How to Adjust Page Margins in Microsoft Word (Three Methods)

There are three different ways to adjust page margins in Microsoft Word:

Adjust page margins with the ruler
Use preset margins
Create custom margins

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

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The images below are from 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.

Adjust Page Margins with the Ruler

This method is only recommended for short documents. If your document is long or has multiple sections, see the preset and custom margin methods below.

Important note: Skip to step 3 if your ruler is already visible.

Select the View tab in the ribbon.

View tab in Word 365 — Figure 1. View tab

Select Ruler in the Show group.

Ruler option in Word 365 — Figure 2. Ruler option

Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select the entire document.

Pro Tip: Select All from the Ribbon

Select All in Word 365 — Figure 3. Select All option

As an alternative to Ctrl + A, you can select the entire document from the ribbon:

1. Select the Home tab in the ribbon.

2. Select the Select button in the Editing group.

3. Select the Select All option from the drop-down menu.

Hover your cursor over the inner border of the gray area on the left or right end of the horizontal ruler until your cursor becomes a double arrow. (You should see a tooltip that says, “Left margin” or “Right margin.”)

Horizontal ruler in Word 365 — Figure 4. Horizontal ruler (Cursor enlarged to show detail.)

Slide the double-arrow cursor to the left or right to adjust the margin.
To adjust the top or bottom margins, hover your cursor over the inner border of the gray area of the vertical ruler until your cursor becomes a double arrow. Then, slide the double-arrow cursor up or down to adjust the margin.

Vertical ruler in Word 365 — Figure 5. Vertical ruler (Cursor enlarged to show detail.)

Should You Adjust Margins with the Ruler Marker?

Ruler marker in Word 365 — Figure 6. Ruler marker

The square ruler marker in the horizontal ruler can be used to move the left edge of the text.

However, this technique indents your text; it doesn’t adjust the margin.

Although the visual effect is the same, creating unnecessary indents can cause problems with other formatting within longer documents.

The preset method and custom method shown below offer more precise control over margins.

Use Preset Margins

Important note: Preset margins only affect your current section. If you want to apply a preset to an entire document with multiple sections, press Ctrl + A to select the entire document before performing these steps.