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How to Indent in Word and Use Tabs and Rulers

Structure your text with these throwbacks to the typewriter era

By Rebecca Johnson Rebecca Johnson Freelance Contributor Rebecca Johnson is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and a Microsoft Office Certified Master Instructor who specializes in Microsoft Office products. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on July 27, 2022 Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email MS Office Word Excel Powerpoint Outlook

What to Know

On the View tab, tap Ruler.Drag the rectangle to change the left margin. Move the top triangle to indent the first line of a paragraph.Drag the bottom triangle to create a hanging indent. Move the far right triangle to change the right margin. This article explains the Ruler in Microsoft Word and how to use it to set left and right margins, indent the first line of a paragraph, or create a hanging indent.

Indents What They Are and How to Use Them

An indent sets the distance between the left and the right margins. It's also used in bullets and numbering to ensure that the text lines up properly. Indents are displayed on the Ruler. If the Ruler doesn't show at the top of the document, click the Ruler checkbox on the View tab. The indent marker consists of two triangles and a rectangle. Word offers four types of indents: The Left indent controls the space between the paragraph and the left margin. To change it, click on the very bottom of the indent marker — the rectangle — and drag it to a new position. The Right indent controls the space between the paragraph and the right margin and has a marker of its own. It is indicated by a single triangle on the Ruler at the current right margin. Click and drag it to change the margin. The First Line indent is used to indent the first line of a paragraph or of every paragraph. Click the top triangle of the indent marker and move it to where you want the first line indent to be positioned. The Hanging indent controls how the text of a paragraph lines up underneath the first line. This is usually adjusted when you are working with bullets or numbering and the text does not line up properly. Click and drag on the second triangle (the one in the middle) to apply a hanging indent. You can also apply indents through the Paragraph area of the Home tab.

What Are Microsoft Word Tabs

Tabs come into play when you press the Tab key on your keyboard. It moves the cursor one-half inch by default, much like a shortcut for several spaces. Both indents and tabs are influenced by paragraph marks, which occur when you press Enter. A new paragraph is started each time you press the Enter key. Like indents, tabs are placed on the Ruler and control the placement of text: The Left tab is used as the First Line indent; it moves the first line of the paragraph into the tab location.The Middle tab centers the entire paragraph on the tab location on the Ruler.The Right tab aligns the text to the right tab location.If your document contains numbers with decimals, the Decimal tab ensures that the numbers line up on the decimal point.You can use the Bar tab to place a vertical bar on the tab stop position. The bar descends for every line of text that this tab governs, regardless of whether you actually press the Tab key to advance to it. The quickest way to set tab stops is to click the ruler where you want a tab. Every time you press the Tab key as you type, the text lines up where you put the tabs. Drag the tabs off the Ruler to remove them. For more precise tab placement, click Format and choose Tabs to open the Tab window. There you can place tabs precisely and select the type of tab you want in the document. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Use APA Format in Google Docs How to Delete a Blank Page in Word How to Show the Ruler in Word How to Indent Text or Decrease Quote Level in iPhone Mail How to Make a Checklist in Google Docs How to Remove a Page Break in Word How to Change Margins in Google Docs How to Indent on Google Docs How to Use Text Boxes in Microsoft Word How to Indent in Excel Greeting Card Template and Instructions for Adobe Photoshop How to Create the Out of Bounds Effect in Photoshop How to Do a Hanging Indent in Google Slides How to Quote Text From an Original Email When Replying in Yahoo Mail How to Track Changes in Word How to Do a Hanging Indent Google Docs Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies