How to Change Double Spacing to Single Spacing in Word

To change double spacing to single spacing in Word, select the text (press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac), then choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 1.0. If there is still too much space between paragraphs, set the paragraph spacing before and after to 0 pt as well. These steps apply to Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows; Mac instructions are included where the controls differ.

What You’ll Need

A Word document you can edit. If it is read-only or protected, you may need permission or an editable copy before changing its formatting.
A keyboard and mouse or trackpad. The selection shortcuts are Ctrl+A on Windows and Command+A on Mac.
A moment to check the result. Line spacing and paragraph spacing are separate settings, so you may need to adjust both to remove all unwanted gaps.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and decide what to change. If the whole document should be single-spaced, click in the document body and press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac. If only one section needs changing, drag to select that text instead. For a paragraph, click anywhere inside it; Word applies paragraph formatting to the paragraph containing the cursor. Avoid selecting headers, footers, or other areas you intend to leave unchanged.
Set the selected text to single line spacing. On Windows, open the Home tab, find the Paragraph group, and click Line and Paragraph Spacing (the icon shows horizontal lines with up-and-down arrows). Choose 1.0. The selected paragraphs should become more compact immediately. On Mac, use Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 1.0. The button may look slightly different depending on the Word window width, so expand the window if you cannot see it.
Check for extra space between paragraphs. Single line spacing only controls the distance between lines within a paragraph. If there is still a large gap after each paragraph, keep the text selected and open the Paragraph settings. On Windows, click the small dialog launcher in the lower-right corner of the Home > Paragraph group. On Mac, use Format > Paragraph. In the dialog, find Spacing and set Before and After to 0 pt if you want no extra paragraph gap. Select Single in the Line spacing list, then click OK.
Check whether the document uses different styles. Headings, quotes, and body text can have separate formatting. Click in a heading or paragraph that still looks double-spaced and repeat the line-spacing change for that text. If you selected the entire document first, most existing paragraphs should have been included, but tables, text boxes, and sections can sometimes need separate attention.
Review the page layout. Scroll through the document, looking at the start and end of pages as well as the middle. Confirm that the lines are closer together and that paragraphs are still readable. If the layout now has too little breathing room, keep single line spacing but restore a modest value in the paragraph After setting rather than switching back to double spacing.
Save the change. Press Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac. If you want to preserve the original formatting, use File > Save As first and save a separate copy. This is particularly useful for a document with complex tables, forms, or carefully arranged page breaks.

Quick keyboard option: In Word for Windows, select the paragraphs and press Ctrl+1 to apply single line spacing. In Word for Mac, Command+1 is the corresponding shortcut in many current versions. Use the ribbon menu if the shortcut does not work in your setup or you want to verify the paragraph-gap settings.

Common Mistakes

Changing line spacing but overlooking paragraph spacing. A document can use single-spaced lines and still show large gaps because the paragraph style adds space before or after each paragraph. Check the Paragraph dialog and inspect its Before and After values.
Changing only the paragraph where the cursor is. Clicking in one paragraph and choosing 1.0 changes that paragraph, not necessarily the rest of the document. Select the full document or the exact range you want to update before using the spacing command.
Removing paragraph spacing when the layout needs it. Setting Before and After to 0 pt is useful when you want paragraphs close together, but it is not required just to make lines single-spaced. Some reports and business documents use single line spacing with a small gap after paragraphs for readability.
Deleting blank paragraphs instead of changing spacing. Repeated empty paragraphs can create apparent gaps, but they are separate paragraph marks, not line spacing. Show formatting marks with Home > ¶ to find them. Remove only the extra paragraph marks; avoid deleting paragraph breaks that separate intended sections.
Expecting every object to follow the same selection. Text in a table, text box, header, or footer may not respond to a selection made in the main document. Click inside that area, select its text, and apply the setting there if necessary.

Tips

Choose the scope before you format. For a short passage, select only that passage. For a document-wide change, use Ctrl+A or Command+A while the insertion point is in the document body. A clear selection highlight helps confirm what Word will affect.
Use the Paragraph dialog for a precise result. The 1.0 menu command is the quickest way to change line spacing. The dialog is more useful when you need to set line spacing and the Before and After paragraph values together, or when you need to inspect what a style is applying.
Keep paragraphs separate. Do not press Enter repeatedly to create visual gaps after changing the spacing. Use paragraph spacing or a deliberate blank line only when the document design calls for it. Extra returns can shift text unpredictably when you edit or print.
Use styles for consistent documents. If body paragraphs and headings need different spacing, format the relevant styles rather than adjusting many paragraphs one by one. In Word, right-click a style in the Styles gallery and choose Modify to change its formatting. Check the result on sample paragraphs before applying a style change throughout a long document.
Compare the document before and after. Single spacing can reduce the page count and move page breaks, tables, or signatures. If pagination matters, review the whole file, not just the first page, before sending or printing it.

Troubleshooting

The spacing menu is unavailable. Make sure the document is open in an editable view and that you have clicked in the text. A protected document, read-only file, or selected image may prevent paragraph formatting. If you cannot edit it, ask for an unlocked copy or save a permitted editable copy first.

The text still looks double-spaced after choosing 1.0. Open the Paragraph dialog and confirm that Line spacing says Single. Then check Before and After. If the gaps appear only between paragraphs, reduce those values. Turn on formatting marks using Home > ¶ to see whether empty paragraphs are adding extra vertical space.

Only part of the document changed. The selection may not have included all the text, or some content may be in a table, text box, header, or footer. Select the missed content directly and apply 1.0. If the document has several sections with different formatting, check each section rather than assuming one selection covered every area.

The spacing returns when you type. New text usually inherits the formatting of the paragraph or style where you are typing. If it keeps returning to double spacing, click in an affected paragraph and inspect its style in the Home > Styles gallery. Modify the style if appropriate, or choose a single-spaced paragraph style for the new text. Also check whether a template or document rule is applying formatting.

The document looks different after the change. Changing spacing can alter page breaks and move content, even when the text itself is unchanged. Undo immediately with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac if the result is not what you want, then try the change on a smaller selection. If the change has already been saved or you are unsure, use a saved copy to compare and restore the intended layout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 1.0 mean single spacing in Word?

Yes. Choosing 1.0 in the Line and Paragraph Spacing menu sets the line spacing to single. Paragraph Before and After spacing are separate settings and may still add visible gaps.

How do I make the whole Word document single-spaced?

Click in the document body, press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac, and choose Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 1.0. Review tables and text boxes afterward because their contents may need separate formatting.

Will single spacing remove the gap between paragraphs?

Not necessarily. It reduces the distance between lines in a paragraph. To remove an added paragraph gap, select the affected text and set Before and After to 0 pt in the Paragraph dialog. Empty paragraphs can also create gaps and should be removed separately if they are unnecessary.

Can I single-space only part of a document?

Yes. Select the specific paragraphs or sentences, then choose 1.0. For paragraph settings, click inside a paragraph or select several paragraphs before opening the Paragraph dialog. Formatting outside the selection should remain unchanged.

How do I make new documents single-spaced by default?

Change the formatting of the document’s Normal style rather than only formatting existing text. In the Styles gallery, right-click Normal, choose Modify, and set the paragraph spacing and line spacing you want. To use that setup for future documents, choose the option to base new documents on the template if it appears, and confirm before saving the change.

Is the Word for Mac process different?

The basic setting is the same: select the text, then use Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > 1.0. You can also open paragraph settings from Format > Paragraph. Use Command+A to select all and Command+S to save on Mac.

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