Double Space Shortcut in Word: Windows and Mac

In Microsoft Word for Windows, press Ctrl+2 to double-space the selected text or the paragraph where the cursor is placed. On a Mac, use Command+2. To double-space an entire document, select all its text first, then use the shortcut.

What the Double-Space Shortcut Changes

The shortcut changes line spacing: the vertical distance between lines within a paragraph. It does not insert blank lines or add extra paragraph breaks. Double spacing gives each line more vertical room than single spacing, which can make a draft easier to read, annotate, or mark up.

In Word, line spacing is a paragraph-formatting setting. That means the shortcut applies to the paragraph containing the insertion point, or to every paragraph represented in a selection. If you select only part of a paragraph, Word still applies the paragraph setting to that whole paragraph. This is different from character formatting, such as bold, which can apply only to selected letters.

“Double-spaced” also does not necessarily mean that the distance between lines will look exactly twice as large on screen. The font, font size, and paragraph settings affect the visible result. The command sets Word’s double line-spacing option; it does not change the font or create a fixed number of points between every line.

Apply Double Spacing to a Whole Document

To change an existing document all at once, select the document’s content and apply the shortcut. On Windows, press Ctrl+A, then Ctrl+2. On Mac, press Command+A, then Command+2. The first shortcut selects content; the second changes its line spacing.

Before applying the setting, click in the document body so Word has the document text in focus. If the document contains separate sections or text in objects such as text boxes, a whole-document selection may not include every separate element. Check headers, footers, footnotes, or text boxes individually if their spacing also needs to change.

For a smaller change, drag to select the paragraphs you want, then press the appropriate double-space shortcut. You can also click inside one paragraph without selecting it; Word applies the setting to that paragraph. For multiple non-adjacent areas, select and format each area separately, or use the ribbon controls described below.

Use the Ribbon Instead of a Shortcut

If you prefer menus, or a shortcut is unavailable on your keyboard, use Word’s line-spacing control. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. First select the text you want to change, unless you only want to format the paragraph at the cursor.

Word for Mac also provides line-spacing choices on the Home tab. Select the text or place the cursor in a paragraph, then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. Ribbon labels and layout can vary slightly by Word version or window size, but the control is the line-spacing menu in the Paragraph group.

If you need to specify the setting through the paragraph dialog, open the Paragraph settings from the Home tab’s Paragraph group, find the Indents and Spacing options, and set Line spacing to Double. The dialog can be useful when you also need to inspect paragraph spacing before or after each paragraph.

Double Line Spacing Versus Space Between Paragraphs

A common source of confusion is the difference between line spacing and paragraph spacing. Double line spacing affects lines inside a paragraph. Paragraph spacing adds room before or after a paragraph, so it creates a visible gap between separate blocks of text. A document can have double-spaced lines and still have extra space between paragraphs.

For example, a two-line paragraph set to double spacing has more vertical room between its two lines. If the next paragraph also has a “space after” value, there will be additional separation after the final line. That extra gap is not evidence that the double-space shortcut failed; it is a separate paragraph setting.

To inspect the distinction, open the Paragraph dialog and look for the Spacing controls labeled Before and After, as well as the separate Line spacing control. If you need double spacing without extra paragraph gaps, set line spacing to Double and adjust Before and After as required by your document’s instructions. Avoid using the Enter key to create empty lines as a substitute: blank paragraphs can shift unpredictably when you edit or change formatting.

What the Other Line-Spacing Shortcuts Do

Word includes related shortcuts that can make it faster to compare spacing options. In the standard Windows keyboard assignments, Ctrl+1 applies single spacing, Ctrl+2 applies double spacing, and Ctrl+5 applies 1.5-line spacing. On Mac, the corresponding shortcuts are generally Command+1, Command+2, and Command+5.

These are formatting commands, not zoom controls: Ctrl+2 does not enlarge the page or change the text size. If you want more room between paragraphs rather than between lines, use the paragraph spacing settings or the relevant spacing options on the Home tab instead.

