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If Word has too much space between lines or paragraphs, select the affected text and check both Line spacing and paragraph Before/After spacing. They are separate settings, so changing one may not remove the gap caused by the other.
Fix the spacing in the current document
- Select the affected paragraphs. To apply the change to the entire document, press Ctrl+A in Word for Windows or Command+A in Word for Mac.
- Go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options. In Word for the web, select the text and use Home > Line Spacing or the spacing controls on Layout; labels and locations can vary by version.
- In the Spacing section, check Line spacing, Before and After. Choose the line-spacing setting you want, then reduce or clear any unwanted paragraph spacing.
- Apply the settings and inspect the result. If only one section has the problem, leave the rest of the document unselected.
Microsoft documents these detailed spacing controls for desktop Word and the web. See Microsoft’s instructions for changing line spacing and adjusting indents and spacing.
Work out which spacing is making the gap
Large gaps between lines in the same paragraph
Check Line spacing. This controls the vertical distance between lines within a paragraph. A line-spacing preset may correct this without changing the space around paragraphs.
Large gaps mainly between paragraphs
Check the Before and After values. These control space around paragraphs, independently of the distance between lines in a paragraph. If the gap appears after each paragraph or around headings, paragraph spacing is a likely cause.
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Microsoft Word’s default spacing
Microsoft Support says, “The default spacing is 1.15 lines, which gives you a bit more room between lines and 10 points of spacing after each paragraph for better readability.” It also notes that paragraphs are followed by a blank line by default and that headings have space above them. These defaults can make a document look more open than single-spaced text. The support page does not state a publication year. See Microsoft’s explanation of Word’s spacing defaults.
Change paragraph spacing for the whole document
In desktop Word for Windows or Mac, use Design > Paragraph Spacing to apply a document-wide spacing preset. Microsoft identifies No Paragraph Space as the single-spacing option in that menu. On Mac, a Design spacing preset overrides the current style set’s spacing; use the same menu to restore the previous style-set option if needed. For exact menu behavior, see Microsoft’s guidance on paragraph spacing presets.
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Fix spacing that returns in a heading or other style
If the extra space is limited to headings, lists or text using a particular style—and appears again when you use that style—change the style’s spacing rather than repeatedly correcting individual paragraphs. Microsoft’s instructions for modifying or creating styles explain how to adjust a style.
Set a default for future documents
Desktop Word provides controls for changing defaults in documents based on the Normal template. Use Microsoft’s platform-specific default line-spacing instructions if you want new desktop documents to start with different spacing. Word for the web behaves differently: changing spacing affects the current document, but the next new web document reverts to 1.15 line spacing. See Microsoft’s Word for the web spacing guidance.
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