How to Indent in Word

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While writing, it is important to use indents before the start of a new paragraph. This keeps it looking nicely formatted. This wikiHow teaches you different ways to indent paragraphs in Microsoft Word.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Indenting a Sentence

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  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/48\/Indent-in-Word-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/48\/Indent-in-Word-Step-1.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":343,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":543,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    You can do this by double-clicking the file on your computer.
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cb\/Indent-in-Word-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/cb\/Indent-in-Word-Step-2.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":342,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":542,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    This inserts a standard indent, which is 0.5” wide. [1]
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  3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/49\/Indent-in-Word-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/49\/Indent-in-Word-Step-3.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":349,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":553,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Once you reach the end of the line, Word will automatically arrange your text so that only the first line contains that 0.5” space.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Indenting an Entire Paragraph

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  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2c\/Indent-in-Word-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2c\/Indent-in-Word-Step-4.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":343,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":543,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    You can do this by double-clicking the file on your computer.
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f2\/Indent-in-Word-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f2\/Indent-in-Word-Step-5.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-5.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":348,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":551,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    To do this, click the mouse before the first word, then drag the cursor (don’t let go of the button!) all the way to the end. When you lift your finger from the button, the paragraph should appear highlighted in blue.
  3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/1b\/Indent-in-Word-Step-6.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-6.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/1b\/Indent-in-Word-Step-6.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-6.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":342,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":542,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    The entire selected paragraph will move 0.5” to the right.
    • To move the paragraph another 0.5”, press Tab ↹ again.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using a Hanging Indent

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  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/38\/Indent-in-Word-Step-7.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-7.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/38\/Indent-in-Word-Step-7.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-7.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":343,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":543,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    You can do this by double-clicking the file on your computer.
    • A hanging indent indents the second line of a paragraph instead of the first. This type of indent is most often used in bibliographies and reference pages.
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Indent-in-Word-Step-8.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-8.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Indent-in-Word-Step-8.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-8.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":348,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":551,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    To do this, click the mouse before the first word, then drag the cursor (don’t let go of the button!) all the way to the end. When you lift your finger from the button, the paragraph should appear highlighted in blue.
  3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/07\/Indent-in-Word-Step-9.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-9.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/07\/Indent-in-Word-Step-9.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-9.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":343,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":543,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    A pop-up will appear.
  4. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b6\/Indent-in-Word-Step-10.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-10.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b6\/Indent-in-Word-Step-10.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-10.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":343,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":543,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
  5. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/35\/Indent-in-Word-Step-11.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-11.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/35\/Indent-in-Word-Step-11.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-11.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":344,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":545,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    It’s in the “Indentation” section.
  6. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3d\/Indent-in-Word-Step-12.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-12.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3d\/Indent-in-Word-Step-12.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-12.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":346,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":547,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
  7. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2d\/Indent-in-Word-Step-13.jpg\/v4-460px-Indent-in-Word-Step-13.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2d\/Indent-in-Word-Step-13.jpg\/aid9089092-v4-728px-Indent-in-Word-Step-13.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":346,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":548,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    The second line in the paragraph will move 0.5” inward.
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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.owled.com/apa1.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Press the Tab key before the first word of a sentence to indent the line.
      To indent an entire paragraph, highlight the text, then press Tab .

      Did this summary help you?
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