How to Get Single Spacing in Word Document

To get single spacing in a Word document, select your text, open Line and Paragraph Spacing, and choose 1.0 or No Paragraph Space.

Single spacing keeps lines tight without making the page feel cramped, so it works well for letters, assignments, and documents that need to fit more text on fewer pages.

By default, recent versions of Word use about 1.15 line spacing with extra space after each paragraph, which is why your pages often look more spread out than older documents that used true single spacing.

This guide shows clear steps for how to get single spacing in word document layouts on Windows, Mac, and the web, along with tips for fixing stubborn spacing problems that refuse to change.

Quick Overview Of Single Spacing Options

There is more than one way to switch a Word document to single spacing, and the best method depends on whether you want to change the whole file or just certain sections.

Method	What It Changes	Where To Find It
Design > Paragraph Spacing	Applies single spacing to the entire document at once.	Design tab on the ribbon, Paragraph Spacing menu.
Home > Line And Paragraph Spacing	Sets spacing for selected paragraphs only.	Home tab, Line and Paragraph Spacing icon.
Paragraph Dialog Box	Fine tuning of line spacing and spacing before or after paragraphs.	Home tab, small arrow in the Paragraph group.
Modify Style	Changes spacing for all text that uses a particular style.	Home tab, Styles group, right click a style name.
Set As Default	Makes single spacing the default for new documents.	Custom Paragraph Spacing or Paragraph dialog box.
Word For The Web	Applies single spacing per document or selection.	Home tab, Line and Paragraph Spacing menu.
Templates	Starts each new document with your preferred spacing.	Custom templates saved with single spaced formatting.

How To Get Single Spacing In Word Document Step Guide

When you need to know exactly how to get single spacing in word document layouts, it helps to use the ribbon controls in a repeatable way so you can fix any file, not just one template.

Single Spacing For A Whole Document On Windows

The fastest way on a Windows desktop is to adjust the entire document with one setting, then fine tune any paragraphs that still look too loose.

Using The Design Tab

Open your Word document.
On the ribbon, choose the Design tab.
Select Paragraph Spacing.
Choose No Paragraph Space.
Scan your pages to see whether the text now sits in tight single spaced lines.

This option switches the current style set so that line spacing drops to single and extra blank space after paragraphs is removed, which matches the steps in Microsoft’s guide on single spacing.

Using The Home Tab

Press Ctrl + A to select all text in the document.
Go to the Home tab.
Click the Line and Paragraph Spacing button.
Choose 1.0 from the list.
Open Line Spacing Options if needed, then set Line spacing to Single and spacing Before and After to 0 pt.

Once you apply these settings, every paragraph uses single spacing, and you remove the extra blank space that Word adds between paragraphs by default.

Single Spacing For A Whole Document On Mac

The steps on a Mac are closely matched, although the ribbon layout looks slightly different and keyboard shortcuts use the Command button instead of Control.

Select the text you want to change, or press Command + A to select everything.
On the Home tab, choose Line and Paragraph Spacing.
Pick 1.0 for single line spacing.
Open the spacing options, then set line spacing to Single and remove extra space before or after paragraphs.

On modern Mac versions of Word, you can also go to the Design tab, choose Paragraph Spacing, and pick No Paragraph Space to reset the whole file in one click.

Single Spacing Only Part Of A Document

Sometimes you need single spacing for a few paragraphs, such as a long block quote or a list, while the rest of the file keeps looser spacing.

Select only the paragraphs you want to tighten.
On the Home tab, use Line and Paragraph Spacing and choose 1.0.
If needed, open Line Spacing Options and confirm that spacing before and after those paragraphs is set to 0 pt.
Check that the rest of the document still uses your previous settings.

This method keeps headings and body text free to use their own spacing, while specific lists or sections follow single spacing for compact layout.

Setting Single Spacing As The Default

If you handle many essays, reports, or handouts, changing spacing every time can feel repetitive, so Word lets you make single spacing the default for new documents.

Go to the Design tab.
Select Paragraph Spacing, then Custom Paragraph Spacing.
On the Set Defaults tab, choose Single for line spacing.
Choose New documents based on this template.
Confirm with OK.

From now on, new blank documents built on the Normal template will open with single spacing already in place, so you can start typing without adjusting anything first.

Single Spacing In Word Document For Different Versions

Word has held line spacing controls in similar spots across versions, so once you learn the pattern, you can get to single spacing on almost any desktop release.

