Full Word Tutorial 2016 (Part 7): Use LINE and Paragraph Spacing

The following guide provides a clear overview of Align text in Word, with the most relevant background, details, and practical takeaways.

Introduction to LINE and Paragraph Spacing

While editing and formatting text, you'll need to pay attention to LINE spacing and paragraphs - LINE and Paragraph Spacing. Increasing the distance supports easier reading and reducing the distance to compare text into the same page.

Check out the video below to learn more about this tool.

LINE Spacing

LINE spacing is the distance between lines in a paragraph. In Word, you have the option of adjusting the single spaced LINE stretch (one high LINE), double spaced (two high lines),. Word's default distance is 1.08 lines (larger than a tall LINE).

In the image below, you can see the difference in LINE spacing of each segment. From left to right, the distance will be the default stretch, single stretch and double stretch.

Format LINE Spacing

1. Select the text you want to format.

2. On the Home tab, select LINE and Paragraph Spacing. Next, select the desired distance.

3. The text will change as follows:

Customize LINE Stretching

You can adjust unlimited LINE spacing in the LINE and Paragraph Spacing menu. To adjust the exact distance select LINE Spacing Options on the toolbar. Instantly, the Paragraph box appears with additional customizations.

• Exactly: The LINE distance measured with the unit is point (pt). For example, if you are using a font size of 12pt, you can use LINE stretch of 15 pt.
• At least: Similar to Exaclty custom, you can choose arbitrary pt size. However, if the size of the letters on the same LINE is different, this distance will be extended to larger letters.
• Multiple: In this custom, you will enter the desired LINE stretch. For example, selecting Muptiple and correcting the stretch is 1.2, the text will be slightly more stretched than the text to keep the distance simple. If you want the lines to shrink, choose a lower value like 0.9.

Paragraph Distance

Similarly, you can format the distance before and after the paragraphs together. This tool is convenient for segments, titles and subheadings.

Format Paragraph Distance

For example, in this section, we will increase the distance before each paragraph to separate them and create a good look.

1. Select one or more segments you want to format.

2 Choose LINE and Paragraph Spacing in the Home tab. Next, click Add Space Before Paragraph or Remove Space After Paragraph from the drop-down menu. But in this example, we will choose Add Space Before Paragraph.

3. See the results after adjusting the stretch.

Or, in the drop-down menu, you can select LINE Spacing Options to open the Paragraph window. From there, adjust the distance before and after the paragraph.

You can use Word's Set as Default utility to save all formatting changes you've just modified and automatically apply them to new documents.