Indent Paragraphs in Word- Instructions

Indent Paragraphs in Word: Video Lesson

            This video lesson, titled “Indenting Paragraphs,” shows how to indent paragraphs in Word. This video lesson on how to indent paragraphs in Word is from our complete Word tutorial, titled “Mastering Word Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”

Indent Paragraphs in Word: Overview

How to Apply a First Line Indent in Word While Typing

            There are many ways to indent paragraphs in Word. One of the most common paragraph indentations in Word is the first-line indent. To add a half-inch first line paragraph indentation in Word, press the “Tab” key on your keyboard before typing the paragraph.

How to Indent the Left Side of a Paragraph in Word Using Buttons

            You can also increase or decrease the indentation of the entire left side of paragraphs in Word. The “Increase Indent” or “Decrease Indent” buttons in the “Paragraph” button group on the “Home” tab of the Ribbon help you do this. To use these buttons to indent paragraphs in Word, click into the paragraph for which to increase or decrease the indentation. Then click either the “Increase Indent” or “Decrease Indent” button, as desired. This increases or decreases the indentation of the entire left edge of the paragraph by half-inch increments each time you click the button.

How to Indent Paragraphs in Word Using Indentation Markers

            You can also indent paragraphs in Word using the four indentation markers on the horizontal ruler. To do this, display the horizontal ruler in Word, if needed. Then look for the “Left Indent,” “First Line Indent,” “Hanging Indent,” and “Right Indent” markers. Click the indent marker to set. Then drag it to the location on the horizontal ruler at which you want the indentation to occur.

How to Indent the Right or Left Side of a Paragraph in Word Using Indentation Markers

            You can drag the “Left Indent” marker inward to indent the left side of the paragraph. You can do the same thing with the “Right Indent” marker, which indents the right side of the paragraph.

How to Indent the First Line of a Paragraph in Word Using an Indentation Marker

            The “First Line Indent,” which is the most common paragraph indentation, sets the indentation of the paragraph’s first line. When you press the “Tab” key on your keyboard, the paragraph’s first line starts at the “First Line Indent” marker’s location on the horizontal ruler.

Indent Paragraphs in Word- Instructions: A picture of a user applying a “First Line Indent” using the indentation marker on the horizontal ruler in Word.

How to Apply a Hanging Indent in Word Using an Indentation Marker

            The “Hanging Indent” is a less frequently used indentation. This is used mainly for bibliographies. With a hanging indent, you indent all paragraph lines except the first one. These lines are indented to the position at which you set the “Hanging Indent” marker in the horizontal ruler.

            You must ensure the first line indent is at the left margin of the page for the hanging indent to be effective. When setting the hanging indent, make sure you click and drag the upward-pointing marker that looks like a “home plate” in baseball. The small square marker below that is actually the “Left Indent” marker.

Indent Paragraphs in Word: Instructions

Instructions on How to Apply a First Line Indent in Word While Typing

1. To set first-line paragraph indentation before typing a paragraph, press the “Tab key on your keyboard.

Instructions on How to Indent the Left Side of a Paragraph in Word Using Buttons

1. To increase the entire left side paragraph indentation, select the paragraph or paragraphs to indent.
2. Then click the “Increase Indent” button in the “Paragraph” button group on the “Home” tab of the Ribbon.
3. To decrease the left side paragraph indentation, click into the paragraph to indent.
4. Then click the “Decrease Indent” button in the “Paragraph” group of the “Home” tab in the Ribbon.

How to Indent the First Line of a Paragraph in Word Using an Indentation Marker

1. To set the first-line paragraph indentation, enable the horizontal ruler, if needed.
2. Then select the paragraph or paragraphs to indent.
3. Drag the “First Line Indent” icon to the position on the horizontal ruler at which to start the paragraph’s first line.

Instructions on How to Apply a Hanging Indent in Word Using an Indentation Marker

1. To set the hanging indentation for a paragraph, enable the horizontal ruler, if needed.
2. Then select the paragraph or paragraphs to indent.
3. Drag the “Hanging Indent” icon to the position on the horizontal ruler at which to set all lines except the paragraph’s first line.

Instructions on How to Indent the Right or Left Side of a Paragraph in Word Using Indentation Markers

1. To indent the right side of a paragraph, enable the horizontal ruler, if needed.
2. Then select the paragraph or paragraphs to indent.
3. Drag the “Right Indent” icon to the position on the horizontal ruler at which to set the right side of the paragraph.
4. To indent the left side of a paragraph, enable the horizontal ruler, if needed.
5. Select the paragraph or paragraphs to indent.
6. Drag the “Left Indent” icon to the position on the horizontal ruler at which you want to set the left side of the paragraph.