Whether you are writing an essay for school or a report for work or some other written assignment, you will need to choose line spacing. Most people prefer to write with double line spacing, because this makes the flow of words easier for the reader to follow. How you format your spacing depends on the word processing software you are using. By adjusting the correct settings, you will be able to double the line spacing in your work, for an entire document or for a chosen amount of text.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Double the leading in Microsoft Word
Step 1. Open the document you are working on
It can be a blank page if you plan to format the whole file and haven't started writing yet.
Step 2. Create a default formatting that will ensure that double leading is used throughout the document
- Look in the Styles group on the toolbar. In the Home tab, right click on Normal. When the menu appears, click on To modify.
- Go to the menu Format and click on the button Double the line spacing.
- Click on OK. This will put double spacing throughout the entire document.
Step 3. Create an area to place double line spacing within your document
This can be a portion of text in a single-spaced document or in a document with multiple leading sizes.
- Select the text whose line spacing you want to double.
- Click on Line and Paragraph Spacing, which can be found in the Paragraphs group on the Home tab.
- Click on option 2.0. This will double the leading of the area you selected in the document.
Method 2 of 3: Double line spacing in WordPerfect software
Step 1. Use the Line Spacing feature in WordPerfect
This allows you to set up double spacing between lines throughout the document or only in one section.
Step 2. Click Format
You will see a menu that offers Line. Click on Line then on Line spacing.
Step 3. Type 2
0 in the Spacing field that will appear.
Rather than offering a limited number of choices, WordPerfect will ask you to create your own value for line spacing. The value 2.0 means double spacing.
Step 4. Keep in mind that the double leading will take place from where your cursor is in the text
Place your cursor at the very top of the page if you want the entire document to be double-spaced. The entire document will be double-spaced until you readjust it to another value, for example 1.0 for single-spaced
Method 3 of 3: Double the leading in Google Docs
Step 1. Open Google Docs in your Internet browser
Sign in to your account if you aren't signed in automatically and find your Google Docs list.
Step 2. From the list, click on the text document whose line spacing you want to double
- Click on Create a document if you are starting a new document and want to use double spacing.
Step 3. Select the text box whose line spacing you want to double
Highlight it (by keeping the left button pressed and selecting the area with the mouse). If you want to process the entire document or create a new document, hold down the Control key (Ctrl) and press the A key.
Step 4. Click Format
Among the options, click Line spacing. You will be presented with four options.
