For one-inch margins on all four sides in Word, choose Layout > Margins > Normal. Normal is Word’s preset for 1 inch at the top, bottom, left, and right of the page. Check the result if the document has multiple sections or special page settings.
Set one-inch margins
- Open the document and select Layout > Margins.
- Choose Normal. In current desktop Word, the preset lists 1 inch for top, bottom, left, and right.
- Review the pages in Print Layout or print preview. A margin change can move text, tables, images, and page breaks.
- Save the document after confirming the layout.
Enter exact values manually
Choose Layout > Margins > Custom Margins. In Page Setup, enter 1 inch for Top, Bottom, Left, and Right. If Word shows another measurement unit, enter its equivalent or change Word’s display unit. Check the Apply to setting before confirming so the intended section or whole document is changed.
If only some pages change
Documents with section breaks can have different margin settings by section. Microsoft notes that a new margin choice may apply only to the current section when a document has multiple sections. Place the cursor in the intended section or use Page Setup’s Apply to control, then check every section. Our margin adjustment guide covers the broader choices.
Make one-inch margins the default for new documents
If new documents keep opening with different margins, save one inch as your default in desktop Word.
- Select Layout > Margins > Custom Margins.
- Enter 1 inch for Top, Bottom, Left, and Right.
- Select Set As Default in the lower-left corner of Page Setup. On a Mac, the button is labeled Default.
- Confirm the change when Word asks.
The change is saved to Word’s Normal template, so new blank documents start with one-inch margins. Existing documents keep their current settings until you change them. In older versions such as Word 2013, the Margins button is on the Page Layout tab instead of Layout.
Margins versus other spacing
The page margin is the space between the page edge and the main body text. Header and footer positions, paragraph indents, and cell padding are separate settings. If text still appears too close to an edge after choosing Normal, inspect those settings and the page size before changing margins again.
Sources: Microsoft Support: Change margins; Microsoft Support: Create custom margins.
If your margins look wrong or only some pages change, a separate guide explains how to fix margins in Word using Page Setup and section settings.
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