Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Detailed Measurements.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 23, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
The ruler, when displayed in Word, is a very helpful tool. However, it would sometimes be very nice to know a bit more than what the ruler can quickly show you. For instance, you can see on the ruler that you have a tab set at three inches, but what if you want to know how far that tab is from the right margin instead of the left?
Word includes a nifty feature that allows you to see exactly where your tabs and margin settings reside on a line. To take advantage of this tool, click on a tab or margin marker on the ruler. Do not release the mouse button, however. Now, click on the right mouse button. You should now be holding down both mouse buttons.
If you move the mouse ever so slightly, you'll notice that the normal ruler measurements disappear and instead there are distance measurements. The measurements outside the margins show how far to the edge of the paper; those inside show how far it is from a tab to both margins.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (7980) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Detailed Measurements.
Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!
When automatically capitalizing the beginning of sentences, Word relies on how you historically have done your typing. ...
Discover MoreWord allows you to change the character of how your pages are designed by using multiple sections in a document. If you ...
Discover MoreSection breaks got your document formatting all messed up? It could be because of the way you added the section breaks in ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2021-10-04 04:56:18
Hazel Sweeney
Hi
We have a word template for a standard letterheading that we are looking to set up for our organisation. We have created fields in a section of the document for name, address etc. We would like to lock the fields so noone when we protect the document can then move the field layout all on the section to ensure that this is printed in the correct place for our window envelope Could you give me the name of what I need to apply on word to achieve this please?
2020-05-26 11:23:57
Cynthia
Allen,
Thank you so very much for all your helpful Word information. You're the No. 1 go-to for assistance.
I come from an InDesign/InCopy/points world and am so frustrated with Word. I simply want to know the exact measurement of a header rule but can't for the life of me, figure out how to measure it. Would you please help me?
Thank you.
Cynthia
2019-03-26 13:34:46
Allan
Now works ok in my Word 2007.
2019-03-25 13:01:06
Falk
I use Word 2010 at home and 2016 at work. Both seem to work the same. Surprised, it doesn't work in 2007...
The shift button restricts the mouse movements to remain axis-parallel only, which of course is quite unnecessary for this feature here. In positioning objects it is often rather handy.
2019-03-25 10:37:35
Maggie
You can also accomplish the same thing by holding down the Alt key as you slide the mouse.
2019-03-24 16:32:03
Allan
Left button +Alt+Sft does not work in Word 2007--at least not in mine.
2019-03-23 12:59:46
Falk
I just noticed that you can achieve the same thing by clicking and holding the left mouse button while holding down ALT and SHIFT. This feature exists in PowerPoint as well and helps a lot when fine-adjusting object positions. So you can use this feature in WORD to fine-position your autoforms, to.
Be careful though - ALT+SHIFT, at the same time, also switches through the available set of keyboard language layouts (above the SysTray of the Windows task bar, EN for English, DE for German etc.). So keep an eye out for typing "y" instead of "Z" afterwards. Hit the combination again as often as necessary to get back your desired language keyboard layout.
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here:
Comments