This tutorial shows how to create hanging indents in Microsoft Word.
[Typewriter sounds]
Hello, my name is Erin.
I am a technical writer and editor who shares step-by-step software tutorials and writing tips for the real world
on this channel and on my blog at erinwrightwriting.com.
When a paragraph has a hanging indent, the first line extends farther to the left than the rest of the lines.
Hanging indents are common in bibliographies, reference lists, and works cited pages.
This tutorial shows two ways to create hanging indents in Microsoft Word:
First, we'll look at how to create hanging indents with the ruler.
Then, we'll look at how to create hanging indents with the Paragraph dialog box.
The ruler method is faster but less precise, so it is best for short blocks of text.
The paragraph dialog box method offers more control over the length of the indent
and is best for longer blocks of text.
I’ll be using Word in Microsoft 365.
The steps are the same in Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, and Word 2010.
However, your interface may look slightly different in those older versions of the software.
Before we begin, please note that these steps are for blocks of text formatted as paragraphs.
Paragraphs end with a pilcrow.
These steps will also work with paragraphs that have manual line breaks,
which are inserted by pressing Shift + Enter.
However, these steps won’t work with multiple paragraphs
spaced to look like a single paragraph.
You can see the pilcrow and manual line break symbols by turning on the Show/Hide button in the Home tab.
First we are going to create hanging indents with the ruler.
If your ruler is not visible, begin by selecting the View tab in the ribbon
and then selecting Ruler in the Show group.
Next, place your cursor inside the individual paragraph in which you want to create a hanging indent.
Or, select multiple paragraphs if you want to create several hanging indents simultaneously.
Avoid selecting the entire document with methods such as Ctrl + A
because you may select headings and other items that don’t normally have hanging indents.
Now, slide the bottom triangle marker in the ruler to the right.
Note that the square marker will move with the bottom triangle marker.
Your hanging indent will be created automatically as you move the ruler marker.
If you have trouble moving the bottom triangle marker separately from the top triangle marker,
move both markers to the right and then move the top marker back to the left.
To create hanging indents with the Paragraph dialog box, begin by selecting the Home tab in the ribbon.
Then, select the text in which you want to create hanging indents.
Next, select the dialog box launcher in the Paragraph group.
When the Paragraph dialog box appears, select Hanging from the Special menu.
Then, enter the length of your indent in inches, which can be decimals or whole numbers, in the By text box.
Or, use the increment arrows to increase or decrease the indent 0.1 inch per click.
You can see a preview of your indent at the bottom of the dialog box.
When you’re finished select the OK button.
The Paragraph dialog box will close, and your hanging indents should appear in your selected text.
As always, remember to save your file to save your changes.
I have created many other videos about Microsoft Word including “Three Ways to Indent Paragraphs in Microsoft Word”
and “How to Adjust Page Margins in Microsoft Word.”
Please see the playlist titled “How to Use Microsoft Word,” which is linked below, for the complete list.
The companion blog post for this video listing all the steps we just performed appears on
erinwrightwriting.com, which is also linked below.
Feel free to leave me a comment if there’s a specific topic related to Microsoft Word,
Adobe Acrobat, or Google Docs at that you would like me to talk about in the future.
And please subscribe to my channel and give this video a thumbs-up if you found it helpful.
Thank you so much for watching!
[Typewriter sounds]