How to Double Space on Word and Google Docs?

The double spaced format is a technique that is often used on essays and a variety of other documents. When the word content has received double spacing, the information seems much easier to follow – especially when you have a longer piece of content. But how do you do double spacing in Word – and most importantly, what does it mean to double spacing? To get an understanding of how to put double spacing in Word, you need to get an answer to the question “what does a double spaced essay look like?”

What Is Double Spacing?

So, what is double spaced in Word and Google Docs? You are probably acquainted with the term “single spacing,” representing one space line between every line of a particular type. Obviously, double-spacing is almost the same thing – only instead of one line, you have two lines. Let’s take Word, for example – there, the spacing feature allows you to fine-tune the spacing, regardless if you are going for 12 pages double spaced or 15 pages double spaced. You just have to select how much you wish to double-space and then select the option.

Double spaced meaning is easy to understand, but first, you need to understand its “bone structure.” Microsoft has three factors that determine the line spacing, and they go as follows:

• Before – This is the space appearing before every paragraph
• After – This is the appearing after every paragraph
• Line Spacing – This is the space appearing between every line, regardless of the paragraph setting.

Obviously, the more of those setting you select, the wider those spaces would be. But why would people do that? Well, the answer to that is quite simple: it helps us read faster. For example, when you read a full block of text that uses single-line texting, it can be quite intimidating to read through that entire text. The more intimidated we are, the more it can take us to read through the entire text. Not to mention that when everything is cramped together, we tend to read the same line repeatedly.

That said, when we are reading a double spaced essay format, for example, we are no longer cramped by the same block of intimidating text. Everything seems slightly more on the loose side, which means that it will help improve our flow – and therefore, allow us to finish reading faster. But there is also a catch when it comes to single spaced to double space conversion.

One thing that you will have to remember is that while single-line spacing may be more “compact and less intimidating,” it also takes less page space. For example, one page single spaced is usually equal to two pages double space. So, when you write one page double spaced, you practically only have half a page if you set it on a single space. And considering the average words per page double spaced is somewhere around 250 words, you get little content. It might be a little inconvenient if the professor asked you to provide a specific number of pages – or quite the opposite, very convenient, when you do not have as much content.

If you use Word 2010, the default setting you’ll be using is no spacing before and after a paragraph and single spacing between lines. You may choose to change the settings just once, and everything overwritten to the original state when you open a new document. However, if you wish to only use double spaced paragraph at all times, you might have it set permanently that way.

• How to Double Space on Word

A double spaced open office document might make it a bit easier for you to follow up on the content provided. You’ll notice that when you read a double spaced essay example, it is typically much easier for you to go through the whole content and take notes.

Bear in mind that while the operating system does not matter, you need to use different commands based on the Word version. If you are Word 2010, you may have to go through different commands. Here is how to double space in pages on Mac, Windows, or any other kind of computer that you may be using.

1. Select the paragraph that you are trying to double-space.
2. Go to “Format>Paragraph.” Depending on the version of Word that you are using, you may find the “Paragraph” section right on the front page (i.e., newer versions). Older word versions will have you looking for the “Format” menu.
3. Select “Line spacing.” Depending on the version of Word that you are using, double-spacing will appear as “Double” or “2.0.”
4. Select OK, and you are done.

The above-mentioned line spacing is done using a mouse. That said, let’s say that you are very lazy, have an entire document to double-space, you don’t have to bother with separate selection, and finding the Format section in Word seems like too much of a drag. In this case, here are some quick keyboard commands that will have your document formatted in seconds:

1. CTRL + A – This command will select your entire text.
2. CTRL + 2 – This will give the selected text double spacing.

See? It’s quite simple, really – and in most cases, double spacing takes just a couple of seconds.

• How to Double Space a Google Doc

Looking at it, there’s nothing different about double-spacing a Google document in comparison to a Word one. First things first, you need to go to the Google doc that you wish to edit, and then you take the following steps.

