How to Edit Line Spacing in Word | Fix Page Gaps

In Word, select text, open Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing, then choose 1.0, 1.15, 1.5, 2.0, or Options.

A document can look wrong even when the words are fine: lines feel cramped, paragraphs float apart, or double spacing appears only in one section. The fix for how to edit line spacing in Word depends on whether the problem sits inside paragraphs, between paragraphs, or across the whole document.

For one paragraph or section, use the Home tab. For the whole document, use Design > Paragraph Spacing. For new documents, change the default so Word stops bringing the old spacing back.

Editing Line Spacing In Word: The Settings That Matter

Microsoft Word separates line spacing from paragraph spacing, and that split causes most spacing confusion. Line spacing controls the vertical room inside a paragraph; paragraph spacing controls the gap before or after a paragraph.

Use line spacing when the lines of text are too tight or too loose. Use paragraph spacing when there is a blank-looking gap after pressing Enter.

1. Select the text you want to change. Press Ctrl + A on Windows or Command + A on Mac to select the full document.
2. Go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing.
3. Choose 1.0, 1.15, 1.5, or 2.0.
4. Choose Line Spacing Options for exact values, spacing before paragraphs, and spacing after paragraphs.
5. Select OK to apply the change.

The selected text should reflow right away. If only part of the page changes, Word applied the setting only to the paragraphs you selected.

Which Spacing Setting Should You Change?

The setting to change depends on what looks wrong on the page. Tight text needs line spacing; large gaps between blocks of text need paragraph spacing.

The table below gives the shortest path from symptom to setting without making you test every menu.

Change Spacing For The Whole Document

Whole-document spacing is handled from the Design tab because Word treats it as a document-wide style choice. This is the better move when every paragraph needs the same look.

Go to Design > Paragraph Spacing, then choose the preset you want. Microsoft says No Paragraph Space single-spaces the document and removes the default blank line after paragraphs in current Word versions. Microsoft’s Word line spacing steps list the same document-wide and selected-text paths.

If the document later needs its original spacing, go back to Design > Paragraph Spacing and choose Default or the current style set name. The preview changes as you hover, so you can spot the fit before clicking.

Fix Extra Space Between Paragraphs

Extra space after pressing Enter usually comes from paragraph spacing, not line spacing. Changing 1.15 to 1.0 will not remove a paragraph gap if the After box still has a value.

For selected paragraphs, click inside the paragraph or select several paragraphs. Go to Layout > Spacing, then adjust Before and After. You can use the arrows or type a number directly.

• Use 0 pt after paragraphs for compact lists, resumes, and address blocks.
• Use 6 pt or 8 pt after paragraphs for readable body text without blank-line bloat.
• Use 12 pt after headings only when the heading needs clear separation.

The page will tighten as soon as the After value drops. If nothing changes, select the paragraphs again and check whether a style is reapplying its own spacing.

Why Does Word Still Show Extra Gaps?

Word can still show gaps when a style, default template, or mixed formatting overrides the paragraph you edited. The fix is to clear the source of the spacing, not to keep clicking the same line spacing number.

Start by selecting the problem text, then open Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options. Set Line spacing to Single, set Before to 0 pt, and set After to 0 pt if you need tight spacing.

For a stubborn document, use this check:

Make Your Spacing The Default

Default spacing controls what new blank documents use. Microsoft Word’s common default is 1.15 line spacing, with a blank line after paragraphs and extra space above headings.

To change that on desktop Word, go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options. Under Spacing, choose the line spacing you want, adjust Before and After, then select Set as Default.

Choose All documents based on the Normal template, then select OK. New blank documents should open with that spacing. Word for the web can change the current document, but it does not keep a new default for every future file.

Use These Values For Common Documents

Most spacing jobs need only three values: 1.0 for compact text, 1.15 for everyday drafts, and 2.0 for school papers that require double spacing. Paragraph spacing then fine-tunes the gaps.

• School paper: select all text, choose 2.0, then set After to 0 pt if the instructions say double-spaced lines only.
• Resume: use 1.0 or Single, then reduce After to keep sections tight.
• Business document: use 1.15 with modest paragraph spacing so sections are readable.
• Manuscript draft: use 2.0 unless the submission rules name a different value.

The dependable habit is simple: change line spacing first, then paragraph spacing. If the page still looks wrong, the paragraph gap is usually the part still fighting you.

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