Office Settings & Configuration

How to Set Single Line Spacing as the Default in Microsoft Word

Ayan Masood Oct 7, 2026 872 views

Question details

The user needs to configure Microsoft Word so that all new documents automatically use single line spacing without having to adjust it manually every time.

How to Set Single Line Spacing as the Default in Microsoft Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating new documents and wanting a consistent single line spacing format applied by default.
Observed behavior: Previous attempts to set the default line spacing failed, and existing documents are not updating to single line spacing automatically.

Before you start

Keep in mind that changing the default line spacing in Word only affects newly created documents based on the Normal template; your existing documents will remain unchanged unless you edit them individually.

Solution 1Recommended

Set Default Spacing via the Paragraph Dialog

The most direct method to ensure all future blank documents use single line spacing.

This method updates the Normal template on your desktop version of Word. It is highly effective for standardizing future document creation, though it is important to remember that Word for the Web has limited support for these template-level default modifications.

Open Paragraph Settings

Navigate to the 'Home' tab on the Word ribbon. In the Paragraph group, click the small dialog box launcher icon in the bottom-right corner to open the Paragraph settings window.

Adjust Spacing

Look for the 'Spacing' section in the dialog box. Under the 'Line spacing' drop-down menu, select 'Single'.

Apply as Default

Click the 'Set as Default' button at the bottom of the dialog box.

Confirm Template Update

A prompt will appear. Select 'All documents based on the Normal.dotm template' and click 'OK' to save your new default settings.

Set Default Spacing via the Paragraph Dialog

Existing Documents: This solution will not automatically update files you have already created. You must manually apply single line spacing to older documents.

Solution 2

Modify the Normal Style in the Styles Gallery

An alternative method that permanently updates the core 'Normal' style applied to all blank documents.

Efficient Document Formatting

Easily Set Default Line Spacing with WPS Writer

If you are struggling with Word's template settings, WPS Writer offers a highly intuitive and familiar interface to customize your document defaults effortlessly. You can set single line spacing for all future documents in just a few clicks.

1. Create a Blank Document: Open WPS Writer and create a new blank document to access the main editing interface.
2. Open Paragraph Settings: Right-click anywhere on the blank page and select 'Paragraph' from the context menu.
3. Set Line Spacing to Default: In the dialog box, set the Line Spacing to 'Single'. Click the 'Default' button at the bottom, and confirm that you want this applied to the default template for all future documents.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word documents (.docx and .doc)Intuitive paragraph and style formatting toolsLightweight application that runs smoothly across multiple operating systemsFree to use with a familiar ribbon interface

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why didn't my default line spacing change apply to my older Word files?

Changing the default paragraph settings modifies the 'Normal.dotm' template, which acts as a blueprint only for newly created documents. Existing documents retain the formatting blueprint they were originally created with and must be updated individually.

Can I set default line spacing permanently in Word for the web?

Word for the web provides limited options for modifying core templates. To change default line spacing permanently for all future documents, you generally need to open the document in the desktop version of Microsoft Word and adjust the template settings there.

How can I apply single line spacing to all existing documents at once?

There is no built-in feature in Word to batch-change the line spacing of multiple existing documents simultaneously. You would either need to open each document and manually change the spacing, or use an advanced VBA macro to process multiple files in bulk.

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