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: Getting a Double-Spaced Printout.

Getting a Double-Spaced Printout

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 28, 2021)

It is not uncommon to need a double-spaced printout of a document while you are developing it. However, it can be bothersome to save the document as double-spaced, particularly if the need for double-spacing is only temporary (meaning your final document will be single-spaced). If you need an easy way to print a double-spaced document, follow these quick steps:

Save your document.
Press Ctrl+A. Your entire document is selected.
Press Ctrl+2. Word double-spaces the document.
Press Ctrl+P to print your document.
Close your document without saving

This last step is particularly important; if you save your document it will be permanently double-spaced. Unless you really want it that way, make sure you close without saving.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13052) 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: Getting a Double-Spaced Printout.

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 four more than 7?

2021-08-28 11:05:32

Tomek in Mississauga

@David in Mississippi: On my version (365 Family) the Heading2 default assignment is Alt+Ctrl+2, similarly other headings use Alt+Ctrl+number. So it shouldn't be a problem.

2021-08-28 06:57:34

David in Mississippi

You need to also provide alternative ways to access this feature, as MANY installations of Word have the Ctrl-2 keystroke shortcut assigned to HEADING 2. This was the default assignment for this key combination for a long time.

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