# Very basic Microsoft Word question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 1, 2022, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727 "2022-09-01T13:40:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/1 "2022-09-01T13:40:09Z")
This has been bothering me for years. Maybe it’s time to ask for help. Suppose I want to make a simple list of things in Word. Not a bulleted list, just a plain text list. Most of the items are short, but there is one very long item that proceeds onto the next line. After that, more short items. What happens in this case is that the second line of the long item start at the left margin, aligned with all the other items on the list. I would like this end portion of that long item to automatically indent a bit, so it stands out from the rest of the list and it becomes clear that it is the remainder of an item and not the beginning of a new item. I cannot figure out how to indent just this line and not the line above it as well. I hope I explained this well enough. Thanks! mmm ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/2 "2022-09-01T13:45:52Z")
You can adjust the portion of the document that is the _ **list** _ using the **ruler**. _If the Ruler is not showing go to View then click on Ruler._ Highlight the entire list section, _on the ruler on the left hand side is a pair of pointers pointing at each other over a little rectangle._ The lower pointer (pointing up) will adjust the start of lines after the initial line of the paragraph. Try sliding that to the right and it should do as you’re describing. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/3 "2022-09-01T13:55:11Z")
Near the top of the screen under the ribbon, you see the ruler. The ruler is numbered in inches if you’re in the US and I suppose cm otherwise. The center of the ruler is white with the two outer portions gray. Near the left edge of the gray is a small triangle pointing up At the top of the ruler there is another small triangle pointing down. The lower triangle marks the margin of the current paragraph. The upper triangle marks the indent for the start of the paragraph. Put the mouse pointer on the upper triangle and drag it left. This will make the first line of any item (ended by an {enter}) start at the upper triangle while succeeding lines start at the lower triangle. You can now move the lower triangle to locate the list items. As you move the lower triangle the upper triangle will move with it keeping the offset. ETA: Or mostly what What\_Exit said, except that you can’t adjust just the lower triangle as it moves the upper as well. You need to move the upper to set the offset, then adjust the lower to locate right. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/4 "2022-09-01T13:58:50Z")
It sounds like you want your list formatted with a **hanging indent**. You can do this by adjusting the ruler, as others have stated, but this might be easier: > **[Create a hanging indent - Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/create-a-hanging-indent-7bdfb86a-c714-41a8-ac7a-3782a91ccad5)** > > How to add a hanging indent to a paragraph in Word. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/5 "2022-09-01T13:59:23Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > ETA: > Or mostly what What\_Exit said, except that you can’t adjust just the lower triangle as it moves the upper as well. You need to move the upper to set the offset, then adjust the lower to locate right. In my version of Word you can move just the lower pointer. But I’m still using 2010. I’m surprised that would be changed in Office 365. And for the record I tried my instructions as I wrote them up. So yes, the lower pointer will move on its own. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/6 "2022-09-01T14:02:37Z")
I use **Thudlow Boink** ’s technique as well. For me, that’s way simpler and less frustrating than futzing with the ident markers. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/7 "2022-09-01T14:04:49Z")
That’s a good trick, I’ve been using the ruler to do this since Word 4 I think. **Remember** , high-light the section of the document you want the hanging indent, don’t do it globally. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/8 "2022-09-01T14:10:35Z")
Ahh, thanks all! I also prefer not to futz with the ruler, @Thudlow_Boink’s tip works great. Also, @What_Exit, I actually want it to be automatic, at least in the document I am working on. Any particular reason to not do it for the entire document? mmm ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/9 "2022-09-01T14:11:36Z")
No reason why not at all. I thought you just wanted it for the list part of the document. That is typically how I’ve used it. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/10 "2022-09-01T14:15:06Z")
Gotcha. mmm ---
**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:** [September 1, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/11 "2022-09-01T14:16:37Z")
Is your document just a list, or is it paragraphs with the list occurring at some point? If it’s just a list, then sure, select hanging indent for the whole thing. But if it’s paragraphs, with a bulleted list at one point, you probably don’t want the paragraphs to be hanging indent. Up to you and what you want the doc to look like. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-basic-microsoft-word-question/970727/12 "2022-09-01T14:31:23Z")
What I’d try first is to make the font smaller. Maybe then it would fit on one line.