Paragraph spacing controls the space before and after a paragraph in Microsoft Word. It is separate from line spacing, which controls the distance between lines inside a paragraph. Use the Paragraph settings to make gaps consistent instead of adding empty lines.
Change spacing before or after paragraphs
- Select the paragraph or paragraphs you want to change. To change the entire document, press Ctrl+A in the document body.
- On the Layout tab, find the Spacing controls in the Paragraph group.
- Set Before for the gap above each selected paragraph and After for the gap below it. Word usually displays these values in points (pt).
- Review the result and adjust the values until the document reads comfortably.
For finer control, open the Paragraph dialog from the Home tab’s Paragraph group. Under Spacing, set Before and After; the same dialog also offers line-spacing controls. Microsoft’s paragraph-spacing instructions show both routes.
Remove a large gap between paragraphs
Select the affected paragraphs and set Before and After to 0 pt as a starting point. If the gap remains, show formatting marks with Home > ¶ and look for blank paragraphs or a page or section break. Also check whether the paragraph’s style adds spacing. Delete an extra blank paragraph only if it is not needed for the document structure.
Change the default for a consistent document
If many paragraphs need the same spacing, update the paragraph style instead of changing each one by hand. On Home > Styles, modify the style used by those paragraphs and set its paragraph spacing. This keeps new paragraphs consistent. Word also offers document-wide paragraph-spacing presets under Design > Paragraph Spacing in desktop versions.
Paragraph spacing versus line spacing
Before and After control the gaps between paragraphs. Line spacing controls lines within a paragraph, such as single, 1.5, or double spacing. If the lines inside each paragraph are too far apart, use Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing or the Paragraph dialog’s Line spacing setting. See our single-spacing guide for that task.
To see line spacing, paragraph spacing, and document-wide defaults side by side, read how to change spacing in Word.
Common questions
Why does Word still leave space after I press Enter?
The current paragraph style may apply After spacing to new paragraphs. Check that style or select the affected paragraphs and change After to 0 pt.
Should I insert blank lines between paragraphs?
Use paragraph spacing for a consistent gap. Empty paragraphs are harder to maintain and can affect pagination.
Can I change spacing in Word for the web?
Word for the web has paragraph and line-spacing controls, though its menus can differ from desktop Word. If a particular layout or style setting is unavailable there, open the document in the desktop app.
For line spacing specifically, see Microsoft’s line-spacing guide.
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