To change the space after a paragraph in Word, click in the paragraph (or select several), open the Layout tab, and change the After box under Spacing. Type 0 to remove the gap completely, or a value such as 6 pt or 12 pt for a smaller or larger gap. This works in current Word for Windows, Word for Mac, and Word for the web. It changes only the gap below each paragraph, not the space between lines inside it.
This guide covers the Spacing After setting only. If you need line spacing, space before paragraphs, or letter spacing as well, start with our overview of every kind of spacing in Word.
Change Spacing After for selected paragraphs
Use these steps when only part of the document needs a different gap, such as a list, an address block, or one section.
- Click inside the paragraph you want to change. To change several paragraphs, select them all. Press Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac if you want the whole document.
- Select the Layout tab on the ribbon.
- In the Paragraph group, find Spacing and its After box.
- Click the up or down arrow to change the value in steps, or click in the box and type a number such as 0, 4, or 10, then press Enter.
- Look at the page. The gap below each selected paragraph should grow or shrink right away.
Word measures this space in points (pt). There are 72 points in an inch, so 12 pt is about the height of one line of 12-point text.
Remove space after paragraphs in one click
If you just want the extra gap gone, Word for Windows has a shortcut in the Home tab.
- Select the paragraphs.
- On the Home tab, select Line and Paragraph Spacing (the icon with up and down arrows beside lines of text).
- Choose Remove Space After Paragraph. If the menu shows Add Space After Paragraph instead, the selection already has no space after it.
This sets the After value to 0 pt. It does not change line spacing, so text inside each paragraph stays the same.
Set an exact value in the Paragraph dialog
The Paragraph dialog shows both before and after values, plus an option that often explains “missing” space.
- Select the paragraphs.
- On Windows, go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options. On a Mac, choose Format > Paragraph in the menu bar.
- On the Indents and Spacing tab, enter a value in After.
- Look at the box labeled Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style. If it is on, Word hides the after space between paragraphs that share a style, such as list items. Clear it if you want the gap to show.
- Select OK.
Change Spacing After for the whole document or future documents
To apply one after-paragraph value everywhere, the fastest route in Word for Windows is Design > Paragraph Spacing > Custom Paragraph Spacing, where you can set After for the document’s default style. The preset options on that menu, such as No Paragraph Space, also change line spacing, so use the custom option if you only want to change the gap.
To make a value the default for new blank documents on Windows:
- Open Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options.
- Enter the value you want in After.
- Select Set As Default.
- Choose All documents based on the Normal template, then select OK.
Choose This document only if you want the change limited to the file you have open. Microsoft explains the default settings in its guide to changing default spacing in Word.
Why the After value seems to do nothing
- The gap comes from blank lines. If someone pressed Enter twice between paragraphs, the extra space is an empty paragraph, not Spacing After. Turn on formatting marks with Home > Show/Hide (¶) and delete the extra ¶ marks.
- The next paragraph has space before it. A Before value on the following paragraph also adds space to the gap, so check that box too.
- Same-style spacing is suppressed. The Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style box can hide the gap. Clear it in the Paragraph dialog.
- The text is in a table. Row height and cell margins also affect how tight a table looks, so adjust those separately.
If lines inside a paragraph look too far apart, that is line spacing, not space after. Our guide to adjusting line spacing in Word covers that setting, and you can remove double spacing when both settings need fixing.
Common questions about space after paragraphs
What is the default space after a paragraph in Word?
A new blank document in current Microsoft 365 versions of Word typically adds 8 pt after each paragraph. Templates and other people’s files can use different values, so click in a paragraph and read the After box on the Layout tab to see the real number.
Can I use a value that isn’t in the arrow steps?
Yes. The arrows move in fixed steps, but you can type any value, such as 3 pt, directly in the After box.
Is space after better than pressing Enter twice?
Usually, yes. Spacing After keeps gaps consistent, moves with the text when you edit, and avoids stray blank paragraphs at the top of new pages.
Matt has been writing about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products since the days of Windows XP. He spends much of his time writing for sites like WindowBrain.com