In desktop Microsoft Word, change the gap between letters with character spacing. Select the exact text first; the setting can apply to one word, a heading, or a longer passage.
Expand or condense letter spacing
- Select the text you want to change.
- On Home, open the Font dialog using the small arrow at the corner of the Font group. Choose the Advanced tab.
- Under Character Spacing, set Spacing to Expanded to add space or Condensed to reduce it. Enter an amount in the By box.
- Select OK. Check the resulting line breaks and page layout. If it is too strong, reopen the dialog and use a smaller amount.
To undo this formatting for selected text, return to Advanced > Spacing and choose Normal.
Choose the right control
Spacing changes the gap between all selected characters by a consistent amount. Kerning for fonts adjusts particular letter pairs, such as AV, above the point size you set; it does not create the same gap everywhere. Scale stretches or compresses the shapes of the characters horizontally, so use Spacing when you want to change only the gaps.
If your problem is between words, the cause may be justified alignment, tabs, or repeated spaces rather than letter spacing. See our guide to unusual spacing between words. For vertical space between lines or paragraphs, use paragraph and style settings instead of the Font dialog.
If the letters look fine but the gaps between words are wrong, learn how to add or fix the space between words instead of changing character spacing.
Keep the text readable
Make small changes, especially in body text. Expanded or condensed text can alter wrapping and page breaks. Recheck headings, tables, and print or PDF output after applying the change. The names above follow the current desktop Word controls; Word for the web may show fewer typography options.
Source: Microsoft Support: Change the spaces between text in Word.
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