How to Create Two-Column and Three-Column Lists in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

This tutorial shows how to create two-column and three-column lists in Microsoft Word. We will also look at how to reduce the space between the list columns. These steps are for bulleted lists and numbered lists.

Table of Contents

How to Create Two-Column and Three-Column Lists
How to Reduce the Space between List Columns

Watch all the steps shown here in real time!

Explore more than 200 writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. This tutorial also applies to Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac (a.k.a., Word for Mac), Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, and Word 2013 (PC only).

How to Create Two-Column and Three-Column Lists

Important Note: These steps assume that you have already created your list. If you haven’t done so already, please see “How to Create Bulleted Lists in Microsoft Word” and “How to Create Numbered Lists in Microsoft Word.” You can also apply these steps to regular text typed on individual lines.

(Optional) Select the Home tab in the ribbon and then select the Show/Hide button to reveal your formatting marks.

Show/Hide button in the Home tab in Word 365 — Figure 1. Show/Hide button in the Home tab

If there is no text after the list, place your cursor at the end of the final item and then press the Enter key (PC) or Return key (Mac) to insert a paragraph break on the next line. (If there is text after the list, this step is not necessary.)

Paragraph break after list in Word 365 — Figure 2. Paragraph break inserted after list

Select the list. (Be careful not to select any of the surrounding text or formatting marks.)

Selected list in Word 365 — Figure 3. Selected list

Select the Layout tab in the ribbon.

Layout tab in Word 365 — Figure 4. Layout tab

Select the Columns button and then select Two or Three columns from the drop-down menu.

Two and Three columns option in the Columns menu in Word 365 — Figure 4. Two and Three column options

The list should now appear as two or three side-by-side lists.

Two-column list in Word 365 — Figure 6. Two-column list

If you selected the Show/Hide button in step 1, return to the Home tab and reselect the Show/Hide button to hide your formatting marks (see figure 1).

If your new side-by-side lists look too far apart, you can use the ruler to reduce the space between the columns, as shown below.

How to Reduce the Space between List Columns

If your ruler is not visible, select the View tab in the ribbon and then select Ruler in the Show group.

Rule option in the View tab in Word 365 — Figure 7. Ruler option in the View tab

Place your cursor inside one of the list columns.
Hover your pointer over the left or right end of the white portion of the ruler. Your pointer should become a double-headed arrow.
Slide the double-headed arrow toward the middle of the screen to drag your columns closer together.