How to Change Character Spacing in Word
Character spacing is the space between letters in Word. Select the text, open Font → Advanced → Spacing, and choose Expanded or Condensed with an amount. Character spacing is separate from line and paragraph spacing.
This guide covers the desktop version of Word for Windows. Menu names and positions can differ between versions.
Set the spacing between characters
- Select the characters or sentence you want to change. Right-click and choose Font; select the entire document first if that is the intended scope.
- On Advanced, find Character Spacing → Spacing. Choose Expanded or Condensed and set the amount in points (pt).
- Check the preview and choose OK. Start with a small amount to reduce the chance of overlapping letters or unwanted line breaks.
Compare expanded and condensed spacing
Expanded adds space between the selected characters; Condensed reduces it. Compare the same sentence while changing only spacing so you can see what the setting affects. Check for collisions and changed wrapping. The same amount can look different with another font or font size.
| Setting | What changes |
|---|---|
| Character spacing | The space between characters. |
| Scale | The horizontal proportion of the characters themselves. |
| Line spacing | The vertical distance between lines within a paragraph. |
| Space before or after | The additional space between paragraphs. |
Choose the correct type of spacing
Use line and paragraph spacing settings when the problem is vertical space between lines or paragraphs. Do not use character spacing or Scale to solve that problem. Microsoft's text-spacing reference explains character spacing and scaling.
Return to normal spacing
Select the changed text and set Spacing → Normal in the same dialog. If you also changed Scale, inspect that setting separately. Immediately after an unwanted change, you can use Ctrl+Z. Manually inserted spaces remain when you reset character spacing, so check the underlying text too.
How to Stop Word from Creating Backup Files
Turn automatic .wbk backup copies off or on in Word. Understand why existing backups remain and how this setting differs from AutoRecover and AutoSave.
How to Insert Symbols and Special Characters in Word
Find and insert special characters using font and subset choices. Understand Wingdings symbols and check how they appear when the document is shared.
How to Add, Use, and Delete Bookmarks in Word
Name document locations with bookmarks, jump to them, and display or remove the markers. Learn how to use a bookmark as the destination of an internal link.
How to Copy Formatting in Word with Format Painter
Use Format Painter for text or paragraph formatting and apply it to multiple selections. Learn the current shortcuts and how formatting differs from styles.
How to Print Specific Pages in a Word Document with Sections
Use page-and-section range notation when page numbers restart. Find the current section and verify the intended pages before printing.
How to Save a Word Document as a PDF
Learn how to export a Word document as a PDF and choose page, quality, and markup settings. Check the saved file for font and layout changes.
How to Enter Hanja in Word Using Korean Input
Convert Korean characters, words, or selected text to Hanja in Word. Use Microsoft Korean IME when the keyboard has no dedicated Hanja key.
How to Password-Protect a Word Document and Remove Its Password
Set or remove a document-opening password and verify the saved file by reopening it. Understand the existing-password requirement and password-loss limitations.
How to Stop Automatic Hyperlinks in Word
Turn off automatic URL and email links, remove links that already exist, or insert one manually. Check the setting without confusing it with pasted formatting.
How to Insert a YouTube Video in Word
Insert a YouTube video by URL in current Word and distinguish older workflows. Check internet access, embedding permission, compatibility, and sharing requirements.