Keyboard layouts and customized Word settings can affect shortcuts. Also, use the number keys at the top of the keyboard if a number-pad key does not trigger the command on your setup. If the shortcut appears to do something else, try the ribbon method to confirm that Word itself can apply the desired formatting.

Word for the Web and Keyboard Differences

Word for the web has a line-spacing control on its Home tab; select the text and choose the 2.0 option from Line and Paragraph Spacing. Keyboard shortcuts may depend on the browser, operating system, and whether the document is in editing mode. If Ctrl+2 or Command+2 is intercepted or has no effect, using the ribbon is the most straightforward alternative.

On a Mac, use the Command key rather than Control for Word’s standard shortcuts. On Windows, use Ctrl. The number is the regular numeral 2, not a separate instruction to type the digit into the document. If you are using a non-English keyboard layout or a customized shortcut scheme, the key assignment may differ; the ribbon command remains available.

Some Word users customize keyboard assignments, and add-ins or system-level shortcuts can also affect what happens when a key combination is pressed. If the shortcut behaves differently from the expected paragraph-formatting command, check Word’s keyboard settings or use the ribbon rather than repeatedly pressing the keys.

Fix Common Double-Spacing Problems

If the text still looks crowded after you apply double spacing, check that the intended paragraphs were selected and that the line-spacing control shows 2.0 or Double. Make sure the cursor was in the document text, not in a comment box or another application field. If only some paragraphs changed, select the remaining paragraphs and apply the setting to them too.

If there are unusually large gaps between paragraphs, inspect the Before and After paragraph spacing values. If the layout remains inconsistent, different paragraphs may use different styles or direct formatting. Selecting the affected paragraphs and choosing 2.0 sets their line spacing, but it does not necessarily remove separately applied paragraph spacing or other style differences.

If double spacing is not needed after all, use Ctrl+1 on Windows or Command+1 on Mac to return the selected paragraphs to single spacing. You can also use the ribbon’s line-spacing menu. Ctrl+Z or Command+Z may undo the most recent action, but it is not always the best way to change spacing later, especially after other edits have been made.

Set Double Spacing for New Text

Applying the shortcut to text already in a document does not automatically guarantee that every new paragraph elsewhere will be double-spaced. New paragraphs generally follow the formatting of the paragraph you continue from, while text inserted in another place may use that location’s existing style and formatting.

For a document that must remain double-spaced as you write, set the spacing in the style used for the main text, often Normal, or apply the desired paragraph formatting before continuing. To change a style, use Word’s Styles controls and modify the relevant style’s paragraph settings. This is more consistent than adding blank lines manually, and it can help keep the document uniform as it grows.

For a one-time assignment, it may be enough to finish writing, select the document text, and apply double spacing. For a template, report, or repeated document, changing the style or template can prevent new paragraphs from reverting to a different spacing setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the shortcut for double spacing in Word?
Use Ctrl+2 in Word for Windows. On Mac, use Command+2. The shortcut applies double line spacing to the selected paragraphs or the paragraph containing the cursor.

How do I double-space everything in Word?
Click in the document body, press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac, and then press Ctrl+2 or Command+2. Check separate text areas, such as text boxes and headers, if they also need the change.

Does Ctrl+2 add a blank line after each line?
No. It changes line spacing within paragraphs; it does not insert empty paragraphs. Use paragraph spacing settings if you need extra space before or after paragraphs.

How do I double-space in Word without a keyboard shortcut?
Select the relevant text, then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 2.0. You can also open the Paragraph settings and set Line spacing to Double.

Why are there big gaps between my paragraphs?
Those gaps may come from paragraph spacing set before or after the paragraphs, rather than from double line spacing. Check the Paragraph dialog’s Before and After values and adjust them separately from Line spacing.

Does the shortcut work in Word for the web?
Shortcut behavior can vary with the browser and keyboard, so use the Home tab’s Line and Paragraph Spacing menu and select 2.0 if the key combination does not work.

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