How to Single Space in a Microsoft

Word Document
By Laurie Senese
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Microsoft redesigned Word 2007 templates with the reader in mind. One of the changes
made the text easier to read by adding 15 percent more space between paragraphs. In
Word 2003, the space between paragraphs was a single space, and you had to press
the "Enter" key twice to create more space between sections. Old habits die hard, and
those of you who want single line spacing again are in luck. Word 2007 gives you
several ways to revert to single spacing.

Word 2007 provides many ways to change line spacing from multiple to single.

Set the Default to Single Space in New Documents

Step

Select the "Home" tab. This displays "Styles" group.

Step
Click the "Change Styles" drop-down arrow. This displays the "Style Set," "Colors," "Fonts" and "Set
as Default" options.

Step

Click the "Style Set" option. This displays several style sets.

Step

Click the "Word 2003" style set option. A check mark appears indicating your selection.

Step

Return to the"Styles" group, and click the "Change Styles" drop-down arrow again.

Step

Select the "Set as Default" option. All new blank documents that are opened in Word 2007 will now
be single-spaced. Notice that this does not affect the document that's currently open.

Step

To restore the Word 2007 default multiple space style, click the "Change Styles" option in the
"Styles" group. Select "Style Sets" and click the "Reset to Quick Styles from Template" option.

Set Single-spaced Paragraphs and Headings

Step

Click the left mouse button anywhere inside a paragraph or heading. You don't need to select the
whole paragraph or heading.

Step

Click the "Page Layout" tab. This displays the "Paragraph" group.

Step

To single space before a heading, click the "Before" drop-down arrow in the "Spacing" section and
select "0 pt."

Step

To single space after a paragraph, click the "After" drop-down arrow in the "Spacing" section and
select "0 pt."
Set Single Spacing Using the Paragraph Dialog Box
Step

Select the "Home" or "Page Layout" tab. This displays the "Paragraph" group.

Step

Click the small arrow in the lower right-hand side of the "Paragraph" group. This displays the
"Paragraph" dialog box.

Step

In the "Spacing" section, click the "Line Spacing" drop-down arrow and select "Single."

Step

Click the "Before" drop-down arrow and select "0 pt."

Step

Click the "After" drop-down arrow and select "0 pt." Click the "OK" button.

Set Single Spacing with the Line Spacing Icon

Step

Click the left mouse button and drag the mouse to select the desired paragraphs.

Step

Select the "Home" tab. This displays the "Paragraph" group.

Step

Click the "Line Spacing" icon. It is the fifth icon from the left in the second row.

Step

Select "1.0" from the fly-out menu that appears.

Step

Another way to single-space text is by selecting "Line Spacing Options" from the fly-out menu, which
opens the "Paragraph" dialog box.
 Remove the page number
from the first page
In desktop versions of Word

1. On the Insert tab, click Header > Edit

Header (or Footer > Edit Footer).
2. On the Header & Footer Tools Design tab, in
the Options group, select Different First Page.

Note: Different first page can be applied to the first page of any section in your document, not just the very first
page.

3. In the header or footer area, you should see a label on

the first page that says First Page Header. Select the
page number to highlight it and press Delete, or right-
click and click Cut.
4. Click Close Header and Footer or press Esc to exit.