to Double Space in Word for a Document or Selection

To double-space text in Microsoft Word, select the text—or press Ctrl+A to select the document—then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. You can also select text and press Ctrl+2 on Windows. Double spacing adds more vertical room between lines, which can make a document easier to read, annotate, or prepare for review.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, or Word for Mac if you are using an Apple computer.
An open document, if you want to change existing text. To set spacing before you start, open a blank document instead.
Permission to edit the document. If it is read-only or protected, you may need to save an editable copy first.

The steps below use the Word desktop app. Word for the web has similar paragraph-spacing controls, but the ribbon layout and available default-setting options can differ. The instructions distinguish the Mac keyboard shortcut where it matters.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and decide what should change. You can double-space one paragraph, a selected passage, or the whole document. If the document contains headings, captions, footnotes, or other special sections, consider whether those should also be double-spaced. For an existing document, save a copy first if preserving the original formatting is important.
Select the text you want to format. Drag across a passage or click in a paragraph to change just that paragraph. To select the main document text on Windows, click in the document body and press Ctrl+A. On Mac, press Command+A. In a document with tables, headers, or footnotes, selection behavior can depend on where the cursor is; click in the main body before selecting all, and check what is highlighted before changing it.
Open the line-spacing menu. On Windows, go to the Home tab. In the Paragraph group, select the Line and Paragraph Spacing button, which looks like horizontal lines with up-and-down arrows. On Word for Mac, go to Home and find the same line-spacing control in the Paragraph area. If the ribbon is collapsed or the window is narrow, expand the ribbon or widen the Word window to find the control.
Choose 2.0. Select 2.0 in the menu. Word applies double line spacing to the selected paragraphs. The change is usually visible immediately: the lines within each paragraph have more space between them. If you clicked in a paragraph without selecting text, the setting generally applies to that paragraph; select several paragraphs first when you want to format a larger passage.
Use a keyboard shortcut if you prefer. Select the target text, or place the insertion point in the paragraph, and press Ctrl+2 on Windows. In Word for Mac, press Command+2. These shortcuts apply double line spacing; they are not the same as typing the number 2 into the document. If the shortcut does not work, use the ribbon menu instead, since system settings or customized shortcuts can sometimes interfere.
Check the paragraph gaps separately. Double line spacing controls the space between lines in a paragraph. Word may also add space before or after each paragraph, creating larger gaps between paragraphs. If the document looks unusually loose, select the affected text, open Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing, and choose Remove Space After Paragraph if that option appears. For precise control, open the Paragraph dialog using the small arrow in the Paragraph group, then review the Spacing Before and After values.
Review the result and save. Scroll through several pages, including headings, lists, and the end of the document. Confirm that the intended text is double-spaced and that the added space has not made the layout awkward. Press Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac to save. If the document must meet a particular submission format, check whether its instructions also specify paragraph spacing, margins, font, or exceptions such as block quotations.

For a new document, you can set double spacing before typing: open a blank document, choose 2.0, and then begin writing. To make the setting a default in Word for Windows, open the Paragraph dialog from the Home tab, set Line spacing to Double, and choose Set As Default. Word may ask whether the change should apply to this document or to documents based on the Normal template. Choose the option that matches your intention. Changing the template affects future documents and may change more than one file’s appearance, so use that option only if you want double spacing to be the usual starting point.

Common Mistakes

Changing only one paragraph by accident. If you click in a paragraph and choose 2.0 without selecting the rest, Word may change only that paragraph. Select all the text you intend to format first, then check several sections afterward.
Confusing line spacing with paragraph spacing. Double spacing does not necessarily remove extra space between paragraphs. If there is a large blank-looking gap after each paragraph, inspect the Before and After settings in the Paragraph dialog instead of repeatedly applying 2.0.
Choosing 1.5 instead of 2.0. The menu includes more than one spacing option. Select 2.0 for double spacing; 1.5 is not equivalent. Look at the menu label rather than judging by how much space appears on screen.
Formatting text that should stay different. A whole-document selection can include headings, footnotes, captions, and text in tables, depending on how the document is structured. Some instructions require the body to be double-spaced but allow other elements to remain single-spaced. Follow the applicable style guide or assignment directions.
Assuming the screen view is the final result. Zoom level and page width affect how spacing looks on screen. Use Print Layout and, when useful, Print Preview to judge the page layout rather than changing the setting based only on how it appears at a small zoom.