Word 365, 2024, 2021, 2019, And 2016

Current subscription and boxed versions share the same ribbon layout, so the steps listed above match what you see on screen, including the Design tab with its Paragraph Spacing menu.

Microsoft describes this route as the quickest way to apply single spacing across a document, since the No Paragraph Space preset rewrites both line spacing and paragraph spacing in one action.

Word 2013, 2010, And 2007

Older versions still rely on the Home tab and Paragraph dialog box, and many also include a Design tab with Paragraph Spacing presets that mirror newer releases.

If your copy looks slightly different, focus on two places: the Line and Paragraph Spacing menu on the Home tab, and the Paragraph dialog box where the Spacing section controls both line spacing and the extra gap before or after paragraphs.

Word For The Web

Word online does not yet let you change default spacing for all new documents, but you can still get single spacing inside each file you edit.

Select your text or press Ctrl + A to select all.
Open Line and Paragraph Spacing on the Home tab.
Choose 1.0.
Use the options in the same menu to remove extra space after paragraphs if needed.

If you often write in Word for the web, you can keep a single spaced starter file in your cloud storage, then make a copy each time you begin a new document.

How Single Spacing Affects Reading And Printing

Line spacing does more than change how busy a page looks, since it also controls how many lines fit on each sheet and how easily the reader can track each line.

Microsoft notes that the default line spacing in many modern Word templates is 1.15, with extra space after paragraphs, which gives a slightly airier feel than true single spacing but also uses more paper.

Training sites that teach Word formatting point out that single spacing fills the page faster, while settings near 1.5 leave more white space and can help readers follow complex text line by line.

Line Spacing Setting	Typical Use	Approximate Lines Per Page (12 pt)
Single (1.0)	Business letters, compact reports, drafts for personal use.	About 46 lines on a standard page.
1.15	Modern default for many Word templates, general writing.	About 42 lines on a standard page.
1.5	Essays that need extra space for notes or easier reading.	Around 36 lines on a standard page.
Double (2.0)	Manuscripts that follow style guides requiring extra spacing.	Around 30 lines on a standard page.
More Than 2.0	Drafts that need space for heavy annotation.	Fewer than 30 lines on a standard page.

In practice, single spacing works well when you need to fit a set word count onto a limited number of pages, while 1.15 or 1.5 helps long reading tasks feel calmer for the eyes.

Quick Troubleshooting For Single Spacing Problems

Sometimes you follow every step and the document still refuses to line up the way you expect, which usually means that styles or local paragraph settings are fighting your changes.

Check Paragraph Spacing Before And After

Even when the line spacing box shows Single, extra space can appear because the paragraph has positive values in the Before or After fields in the Paragraph dialog box.

Select the affected paragraphs.
Open the Paragraph dialog box from the Home tab.
Set Before and After to 0 pt.
Confirm that Line spacing is set to Single.

Once you reset these values, the text usually snaps into true single spacing with no gaps between paragraphs.

Check Styles That Override Local Settings

Each paragraph in Word uses a style, such as Normal or Heading 1, and those styles carry their own spacing rules that can override local tweaks.

Click inside a paragraph that behaves oddly and look at the style name on the Home tab.
Right click that style and choose Modify.
Check the formatting preview and click Format > Paragraph for full details.
Set line spacing to Single and paragraph spacing to 0 pt where needed.
Apply the changes to all text that uses that style.

If the style uses single spacing, the paragraphs linked to it will normally follow that rule the next time you open the document.

Fix Spacing After Pasting From Other Sources

Text pasted from web pages, PDFs, or other editors brings its own spacing along, which can clash with your single spaced layout.

After pasting, use the paste options icon and choose Keep Text Only so Word drops source formatting.
Apply the Normal style or another base style that already uses single spacing.
Use Ctrl + A and reapply your single spacing method if the document still looks uneven.

This reset strips away hidden spacing details, so the whole document follows the same rules again.

When To Stay With 1.15 Instead Of Single

Some readers find true single spacing tight on screen, especially with dense text or small fonts, so the default 1.15 spacing can be easier to follow.

If a teacher, client, or style guide asks for single spacing in Word, check whether they truly mean 1.0 or if they simply want something closer to the classic look than full double spacing.

When rules allow it, 1.15 paired with no extra space after paragraphs can give a neat look that still feels open, while pure single spacing keeps everything as compact as possible.