How to Indent and Double Space in Word

To indent and double-space text in Microsoft Word, select the paragraphs, open Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing and choose 2.0, then set the indent from Home > Paragraph or drag the ruler markers. On Windows, press Ctrl+A first if you want to format the whole document; on Mac, use Command+A. Word applies line spacing and paragraph indentation separately, so set both.

What You’ll Need

A document open in Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365. The instructions below are for Word on Windows; Mac differences are noted where they matter.
Text in the document, or a plan for the formatting you want to apply to text you are about to type.
Optional: a mouse or trackpad if you want to adjust indentation visually with Word’s ruler.

Step-by-Step

Select the text to format. To change one paragraph, click anywhere in it; you do not need to highlight every word. To change several paragraphs, drag across them or click at the start, hold Shift, and click at the end. To format the entire document, click in the document and press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac. If the document includes a title, headings, or other text that should stay differently formatted, select only the paragraphs that need the change instead of selecting everything.
Set double spacing. On the ribbon, open Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing in the Paragraph group, then choose 2.0. The selected paragraphs should now have twice the usual line spacing. On Word for Mac, use the same Home tab and select Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. If you do not see the full ribbon, expand it or widen the Word window.
Open the paragraph settings to choose a precise indent. Keep the paragraphs selected. On Windows, go to Home and click the small dialog box launcher at the lower-right corner of the Paragraph group. In the Paragraph dialog, open Indents and Spacing. On Mac, select Format > Paragraph from the menu bar to open the paragraph settings. The labels are similar, although their placement can vary slightly by Word version.
Choose the type and amount of indentation. In the dialog, use the indentation controls to set the left or right indent, or choose a special indent. For a first-line indent, choose First line in the Special list and enter a value, such as 0.5", in the amount field. For a hanging indent, choose Hanging and enter the amount. A hanging indent leaves the first line at the margin and moves later lines inward, which is common for reference lists. Use the preview if available to check the result.
Apply the settings. Select OK in the Paragraph dialog. The chosen indentation and double spacing should now apply to the selected paragraphs. If you opened the dialog without selecting text, Word generally applies the settings to the paragraph containing the insertion point. Check that the result matches the area you intended to change.
Use the ruler for a visual adjustment if preferred. Turn it on from View > Ruler. Select the paragraphs, then use the markers at the left edge of the horizontal ruler. The upper triangle controls the first-line indent; the lower triangle controls the hanging indent; and the small rectangle beneath them moves the paragraph’s left indent as a whole. Drag the appropriate marker to the desired position. The ruler is useful for adjusting by eye, while the Paragraph dialog is better when you need an exact measurement.
Check the space between paragraphs separately. Double spacing controls the distance between lines within a paragraph. The Before and After settings in the Paragraph dialog control extra space between paragraphs. If the document looks unusually spread out, check those fields and set them to the required amount, often 0 pt for a plain double-spaced assignment. Requirements differ, so follow the requested format rather than assuming every document needs zero extra space.
Review and save. Look at the beginning and end of the formatted section and check a paragraph that wraps to more than one line. Confirm the first-line or hanging indent is behaving as intended, and that lines are double-spaced without unwanted blank lines. Save with Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac.

If you are preparing text that has not been typed yet, set the spacing and indent before you begin. Click at the start of a blank paragraph, apply the settings, and then type. Word normally carries paragraph formatting forward when you press Enter, so watch for an indent continuing into a paragraph where you no longer want it. You can also format existing text afterward by selecting the relevant paragraphs and repeating the steps.

Common Mistakes

Pressing Tab to indent every paragraph. Tab inserts a tab character; it is not a dependable way to set a paragraph indent. It can create inconsistent positions and may behave differently depending on tab stops. Use the Paragraph settings or ruler markers instead.
Adding blank lines to imitate double spacing. Pressing Enter twice between lines creates extra paragraphs, not double line spacing. It can disrupt editing and produce too much space. Select the text and choose 2.0 from Line and Paragraph Spacing.
Changing line spacing but forgetting indentation. These are separate paragraph settings. Choosing 2.0 does not add an indent, and setting a first-line indent does not change line spacing. Apply each setting explicitly.
Moving the wrong ruler marker. Dragging the upper triangle changes only the first line, while dragging the lower triangle changes the later lines. The rectangle shifts the whole left indent. If the paragraph moves in an unexpected way, undo with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac, then try the correct marker.
Formatting more than intended. Selecting the whole document may change headings, lists, captions, or a title that should retain its own layout. Select just the paragraphs that need the format, and inspect special elements afterward.
Confusing paragraph spacing with line spacing. A large gap between paragraphs is usually controlled by spacing Before or After, not the line-spacing choice. Adjust those fields rather than adding or removing spaces with the keyboard at random.

