“Dear jmexclusives, I really need your help on how to change the paragraph spacing in WordPress lines. For one thing, every time I hit the ‘enter’ button, it automatically includes an extra space. So, how can I change it to a single-spaced line without having extra space?
The main reason for this is that I’m writing poetry. So, it looks awkward with such big spaces in between each line.” Well, as you can see, that’s what one of our content readers tasked us to do. Therefore, in this guide, I’ll be basing my answer specifically on that question. Among other reasons why other web users would like to use single spaces between their content.
Before you know how paragraph spacing in content works, there are potential elements you need to consider first. First of all, it’s important to note that the basics of editing in a CMS platform like WordPress are as a result of a basic introduction to Microsoft Word.
As you know, we all use Microsoft Word in one way or another for word processing and document creation. It also has document collaboration and editing tools that can help polish your Worded documents. Not only that but with time, Microsoft has recently past introduced a way to work together on your Word documents online.
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Especially, using its new Word Online Tools — Office 365 Features free of charge. Sounds great, right? And there is even a Word Online App to make things, even more, better for you! With these new great tools, you can create, edit, and even share Word documents online easily.
You’ll even work with others on shared projects, in real-time. Office Online combines the most common Office features and real-time co-authoring capabilities. So teams at school and at home can collaborate on shared documents, presentations, and spreadsheets.
It also works with the Office applications installed on your desktop. Let’s now look at what paragraph spacing in content is using an illustration below.
What is Paragraph Spacing?
As you design your document and make formatting decisions, you will need to consider line and paragraph spacing. You can increase spacing to improve readability and reduce it to fit more text on the page. You can download the practice document. Line spacing is the space between each line in a paragraph.
As an example, Word allows you to customize the line spacing in various formats. Like to be single-spaced (one line high), double-spaced (two lines high), or any other amount you want. The default spacing in Word is 1.08 lines, which is slightly larger than single-spaced.
From experience, in terms of web design or development, at times, a webmaster may require to write several lines of JavaScript alongside their blog posts. As such, they too must know how to change the paragraph spacing in their WordPress lines.
Unlike in Microsoft Word, when it comes to CMS editors like WordPress (Classic or Gutenberg), there at times limited or no added features to change the spacing between paragraphs. As I will inform you, there are two methods of word processing and document creation for any webmaster.
Examples of Word Processing in Document Creation
First, word processing & document creation all starts with learning the key skills of using Microsoft Word from your day one in a computer class. Secondly, as you advance into word processing and document creation, you’ll meet other advanced platforms to assist you.
Such advanced platforms include WordPress — my main example of a Content Management System for word design on websites. As well as Canva — a graphic design platform, used to create social media graphics, presentations, posters, documents, and other visual content.
The best thing about the Canva App is that it already includes templates for users to use. But, although the platform is free to use, it also offers paid subscriptions to its advanced users. Like Canva Pro and Canva for Enterprise for additional functionality.
On the other hand, with Microsoft Word, you can easily collaborate for free with an online version. Whereby, you can also save your processed documents in OneDrive. Or even share them with others and work together at the same time.
How to Change the Paragraph Spacing in Word Processors
Whether you are using a Word Processing tool like Microsoft 365, Word 2019, Word 2016, or Word 2013, it’s very easy to change paragraph spacing. By using the editorial tools that are very easily accessible on their menu bars.
So, with the Word Processing Tools, you can choose how you want to work. And as such, you can even use Office Online, for instance, to dynamically collaborate with real-time co-authoring online. And even if you already have Microsoft Office, you’ll continue working with the full power of Word, PowerPoint, and Excel applications installed on your PC or Mac.
What’s more, getting started is so simple. As you create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations online or with a desktop version of Office. As you also save them online in OneDrive or even share them with others to collaborate in real time (learn more).
To format line spacing:
- Select the text you want to format,
- On the Home tab, click the Line and Paragraph Spacing command,
- Then select the desired line spacing and click the item to activate it,
- You’ll now see the line spacing change in the text field of the document,
As you’ll notice, your line spacing options aren’t limited to the ones in the line and paragraph spacing menu. Therefore, to adjust the spacing with even more precision, you can select the line spacing options from the menu.
Doing so allows you to access the paragraph dialog box more quickly. And you’ll then have a few additional options you can use to customize spacing as I’ll illustrate below:
The additional options include:
- Exactly: When you choose this option, the line spacing is measured in points, just like font size.
- For example, if you’re using 12-point text, you could use 15-point spacing.
- At least: Like the Exactly option, this lets you choose how many points of spacing you want.
- As for different sizes of text on the same line, the spacing will expand to fit the larger text.
- Multiple: This option lets you type the number of lines of spacing you want.
- Choosing Multiple and changing the spacing to 1.2 will make the text slightly spread out.
- If you want the lines to be closer together, you can choose a smaller value, like 0.9.
Blog editors and word processors are not the same and do not work the same way. The web standard is one blank line only. So, you cannot add more blank lines by pressing return repeatedly as you would do with a typewriter or in a word processing application.
You can read and learn more about how to change the spacing between paragraphs in detail.
How to Change the Paragraph Spacing in a CMS Platform
When it comes to WordPress as the most preferred CMS platform, it’s very easy to change the paragraph spacing in your post or page editor too. That said, let’s learn how you can easily and correctly edit your line spacing. Without worrying so much that you’ll need to tweak around any Déjà vu code.
In the classic editor, if you are working in the Visual editor, to get single spacing between paragraphs hold the SHIFT key down and simultaneously click ENTER at the end of the paragraph. If you are working in the Text or HTML editor, a single click of the ENTER button will give you a single-spaced line. While two clicks of the ENTER button will result in double spaced lines.
What if you are copying and pasting from a word processing document like Microsoft WORD? First, you should note that the pasting text as WORD button was removed from the editor months ago. If you use the Paste as plain text button then a special cleanup process will run. In order to remove any special formatting and HTML tags that may otherwise change your text.
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Therefore you have to do your own formatting and spacing. So, whether or not you are copying and pasting go to > Dashboard > Settings > Writing and enable this setting: Formatting
__ WordPress should correct invalidly nested XHTML automatically to “save changes.”
What’s More! When you create a new post, always make sure the Format tool is set to Paragraph before you start typing. It’s in the Visual editor Row 2 first position “style”. You can see the sample illustration for a more clear picture. If you forget to do that then you should edit the post, by highlighting it all in the Visual editor.
Then thereafter, select Paragraph from the Format tool, switch the editor to Text then switch back to Visual, and click Update. Also, note this raincoaster’s editing tip: When you fix the spacing, you have to start at the top and work down. If you start at the bottom and work up, it always double spaces at least one line.
RELATED SOURCES:
- Reduce line spacing | WordPress.org
- Topic: How do I remove spacing between paragraphs?
- How to Add a Line Break in WordPress (New Line Spacing)
- 10 Tips and Tricks to Become a Master of Microsoft Word
- How To Add Single Or Double Line Spacing In WordPress
Finally, if you want to learn how to format and space your posts and pages even further, you can see this article that explains more in detail. Feel free to share some of your additional thoughts and questions in our comments section.
But, if you’ll need more support, you can Contact Us and let us know how we can help you.
