How to change the line spacing on any text in Google Docs, on your desktop or mobile device

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How to change the line spacing on any text in Google Docs, on your desktop or mobile device

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Google Docs offers dozens of options for customizing layout, including line spacing.

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  • Double space a Google Docs text to make it easier to read on a screen or on pape, and allow for easy handwritten edits once printed.
  • You can quickly change the line spacing on a Google doc using the app on a mobile device or from your computer.
  • The full version of Google Docs found on a computer offers you much more control over line spacing and other aspects of the layout.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Google Docs is one of the most widely used collaboration tools available today. It allows multiple users in far-flung locations to work together on a single document (or "doc"), whether writing and editing the text in real time, or polishing one another's drafts in turn.

A Google doc is also a wonderful resource for a writer working on a project alone, as they can access it from anywhere at any time, and can count on the document being backed up to remote servers, removing the risk of being lost if their computer is damaged.

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And to top it off, Google docs are pleasantly simple to create and use. But mastering a few of its more advanced features, such as variable line spacing, can take a while. If you're wondering how to change your text's line spacing in a Google doc on your desktop or when using the Google Docs mobile app, you're in the right place.

How to change the line spacing in Google Docs' mobile app

When using the Google Docs app, you can set your line spacing at 1.00, 1.15, 1.5, or 2.00, - a range from single spacing to double spacing. These are the only spacing options on mobile, even though the desktop version of Google docs features many more options, including custom spacing.

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If you change the spacing on your computer, your mobile Google doc interface will display the new spacing, but if you try to alter it again from your phone or tablet, you will only have the four options listed above.

1. Open the Google Docs app and locate or create the file you wish to edit.

2. Tap the icon near the top right of the screen that looks like a capital A with small horizontal lines beside it.

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Tap the highlighted button to bring up the formatting menu.

3. Tap the word "Paragraph" on the popup window.

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The Paragraph menu has options for spacing, alignment, and more.

4. To the right of the words "Line spacing," tap the up arrow until the number reads 2.00.

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As you increase the spacing, your changes will take effect immediately.

How to change the line spacing in a Google doc on your computer

As noted above, you have much more control over line spacing in a Google doc when you access it from a computer, so when possible, that's the best interface to edit from.

1. Open the Google doc you wish to edit, or create a new one.

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2. Near the top right of the screen, locate a vertical line with arrows at the top and bottom set beside three parallel, horizontal lines and click it.

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The button for line spacing looks different on the web version of Google Docs.

3. Click the spacing you want (Single, 1.15, 1.5, or Double) or hit "Custom spacing..."

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Steven John/Business Insider

The web version of Google Docs gives you more line spacing options.

4. If you hit chose to use custom spacing, on the next window, set your spacing for lines and paragraphs, then hit "Apply."

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In the Custom Spacing menu, you can edit both line spacing and paragraph spacing.

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