Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 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: Indenting a Paragraph to the Next Tab Stop.

Indenting a Paragraph to the Next Tab Stop

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated July 12, 2019)

Using the tools on the Home tab of the ribbon, you can quickly and easily indent a paragraph to the next tab stop for that paragraph. If there are no explicit tab stops set for the paragraph, then it will be indented to the next default tab stop (usually 1/2 inch). To indent a paragraph to the next tab stop, follow these steps:

Make sure the insertion point is in the paragraph that you want to indent or that you have selected text in all the paragraphs you wish to indent the same.
Display the Home tab of the ribbon.
Click on the Increase Indent tool, in the Paragraph group.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9592) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Indenting a Paragraph to the Next Tab Stop.

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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What is one more than 7?

2019-07-12 13:03:47

Anne Denniston

You can also press Ctrl+M.

2019-07-12 11:02:14

Maggie

Ctrl+M is faster for those who prefer the keyboard. Multiple clicks on Ctrl+M will incrementally indent the paragraph to the next tab stop. (Ctrl+Shift+M will "unindent" the paragraph.)

2019-07-12 07:19:22

Jen

Or press Ctrl+M; this is especially useful in tables and in Outlook email.

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