Formatting Issues

How to Remove Extra Spacing After Numbers in a Word Multilevel List

Elise Williams Sep 30, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to eliminate excessive blank space that appears between the list number and the text in a multilevel list.

How to Remove Extra Spacing After Numbers in a Word Multilevel List

Product: Word Processing Software
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Formatting structured documents or legal articles where specific multilevel list formats (such as ARTICLE I, Section 1) are required.
Observed behavior: Excessive spacing appears immediately after the list number, which causes the heading text to misalign and prevents article titles from being centered accurately.

Before you start

Click directly on the misaligned list number to highlight it before making adjustments to ensure your formatting changes apply to the correct list level.

Solution 1Recommended

Change 'Follow number with' Settings in the List Options

The most effective way to eliminate the large gap is to change the default tab character that follows the list number to 'Nothing' or a standard space.

By default, word processors use a tab character after list numbers. If your text is long or your margins are adjusted, this tab can push the text far to the right, causing a massive gap.

Select the list number

Right-click directly on the list number (e.g., 'ARTICLE I') that has the excessive spacing.

Open list indents settings

Select 'Adjust List Indents' from the context menu. Alternatively, you can click 'Multilevel List' in the Home tab ribbon and select 'Define New Multilevel List'.

Expand the formatting options

If you are in the 'Define New Multilevel List' dialog box, click the 'More >>' button in the bottom left corner to reveal advanced settings.

Modify the following character

Locate the 'Follow number with' dropdown menu at the bottom right. Change it from 'Tab character' to 'Nothing' (or 'Space' if you want a minimal gap).

Apply and verify

Click 'OK' to apply the changes. Check if the heading is now aligned properly and can be centered.

Change 'Follow number with' Settings in the List Options

Alignment Tip: While in this menu, you can also manually tweak the 'Aligned at' and 'Text indent at' values to perfectly align all sub-levels of your list.

Solution 2

Verify Paragraph and Heading Style Indentation

If fixing the list settings does not resolve the issue, underlying paragraph indents or modified heading styles might be overriding your formatting.

Easily Format Multilevel Lists with WPS Writer

WPS Office provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface for managing complex document formatting, including multilevel lists, legal numbering, and heading alignments. You can effortlessly adjust list spacing without worrying about layout breaks.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing the problematic list.
2. Access list settings: Right-click the list number and select 'Bullets and Numbering' from the context menu.
3. Customize the list level: Navigate to the 'Customize' option for your currently active multilevel list.
4. Adjust the spacing: Change the 'Follow number with' setting to 'Space' or 'Nothing', then click OK to instantly fix the alignment.

Highly intuitive list adjustment tools to quickly fix spacing and alignment issues.Seamless compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx) document formatting.Advanced paragraph, styling, and layout tools available for free.Lightweight application with a familiar, easy-to-navigate user interface.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is there a huge gap after my list number in Word?

By default, word processors follow list numbers with a Tab character. If your heading text pushes past the default tab stop, the text automatically jumps to the next available tab stop, creating a massive gap. Changing the 'Follow number with' setting to a Space or Nothing prevents this jump.

How do I fix list spacing for all headings at once?

Instead of adjusting a single paragraph, ensure your multilevel list is linked to a specific Heading Style. When you modify the multilevel list settings via 'Define New Multilevel List', the spacing and alignment changes will automatically apply to all headings that share that level.

Can I use a normal space instead of removing the space entirely?

Yes. In the 'Adjust List Indents' or 'Define New Multilevel List' dialog box, simply select 'Space' from the 'Follow number with' dropdown menu instead of 'Nothing'. This keeps a standard single space between the list number and your text.

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