Align and space paragraphs in Word for Mac
Word for Mac uses Command-L, Command-E, Command-R and Command-J for left, center, right and justified paragraph alignment. Command-1 sets single spacing and Command-2 double spacing.
Microsoft Word · Reviewed 2026-11-05 · Review method
Platform, keyboard and verification notes
- Scope
- Microsoft Word · Microsoft Word desktop for Mac; Mac section of Microsoft documentation checked 5 November 2026. Not Word for the web.
- Keyboard and customization
- English documentation and US-style key names. Punctuation and function keys can differ on other layouts.. These are documentation-backed defaults, not a hands-on test. App settings, operating-system shortcuts, extensions and keyboard layout can change what happens. Check focus and the current app menu or shortcut settings when a binding differs.
- Review basis
- Documentation reviewed 2026-11-05 by Codex — source and editorial review; no runtime test. These bindings were not tested in a running app for this guide.
Mac shortcuts for this workflow
| Action | Keys | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Align left | Command-L | Apply paragraph alignment, not character positioning. Source ↗ |
| Center paragraph | Command-E | Center the paragraph within its available width. Source ↗ |
| Align right | Command-R | Align the paragraph to its right edge. Source ↗ |
| Justify | Command-J | Distribute paragraph text across its width. Source ↗ |
| Single spacing | Command-1 | Change paragraph line spacing. Source ↗ |
| Double spacing | Command-2 | Use the specified wider line spacing. Source ↗ |
Use paragraph controls for paragraph problems
Spaces and repeated tabs can make a heading appear centered in one view but drift when fonts or page width change. Alignment belongs to the paragraph. Position the caret in the intended paragraph or select the paragraphs you want to change, then inspect the result against the page margins and surrounding text.
Do not confuse spacing with blank paragraphs
Line spacing controls the distance within paragraph text. Pressing Return repeatedly creates additional paragraphs, which can behave differently when the document is edited. Check paragraph spacing and style settings through Word’s visible controls if the gap between sections is the actual issue rather than the lines inside one paragraph.
Compare the choices on a sample passage
Use a disposable paragraph with enough lines to see the difference between left alignment and justification. Apply the alignment shortcuts one at a time and compare the edges. Then test single and double spacing. A style can carry these settings for repeated use, so prefer a coherent style to manually fixing every paragraph in a long document.
Sources and corrections
- Keyboard shortcuts in Word — Microsoft Support, Mac section — checked 2026-11-05
Found a mismatch? Email pashaseenainc@gmail.com with your app version, macOS version, keyboard layout and the command. Please leave personal document names out.
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