How to Double Space in Word Office 365

A Quick Guide on How to Double Space in Word (Microsoft 365)

Double spacing is one of the most common formatting requirements for academic papers, legal documents, manuscripts, and business reports. If you need to make a Word doc double spaced, the good news is that it takes about three clicks once you know where to look. One quick naming note before we start: Microsoft retired the "Office 365" name, and the subscription that includes Word is now called Microsoft 365. The Word app itself works the same way, so whether you still think of it as Office 365 or Microsoft 365, every step in this guide applies. This guide covers how to double space in Word on Windows 11 and macOS, in Word for the web, and in the mobile apps, plus fixes for the spacing problems that trip people up most often.

How to Double Space in Word (Microsoft 365)

To double space in the Word desktop app on Windows 11 or macOS, follow these steps:

1. Open Your Document: Launch Word and open the document you want to format.
2. Select Your Text: Press Ctrl + A (Windows) or Cmd + A (Mac) to select the entire document, or highlight only the section you want to change.
3. Go to the Home Tab: Click the "Home" tab in the ribbon at the top of the window.
4. Click Line and Paragraph Spacing: In the Paragraph group, click the "Line and Paragraph Spacing" button. It looks like several horizontal lines with up and down arrows beside them.
5. Choose 2.0: Select "2.0" from the dropdown menu. Word applies double spacing to the selected text immediately.
6. Save Your Work: Press Ctrl + S (Windows) or Cmd + S (Mac). If the file lives in OneDrive or SharePoint, the AutoSave toggle in the top-left corner saves changes for you automatically.

Prefer the keyboard? Select your text and press Ctrl + 2 on Windows or Cmd + 2 on Mac. Word jumps straight to double spacing with no menus involved.

How to Make a Word Doc Double Spaced by Default

If every document you write needs double spacing, you can stop applying it manually and make it the default instead:

1. Open the Paragraph Dialog: On the "Home" tab, click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Paragraph group.
2. Set Line Spacing to Double: Under "Line spacing," choose "Double" from the dropdown.
3. Click Set As Default: At the bottom of the dialog, click "Set As Default."
4. Choose the Scope: Select "All documents based on the Normal template" and click "OK." Every new document will now start out double spaced.

For a single document, there is an even faster route: open the "Design" tab, click "Paragraph Spacing" in the Document Formatting group, and choose "Double." This changes spacing for the whole document at once without selecting anything first.

How to Double Space in Word for the Web and Mobile

You do not need the desktop app to fix line spacing. Word for the web, included with every Microsoft 365 plan, uses nearly the same ribbon:

• Word for the Web: Open your document in the browser, select your text, go to the "Home" tab, click the "Line Spacing" button in the Paragraph section, and choose "2.0."
• iPhone and Android: In the Word mobile app, or in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app (the renamed Microsoft 365 mobile app), open the document and tap the edit icon. Open the ribbon menu, make sure "Home" is selected, tap "Paragraph Formatting," then "Line Spacing," and choose "2.0."
• iPad: The iPad version shows a full ribbon, so the steps match the desktop: Home tab, Line and Paragraph Spacing button, then 2.0.

Because Microsoft 365 syncs documents through OneDrive, spacing changes made on one device carry over everywhere. If you are still deciding whether a subscription makes sense for you, this overview of why you might need Microsoft 365 covers what is included.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Here are the most common problems people hit when double spacing in Word, and how to resolve them:

Double Spacing Not Applying

• Make sure text is actually selected before you apply spacing. If nothing is selected, Word only changes the paragraph your cursor sits in.
• Confirm the "Line and Paragraph Spacing" menu shows a checkmark next to "2.0" and not another value.

Extra Space Between Paragraphs

• Double spacing controls space between lines, but "Spacing Before" and "Spacing After" add extra room between paragraphs on top of that. Open the Paragraph dialog and set both to 0 pt if you want uniform spacing.
• You can also click the "Line and Paragraph Spacing" button and choose "Remove Space After Paragraph" to clear it in one step.

Inconsistent Spacing After Pasting Text

• Text pasted from a web page or another document carries its own formatting. Select the pasted section, click "Clear All Formatting" (the eraser icon on the Home tab), then reapply double spacing.
• Check for manual line breaks (Shift + Enter) left over from the source. Turn on formatting marks with Ctrl + Shift + 8 to spot them.

A Style Keeps Overriding Your Spacing

• If spacing snaps back when you keep typing, the paragraph style is winning. Right-click "Normal" in the Styles gallery on the Home tab, choose "Modify," click the "Format" button, select "Paragraph," and set "Line spacing" to "Double."

Changes Not Saving

• For files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, check that the AutoSave toggle in the title bar is on. For local files, press Ctrl + S (Windows) or Cmd + S (Mac) after formatting.

Working through these checks in order resolves nearly every double spacing problem in Word.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the shortcut for double spacing in Word?

Select your text and press Ctrl + 2 on Windows or Cmd + 2 on Mac. The related shortcuts are worth memorizing too: Ctrl + 1 sets single spacing and Ctrl + 5 sets 1.5-line spacing.

How do I double space in Word on a Mac?

The steps match Windows. In Word for Mac, select your text, open the "Home" tab, click the "Line and Paragraph Spacing" button, and choose "2.0." Or simply press Cmd + A to select everything, then Cmd + 2.

Is double spacing in Office 365 different from Microsoft 365?

No. Microsoft renamed Office 365 to Microsoft 365, but Word is the same application and the spacing controls have not moved. If the branding shift is confusing, this guide to the difference between Microsoft Office and Office 365 sorts out the naming.

Conclusion: How to Double Space in Word

Knowing how to double space in Word takes seconds once you have done it: select your text, open the Home tab, click Line and Paragraph Spacing, and choose 2.0. Setting double spacing as your default, or using the Ctrl + 2 shortcut, makes it even faster the next time a professor, court, or client requires it. Whether you are formatting on Windows 11, a Mac, the web, or your phone, the same Microsoft 365 spacing controls keep your documents readable and consistent across every device. K3 Technology is a managed IT and cybersecurity provider with offices in Denver and Dallas. If your team wants help getting more out of Microsoft 365, from setup and licensing to day-to-day support, reach out to K3 Technology to start the conversation.