1. Select the text that you wish to have double-spaced. If you want to double-space the entire document, go to “Edit” and then “Select All.” This will highlight the entire document.
2. Go to “Format.” You will find it immediately at the top menu bar.
3. In the drop-down menu, you will see the option for “Line Spacing.” Alternatively, there will also be a button in the toolbar where you can make the selection right away. It looks like an icon featuring horizontal lines next to arrows pointing up and down.
4. Click “Double.”

Et voila! Now your text is double-spaced. If you’ve been bothered by the question “how do I double space in word,” this should tell you that it’s not at all difficult. Whether you have a small paragraph or five pages double spaced word count, it should be easy.

FAQ on Double Spacing Google Docs and Word

When you are setting the spacing of a document, you might find yourself facing a couple of questions. For people who are not yet familiar with Word, Google Docs, and their line spacing systems, here are the most questions answered on how to make word double spaced.

• Is latex double spacing different compared to Word?

In a way, you could say that Latex double spacing is different from Word. Unlike Word, where everything is set at the press of a button, Latex requires codes throughout the document. Think programming – but for a document. There are certain HTML commands that you can place before or after the text in Latex, and the final document will reflect that command.

• Are college essays double-spaced?

As a student, the thought may have crossed your mind: are college essays double spaced? Well, they can be – but not necessarily. If the focus of the professor is on a specific word count, they won’t care whether you are using APA single or double spaced text.

That being said, some professors will have their preferences. Some may want four pages double spaced word count because it is smoother to read. That said, other professors might prefer single spacing just so they no longer have to deal with a large bulk of papers.

• Is a book typically double spaced?

People commonly wonder, “are books double spaced?” To answer that question: once more, it depends on the publisher. Ideally, when you send out a manuscript, you may want to do it in double spacing, as it makes it easier to read through and leave notes.

That being said, whether you print a book in double spacing or single, it doesn’t matter much. Many publishing companies prefer 1.15 or 1.5 as the “in-between” since it saves paper space while making it easy for people to read.

• Is MLA format double spaced?

If you’ve been asking yourself the question “is MLA format double spaced,” then the answer to that is quite straightforward: yes, it is. If a professor asked you to format the paper in MLA, then you will have to select the MLA format double spaced option as well. There are several guides online that will tell you precisely how you should set double space Google docs or Word in the MLA style.

• How many double spaced pages is a single-spaced one?

When you are formatting a paper, you might be asking yourself: “does double spacing double length?” This depends on the number of pages that you are dealing with. On average, one single-spaced page will result in two double-spaced pages – give or take a few lines. This is why the law of the double doesn’t apply.

Let’s say that you are a student wondering, “7 pages double spaced is how many single spaced,” and your immediate thought goes to 3 and a half. Depending on the paragraph and character spacing that you are using, it might be true. However, the chances are that the accurate answer is much closer to 4 than 3½. The same thing goes for the question “how many single spaced pages is 5 double-spaced?” You might think it’s two and a half, but it’s a tad bit longer than that like, 2 and ¾.

• Is a cover letter double spaced?

Some people are asking themselves, “is a cover letter double spaced?” The answer to that depends. No one says you can’t double-space a cover letter – but that doesn’t mean you should. Go for standard single-line spacing and one blank line between paragraphs, as it makes things easier to read – without losing on the formal style.

Plus, it’s ideal that a cover letter only takes one page – and considering that one-page single-spaced equals two pages double spaced, this option is not that doable. The answer is different for “are letters double spaced” because those are informal; if you want to use double space, as long as it’s not official, you may.

• Are abstracts double-spaced?

If you’re writing a book or a paper, you might also come across the question, “is an abstract double spaced?” In most cases, it is. Abstracts are typically short, at about 250 words – and the average words per page double spaced is right about there. Double-space will allow the text to occupy the whole page – but be careful. You should only take one page for the abstract paragraph.

Final Thoughts

In the end, as you can see, it is very easy to double-space a paper. If the type of paper that you need to write requires double spacing, all you have to do is select the written text and then select the option for double spacing.