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If Word has too much space between lines, check both line spacing and paragraph spacing. Line spacing controls the distance between lines inside a paragraph; paragraph spacing adds room before or after paragraphs. Adjust the setting that matches what you see, and apply it only to the affected text unless the whole document needs changing.
First identify where the extra space appears
- If the lines within a paragraph look spread apart, inspect Line spacing.
- If the gap is mainly between paragraphs, inspect the Before and After paragraph values. Changing line spacing alone may not remove those gaps.
- If the problem affects headings, lists, or text with a particular appearance, the paragraph style may be adding spacing.
Microsoft says Word’s default is 1.15 line spacing and 10 points after each paragraph. It also notes that paragraphs are followed by a blank line by default and headings have space above them. These defaults can make a document look more open than single-spaced text. Microsoft Support does not state a publication year for this information.
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Fix spacing in the affected paragraphs
- Select the affected paragraphs. To apply a change to all text, select it with Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac.
- Go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options. In Word for the web, the available controls and labels may differ.
- In the Spacing section, check Line spacing and the Before and After values. Choose the line-spacing setting you want, and reduce or clear paragraph spacing that is not needed.
- Apply the change and check the result. If only one section was affected, leave the rest of the document untouched.
The detailed options are useful when a preset does not fix the problem: they let you inspect line spacing and paragraph spacing separately. For Microsoft’s platform-specific instructions, see Word’s line-spacing guidance and paragraph spacing instructions.
Change paragraph spacing across the document
In desktop Word for Windows or Mac, use Design > Paragraph Spacing to change paragraph spacing across the document. Microsoft identifies No Paragraph Space as the single-spacing option in this menu. This is a broader change than selecting a few paragraphs; use it when the whole document needs the same treatment. On Mac, a Design spacing preset overrides the current style’s settings, and the menu can restore the prior style-set option. Microsoft’s instructions describe the controls, though menu wording can vary by version.
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Windows, Mac, and Word for the web
| Where you use Word | To adjust the current document | For future documents |
|---|---|---|
| Windows desktop | Use Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options for selected paragraphs. Use Design > Paragraph Spacing for document-wide paragraph spacing. | Desktop Word provides controls for setting defaults for documents based on the Normal template. See Microsoft’s default-spacing instructions. |
| Mac desktop | Use the Home spacing options for selected paragraphs or the Design paragraph-spacing menu for the document. | Microsoft documents desktop default controls; their scope is documents based on the Normal template. Design presets override current style settings, with an option to restore the prior style set. See Microsoft’s instructions. |
| Word for the web | Select text and use Home > Line Spacing or the spacing controls under Layout. Available labels may vary. | Microsoft says the next new web document reverts to 1.15 line spacing; a change to the current document does not establish a new-document default. See Microsoft’s web guidance. |
If the spacing returns, check the paragraph style
If a heading, list, or other styled paragraph keeps regaining extra space, change the spacing in that style instead of repeatedly formatting individual paragraphs. Microsoft’s guidance on modifying or creating styles explains how to make style-level changes. The exact controls can vary by Word version and platform.
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Choose the smallest change that solves the problem
- For one paragraph or section, select only that text and change the detailed spacing values.
- For gaps between paragraphs throughout a document, use the document-wide paragraph-spacing menu in desktop Word.
- For spacing that returns with a particular heading or list style, update the style itself.
- For a lasting default in new desktop documents, follow the Normal-template instructions for your platform; Word for the web behaves differently for new documents.
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