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How to Find Extra Spaces in Word

By Erin Wright

You can use Microsoft Word’s Find and Replace tool to delete extra spaces all at once. Or, you can find extra spaces in Word by customizing your proofing options and then deleting them individually as you type or during a Spelling & Grammar check. These three tasks are explained in this tutorial:

Customize Word’s Proofing Options to Find Extra Spaces

Delete Extra Spaces as You Type

Delete Extra Spaces during a Spelling & Grammar Check

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video, which you can watch on my YouTube channel or in the video player at the bottom of this page.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. The steps are the same for Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, and Word 2010. However, your interface may look slightly different in those older versions of the software.

Customize Word’s Proofing Options to Find Extra Spaces

1. Select the File tab.

Image of Word File Tab | Step 1 in How to Find Extra Spaces in Word by Customizing Proofing Options

2. Select Options in the Backstage view.

Image of Word Backstage View | Step 2 in How to Find Extra Spaces in Word by Customizing the Proofing Options

3. Select Proofing in the Word Options dialog box.

Image of Word Options dialog Box | Step 3 in How to Find Extra Spaces in Word by Customizing the Proofing Options

4. Ensure that Mark grammar errors as you type and Check grammar with spelling are selected in the spelling and grammar section. (Note that Word for Office 365 no longer includes the “Check grammar with spelling” option and instead includes grammar by default.)

Image of Word Options Dialog Box Grammar with Spelling Options | Step 4 in How to Find Extra Spaces in Word

5. Select the Settings button in the spelling and grammar section.

Image of Word Options Dialog Box | Step 5 in How to Find Extra Spaces in Word by Customizing the Proofing Options

6. Select Spacing in the Grammar section of the Options menu in the Grammar Settings dialog box. (This option flags extra spaces between words, not between sentences.)

Image of Word's Grammar Settings Dialog Box Spacing Option | Step 6 in How to Find Extra Spaces in Word by Customizing the Proofing Options

7. Select one space in the Space Between Sentences drop-down menu in the Punctuation Conventions section.

Image of Word's Grammar Settings Dialog Box Space Between Sentences Menu | Step 7 in How to Find Extra Spaces in Word by Customozing the Proofing Options

8. Select the OK button to close the Grammar Settings dialog box.

Image of Word's Grammar Settings Dialog Box OK Button | Step 8 in How to Find Extra Spaces in Word by Customizing the Proofing Options

9. Select the OK button to close the Word Options dialog box.

Image of Word Options Dialog Box OK Button | Step 9 in How to Find Extra Spaces in Word by Customizing the Proofing Options

Delete Extra Spaces as You Type

Once you have customized your proofing options, Word will flag extra spaces as you type.

Extra spaces between sentences will be marked with a red dotted line. Extra spaces between words will be marked with blue double lines.

1. Right-click on the extra space mark (the red dotted line or blue double lines).

Image of Extra Space Marks in Word

2. Select the correction from the pop-up menu.

Image of Word's Right-Click Grammar Pop-Up Menu

Pro Tip: Select See More to open the Editor pane. Or, select Options for “Grammar” or Options for “Punctuation Conventions” to reopen the Grammar Settings dialog box.

Delete Extra Spaces during a Spelling & Grammar Check

Note that the Spelling & Grammar check won’t find extra spaces until you customize your proofing options.

1. Select the Review tab.

Image of Word Review Tab | Step 1 in Running a Spelling & Grammar Check

2. Select Spelling & Grammar in the Proofing group.

Image of Word Spelling & Grammar Button in the Ribbon | Step 2 in Running an Spelling & Grammar Check

3. Select each spacing correction in the Suggestions section of the Editor pane.

Image of Word's Editor Pane Showing an Extra Space

Pro Tip: If Word finds an extra space that you want to keep, select Ignore Once at the bottom of the Editor pane.

Further Reading: How to Find and Replace Formatting in Microsoft Word

Updated November 09, 2021

Filed Under: Microsoft Word Tagged With: formatting, Word 2010, Word 2013, Word 2016, Word 2019, Word 2021, Word 365

Home » How to Find Extra Spaces in Word

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Technical Writer and Editor Erin Wright

Hello! My name is Erin. I am a technical writer and editor who shares writing-related software tutorials on this website and on YouTube.

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