Tips

For a standard first-line indent, a half-inch setting is a common starting point, but use the measurement your assignment, publisher, or organization specifies. If you are formatting a reference list, check whether the instructions ask for a hanging indent instead. The two settings look different: a first-line indent moves the opening line inward, while a hanging indent moves the lines after it inward.

When possible, use the Paragraph dialog for repeated or formal formatting because it gives you exact values and makes the kind of indent clear. The ruler is convenient for small visual corrections, but it can be easy to move the whole paragraph when you meant to adjust only its first line. You can use both methods: set a precise indent in the dialog, then make a small ruler adjustment if the page needs it.

To format several nonadjacent paragraphs, hold Ctrl on Windows while selecting separate text areas where Word permits it. On Mac, hold Command. This can be less reliable when selecting whole paragraphs or complex document elements; formatting a paragraph style may be more consistent if many scattered paragraphs need the same layout. For a short document, select each relevant paragraph and apply the settings carefully.

Styles can help keep a longer document consistent. If body paragraphs should all use the same indentation and spacing, update the style used for those paragraphs rather than adjusting each one separately. In Word, right-click the style in the Styles gallery and choose Modify; available controls and the dialog layout can differ between Windows and Mac. Be careful when modifying a built-in style because every paragraph using that style may change.

Troubleshooting

The text still looks single-spaced. Select the affected paragraphs again and check that the Line and Paragraph Spacing menu shows 2.0. If it does, compare the paragraph with nearby text and inspect the document at a larger zoom. Some fonts or screen scaling can make the difference look subtle. Also confirm that you selected the actual text or paragraphs you meant to change.
Only some paragraphs change. The selection may have missed paragraphs, or different paragraphs may use styles with different formatting. Select the full intended section and apply the settings again. If the formatting keeps reverting, inspect the style assigned to those paragraphs and modify it or apply the desired formatting after changing the style.
The first-line indent affects every line, or the whole paragraph shifts. Open Home > Paragraph settings on Windows, or Format > Paragraph on Mac, and verify the selection in the Special list. Choose First line for an opening-line indent or Hanging for later lines. If using the ruler, move the upper triangle for the first line, not the rectangle.
There is too much space between paragraphs. Open the Paragraph dialog and check the Before and After spacing values. Set them to the amount required by your document instructions. Remove extra paragraph breaks if you find empty paragraphs, but do not delete text simply to change the visual spacing.
The ruler is missing. Open the View tab and enable Ruler. If the control is unavailable or the window is narrow, use the Paragraph dialog instead; it does not require the ruler.
The controls are hard to find. Make sure you are on the Home tab and look in the Paragraph group. If Word is using a simplified or collapsed ribbon, expand the ribbon or use the app’s search box to find paragraph settings. Menu placement can vary by platform and release, but the Paragraph dialog provides controls for indentation and line spacing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I indent and double-space the entire document?
Select the document with Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac. Choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0, then open the Paragraph settings and set the indent you need. Check headings and other special sections afterward, since selecting all may change their formatting too.

How do I indent only the first line of a paragraph?
Open the Paragraph dialog, choose First line under Special, and enter the amount. A value of 0.5" is common, but follow the required specification. Avoid pressing Tab at the start of each paragraph.

What is the difference between a first-line indent and a hanging indent?
A first-line indent moves only the first line of a paragraph inward. A hanging indent keeps the first line at the margin and indents the remaining lines. Choose the one that matches the document format you are following.

Does double spacing add space after each paragraph?
Not necessarily. Double spacing changes the distance between lines in a paragraph. Extra space before or after paragraphs is controlled separately in the Paragraph dialog, so check both settings if the result looks too open.

Can I double-space text without changing the whole document?
Yes. Select only the paragraphs that need the change, then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. Apply an indent to that same selection if you also want it indented.

Do the Windows steps work in Word for Mac?
The main ribbon command for line spacing is similar: use Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. The keyboard selection and save shortcuts use Command instead of Ctrl. For paragraph settings, Mac users can open Format > Paragraph; the Windows dialog launcher is in the Home tab’s Paragraph group.

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