Tips

Use styles for consistent documents. If you are starting a report, essay, or long document, adjust the body-text style instead of formatting each paragraph separately. Right-click the Normal style in the Styles area, choose Modify, then use Format > Paragraph to set line spacing. The exact style options may look slightly different in Word for Mac, but modifying the paragraph settings of the style keeps matching paragraphs consistent.
Format only what the instructions require. Some teachers, publishers, or workplaces request double spacing for the body but not for footnotes, tables, or the reference list. Select those sections individually rather than applying a whole-document change automatically.
Use the Paragraph dialog for exact settings. The 2.0 menu option is the quickest way to apply double spacing. The Paragraph dialog is more useful when you need to control line spacing and the Before or After paragraph spacing separately. Choose Double from the Line spacing list, then set any required paragraph gaps deliberately.
Keep a clean original when formatting a shared file. Save a copy before making a broad change, especially if other people rely on the existing layout. A copy also makes it easier to compare the original and revised versions if the spacing causes page breaks to shift.
Remember that more spacing changes pagination. Double-spaced pages contain fewer lines, so page count and page breaks may change. Check for headings stranded at the bottom of a page, blank pages, or signature blocks pushed onto a new page after you apply the setting.

Troubleshooting

The text does not look double-spaced. Select a few affected paragraphs and reopen Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing. Confirm that 2.0 is selected. If the document uses a style, direct formatting or a different style may be controlling some paragraphs. Select the problem text and apply 2.0 again, or modify the relevant style if all paragraphs using it should match.

There is too much space between paragraphs. Double spacing increases the distance between lines, while paragraph Before and After settings add separate gaps. Select the affected paragraphs and inspect the Paragraph dialog. Set Before and After to the values required for the document; if no extra paragraph gap is wanted, set both to 0 pt. You can also try Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Remove Space After Paragraph when that command is available.

Only part of the document changed. Undo once with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac, then click in the main document text and select the intended range before applying 2.0. If you are using Ctrl+A or Command+A, make sure the cursor is not inside a table cell or another special area. For complex documents, format sections in smaller groups and verify each one.

The shortcut does something else or nothing. Use the ribbon route instead: Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. Confirm that Word is active and that the text is selected. On a Mac, use Command+2 rather than Ctrl+2. Keyboard remapping, remote desktop software, or accessibility tools can change how shortcuts behave.

The document is protected or the control is unavailable. Look for a read-only notice or an editing restriction. If you are allowed to edit, use Save As to create a copy and check whether editing is enabled there. In a shared or organization-managed file, ask the owner or administrator for edit access rather than trying to bypass the restriction.

The formatting changes after pasting text. Pasted text can bring its own paragraph formatting. Select the pasted section and apply 2.0 again. If you want to avoid importing the source formatting next time, use Word’s paste options and choose an option such as Keep Text Only, then apply the destination document’s formatting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does double spacing mean 2.0 in Word?

Yes. In Word’s line-spacing menu, 2.0 is the standard double-spacing choice. It increases the spacing between lines within a paragraph. Paragraph spacing before or after the paragraph is a separate setting.

How do I double-space only part of a document?

Select the specific passage or paragraphs, then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. You can also click in a single paragraph and apply the setting to it. Check that the selection covers the entire section you intend to change.

How do I double-space an entire Word document?

Click in the main document body, press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac, and choose 2.0 from the Home tab’s Line and Paragraph Spacing menu. Review special sections such as tables, notes, and captions afterward, because the required formatting may not be the same for every part.

Can I make new Word documents double-spaced by default?

In Word for Windows, open the Paragraph dialog, choose Double for Line spacing, and select Set As Default. Choose whether the change applies to the current document or documents based on the Normal template. Word for Mac has different template and default controls, so check its Paragraph and template settings before making a global change.

Why does double spacing add extra blank space between paragraphs?

The paragraph style may include space Before or After in addition to double line spacing. Open the Paragraph dialog and review those values. Set them to the required amount; double spacing by itself does not mean that extra paragraph gaps must be added.

Will double spacing increase the page count?

Usually, yes. With more vertical space between lines, fewer lines fit on each page, so the document may become longer and page breaks may move. Review pagination after applying the setting, especially if the document has a page limit or a strict submission format.

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