How to Double Space in Word
Set 2.0 line spacing for selected text or a whole document in Word from the Line and Paragraph Spacing menu or with Ctrl + 2, and save it as the default.
Applies to: Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows; Mac differences noted. Last checked September 11, 2026. Suggest an edit
An assignment calls for double spacing and the document is currently single spaced. Select the text, set the spacing to 2.0, and if you want, make it the default for future documents.
Select the text
Click inside the paragraph you want to change, or press Ctrl + A (Mac: Cmd + A) to select the entire document. Line spacing is a paragraph setting, so every paragraph the selection touches will change.
Open the Line and Paragraph Spacing menu
Click Home, then the Line and Paragraph Spacing button in the Paragraph group. The icon shows several lines with an up and down arrow beside them.
Choose 2.0
Click 2.0 in the list. The selected paragraphs are now double spaced. The shortcut Ctrl + 2 (Mac: Cmd + 2) does the same thing without the menu. Ctrl + 1 returns to single spacing and Ctrl + 5 gives 1.5 spacing.
Double space the whole document with one setting
Click Design, Paragraph Spacing, Double. This changes the document's style set, so every paragraph follows it, including text you type later.
Make double spacing the default
Click Home, then the small arrow in the bottom right corner of the Paragraph group to open the Paragraph dialog. Under Line spacing, choose Double, click Set As Default, pick All documents based on the Normal template, and click OK. New documents will open double spaced.
Spacing after paragraphs. Word's default style adds 8 pt of space after each paragraph, which makes the gap between paragraphs larger than the gap between lines. If the assignment wants uniform double spacing, set After to 0 pt in the same Paragraph dialog, or click Layout and set After to 0 pt in the Paragraph group.
On Mac. The Paragraph dialog also opens from Format, Paragraph in the menu bar, and the Design tab holds the same Paragraph Spacing menu.