How to Use the Ruler in Microsoft Word

This tutorial shows how to use the ruler in Microsoft Word. First, we are going to display the ruler. Then, we are going to use the ruler to change the margins, indent the first line of each paragraph, create hanging indents, and add tabs.

Table of Contents:

How to Display the Ruler
How to Use the Ruler to Change Margins
How to Use the Ruler to Indent the First Line of Each Paragraph
How to Use the Ruler to Create Hanging Indents
How to Add Tabs to the Ruler

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The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. These steps also apply to Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, and Word 2013.

Are you on a Mac? Please see “How to Use the Ruler in Word for Mac.”

How to Display the Ruler

Select the View tab in the ribbon.
Ensure that Print Layout view is selected.
Select Ruler in the Show group.

Print Layout button and Ruler option in the View tab in Word 365 — Figure 1. Print Layout button and Ruler option in the View tab

A horizontal ruler should now appear under the ribbon and a vertical ruler should appear on the left side of your screen.

If you want to hide the ruler, deselect Ruler in the View tab.

Pro Tip: How to Show the Vertical Ruler

If the vertical ruler is missing, you can display it by changing your Word Options settings.

Select the File tab in the ribbon.

File tab in Word 365 — Figure 2. File tab

Select Options in the Backstage view.

Options tab int the Backstage view in Word 365 — Figure 3. Options tab

Select the Advanced tab in the Word Options dialog box.
Select Show vertical ruler in Print Layout view in the Display section.
Select the OK button.

Show vertical ruler in Print Layout view option in the Advanced tab in the Word Options dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 4. Show vertical rule in Print Layout view option in the Advanced tab in the Word Options dialog box

How to Use the Ruler to Change Margins

Hover your pointer over the center of the left or right end of the horizontal ruler until your pointer becomes a double arrow. (You should see a tooltip that says, “Left margin” or “Right margin.”) Slide the double-arrow pointer to the left or right to adjust the margin.
To adjust the top or bottom margins, hover your pointer over the center of the top or bottom of the vertical ruler until your pointer becomes a double arrow. Then, slide the double-arrow pointer up or down.

Double-arrow pointers over rulers in Word 365 — Figure 5. Double-arrow pointers (Enlarged to show detail.)

Further Reading: How to Adjust Page Margins in Microsoft Word

Pro Tip: Use the Alt Key for Precise Measuring

Press and hold the Alt key on your keyboard as you move any of the markers on the ruler to see exact measurements.

Exact measurements on ruler with Alt key in Word 365 — Figure 6. Exact measurements on ruler in Alt key

How to Use the Ruler to Indent the First Line of Each Paragraph

Place your cursor in a paragraph.
Select the Home tab in the ribbon.
Select Select in the Editing group.
Select Select Text with Similar Formatting in the drop-down menu. This option will select all the paragraphs in the document without items you most likely don’t want to indent, such as headings and figures.

Select Text with Similar Formatting option in the Select menu in the Home tab in Word 365 — Figure 7. Select Text with Similar Formatting option in the Select menu in the Home tab

Move the First Line Indent marker (top ruler marker) to the right to the desired indent length. The first line of each paragraph should be indented as you move the marker.

First Line Indent marker on the ruler in Word 365 — Figure 8. First Line Indent marker

Further Reading: Three Ways to Indent Paragraphs in Microsoft Word

How to Use the Ruler to Create Hanging Indents

A hanging indent extends the first line of a paragraph farther to the left than the rest of the lines.

Place your cursor inside the paragraph in which you want to create a hanging indent. Or, select multiple paragraphs if you want to create several hanging indents simultaneously.

Pro Tip: Avoid selecting the entire document with methods such as Ctrl + A because you will select headings and other items that don’t normally have hanging indents.

Slide the Hanging Indent marker (bottom triangle marker) in the ruler to the right. (The square marker will move with the bottom triangle marker.) Your hanging indent will be created automatically as you move the marker.

Hanging Indent marker on the ruler in Word 365 — Figure 9. Hanging Indent marker

Pro Tip: 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.

Further Reading: How to Create Hanging Indents in Microsoft Word

How to Add Tabs to the Ruler

In Word, the Tab key on your keyboard moves your cursor to a specific location called a tab stop. Tabs can be used to indent paragraphs, but they can also be used for other purposes including creating single- and multi-column lists.

Press Ctrl + A to select the entire document. Or, select the portion of your document to which you want to apply the tab.

Important Note: If you don’t select all or part of your document before creating your new tab, it will only apply to the paragraph your cursor is currently in or newly created content.

Click the tab selector button until it changes to the symbol representing the tab you want.

- The left tab places left-aligned text to the right of the tab stop. (This is the most common tab stop.)
- The center tab centers text on the tab stop.
- The right tab places right-aligned text to the left of the tab stop.
- The decimal tab aligns text based on the first decimal placed on the tab stop.
- The bar tab creates a vertical line at the tab stop. (Technically, this is not a tab; it is for formatting multi-column lists.)