Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. 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: Using a Single-Column Heading in a Multi-Column Layout.

Using a Single-Column Heading in a Multi-Column Layout

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated February 27, 2021)

There may be many times when your document layout calls for using a single-column section in the middle of a multi-column page layout. For instance, if you are creating a newsletter, you may want three columns in the newsletter, but a headline that spreads across all the columns. To do this, follow these steps:

Format your page so that it uses three columns.
Type your newsletter article. It should spread across the three columns as you would expect.
At the beginning of the article, type the text that you want to appear as the headline or banner. (Make sure you press Enter at the end of the headline or banner.)
Select the paragraph containing the headline or banner.
Display the Layout tab of the ribbon.
Click the Columns tool in the Page Setup group and then click More Columns. Word displays the Columns dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Columns dialog box.

Choose One from the Preset area at the top of the dialog box.
Using the Apply To drop-down list, choose Selected Text.
Click on OK.
Format your headline paragraph the way you want it to appear.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9357) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Using a Single-Column Heading in a Multi-Column Layout.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

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