# How can the standard page margins be set in Word? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 7, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-the-standard-page-margins-be-set-in-word/563310 "2010-12-07T19:23:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-the-standard-page-margins-be-set-in-word/563310/1 "2010-12-07T19:23:35Z")
I open Word and a blank page shows up that now has a right margin of 7.5 inches. But it used to be a 6.5. I don’t know how it was changed and how to get it back. Nothing in the Index explains it well enough. How do I find out? Any help here? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-the-standard-page-margins-be-set-in-word/563310/2 "2010-12-07T20:09:34Z")
Try the “Format” drop down menu, and select “Document” - it should give you the options for changing the margins. As to why it happened, well, that’s Word. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-the-standard-page-margins-be-set-in-word/563310/3 "2010-12-07T20:18:02Z")
I guess I should have also said this is Word 2000. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-the-standard-page-margins-be-set-in-word/563310/4 "2010-12-07T20:23:14Z")
[Let me Google that for you](http://www.google.com/search?q=word+2000+margins). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-the-standard-page-margins-be-set-in-word/563310/5 "2010-12-07T20:48:55Z")
Change the margin to what you want and then save it as the default template. Or, look for the “normal.dot” file and delete it. Word will recreate it with the standard margins. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-the-standard-page-margins-be-set-in-word/563310/6 "2010-12-07T21:16:03Z")
Changing the margin only applies to the document you are working on. To set a new default margin, fonts etc. you have to open normal.dot, make the change, and save. ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-the-standard-page-margins-be-set-in-word/563310/7 "2010-12-08T00:55:54Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Changing the margin only applies to the document you are working on. > > To set a new default margin, fonts etc. you have to open normal.dot, make the change, and save. Editing of normal.dot is not required: 1. Menu: File - Page Setup 2. Tab: Margins 3. Set the margin values 4. Click the Default button