Double spacing in Word is a paragraph setting. Select the text and choose 2.0 from Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing; there is no need to add blank lines with Enter.
Desktop Word also has a whole-document preset at Design > Paragraph Spacing > Double. If the document must have no extra gaps between paragraphs, check its Before and After settings separately.
In this guide
Apply double spacing to the text you mean
Select the paragraphs that need changing. To format everything in Word for Windows, press Ctrl + A before choosing the spacing control.
Open Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing, then select 2.0. Lines within a paragraph should now have double spacing, without inserting additional paragraph marks.
Status: Windows, Mac and web spacing controls verified in Microsoft help on 22 October 2026. No Word file was edited.
Microsoft documents both the whole-document preset and the selected-text route in its double-spacing instructions.
Check headings, pasted quotations and later sections if only part of the document was selected. Click in each area to confirm its spacing rather than assuming the first change reached everything.
Use the document preset for a complete draft
In desktop Word, open Design > Paragraph Spacing > Double. This is the direct route when the entire document should use Word's double-spacing preset.
After applying the preset, inspect headings, captions and any separately formatted bibliography. A document-wide change can affect paragraph formatting that needs to stay distinct.
A title that belongs midway down its page needs vertical page alignment, with the change limited to its intended section.
For reference entries, indent the continuation lines with Paragraph settings. That controls horizontal alignment independently of line spacing.
For a visual check of that position, enable the document ruler and read its paragraph markers.
To return to the style set's original spacing, open Design > Paragraph Spacing and look under Style Set. Microsoft says the entry may be Default or the current style set's name.
Keep a separate copy before making broad formatting changes to a submission that already has detailed layout requirements.
If pasted text also brings unwanted fonts and effects, clear its text formatting before rebuilding the required appearance. Recheck paragraph spacing afterward.
Before adding handwriting to that layout, insert a prepared Word signature image and check its size beside the closing text.
For citations at the foot of a page, insert actual Word footnotes. Manually positioned numbers and note text will not stay linked as the document changes.
Why is there still a large gap after each paragraph?
Double-spaced lines can still have a large gap between paragraphs. The Before and After values add space independently of the line-spacing setting.
Select the affected paragraphs, then open Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options. Check Before and After, as well as Line spacing.
After reviewing the gaps, hide the editing marks to return to a cleaner view without joining any paragraphs.
Use 0 pt for Before and After only when the required format calls for no additional paragraph gaps. Keep double line spacing selected, then confirm with OK.
Microsoft states that line spacing and paragraph spacing are separate in its line and paragraph spacing guide. Check both when matching a required format.
Do not add empty paragraphs to imitate double spacing. They become extra content and can contribute to a blank Word page that will not disappear.
Word for Mac and the browser
On Mac, select the paragraphs and use Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing. Choose the required number, or open Line Spacing Options to inspect paragraph spacing too.
In Word for the web, select the text and open Home > Line Spacing, then choose the double-spacing value. Its spacing options also control the space before and after paragraphs.
When reviewing someone else's document, check Word's Track Changes controls before changing its formatting. Follow the agreed review process for that file.
A read-only file needs editing access before its spacing can be changed. Ask the owner for permission or an editable copy if those controls are unavailable.
The Short Version
Select the paragraphs and choose 2.0 from the Home spacing control. Desktop Word also offers Design > Paragraph Spacing > Double for the whole document.
Check Before and After independently. Empty paragraphs are not double line spacing.
Where to Next
Review the document in print preview before submitting it. If the required spacing still looks wrong, compare the affected paragraph's line spacing and paragraph gaps against the actual submission rules.
