# Line spacing default in MS Word 2007 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 27, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/line-spacing-default-in-ms-word-2007/504447 "2009-07-27T17:02:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/line-spacing-default-in-ms-word-2007/504447/1 "2009-07-27T17:02:29Z")
I am using Word 2007 for work. I generally like it. However, there is one preset that I hate. When I open a new document, the default style is “Normal.” The new normal, unfortunately, includes a space between paragraphs. 99% of the time I don’t want the extra space, and I am perfectly capable of hitting the return button when I do! This drives me crazy – especially when I am adding several shapes/text boxes that also default to “Normal.” There generally isn’t room to include the extra spacing inside there, and I end up having to change the style to “No Spacing” over and over. Is there a way to set up my version of Word to automatically set the style to “No Spacing” whenever I open a new document? This would also need to include the style in any text boxes. Thanks. I appreciate any help! ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/line-spacing-default-in-ms-word-2007/504447/2 "2009-07-27T17:36:16Z")
Assuming 2007 works like 2003 you want to open normal.doc and change things as you’d like them then save the file. That will then be your new default. Normal.doc should be someplace like here: C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/line-spacing-default-in-ms-word-2007/504447/3 "2009-07-27T18:20:58Z")
Open up Word with a blank document. In the Styles pane, right click on the “Normal” style and click “modify”. You’ll get a dialog box up to customise the style. At the bottom, there is a radio button that says “New documents based on this template”. Make sure this is selected. You can then make whatever adjustments you want, and they’ll be remembered in all blank documents from now on. To change the line height (in the same dialog box) click the Format button at the bottom left, and select “Paragraph…”. You want to set the “after” line spacing to zero. I _think_ this property should get inherited by text boxes and the like, as most other paragraph styles are based on the basic Normal style. I couldn’t swear to it though. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/line-spacing-default-in-ms-word-2007/504447/4 "2009-07-28T00:38:01Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Assuming 2007 works like 2003 you want to open normal.doc and change things as you’d like them then save the file. That will then be your new default. Normal.doc should be someplace like here: > C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates It does not. And it’s normal.dot. **Dead Badger** is correct, and yes it does apply to text boxes. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/line-spacing-default-in-ms-word-2007/504447/5 "2009-07-28T00:50:36Z")
Thanks Dead Badger! My workplace has all the stations with the default settings and the paragraph line spacing and post-paragraph indentation were annoying to change every time. ---
**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/line-spacing-default-in-ms-word-2007/504447/6 "2009-07-28T01:19:38Z")
Hooray! It works. Thanks **Dead Badger**! ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/line-spacing-default-in-ms-word-2007/504447/7 "2009-07-28T01:42:36Z")
Does this advice also apply to line spacing? By default I get double spacing. Ticks me off why they do stuff like this. Can’t they leave well-enough alone? ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/line-spacing-default-in-ms-word-2007/504447/8 "2009-07-28T07:33:39Z")
You’re welcome, guys. And yep, you can make whatever changes you want; line spacing is also in the Paragraph formatting section. Another change I recommend: in the “Font” section, under “character spacing”, enable kerning for fonts of 6pt size and above (kerning adjusts letter spacing depending on what the characters are, and makes modern fonts look better). I really really don’t understand why this isn’t on by default in the world’s most used word processor.