Word: Align Paragraphs

Word gives you a choice of several types of alignments. Left-aligned text is flush with the left margin and is the default setting. Right-aligned text is flush with the right margin, centered text is centered between the left and right margins, and justified text is flush with both the left and right margins.

EXAMPLE: Left-aligned Sample Paragraph Video provides a powerful way to help you prove your point. When you click Online Video, you can paste in the embed code for the video you want to add. You can also type a keyword to search online for the video that best fits your document.

EXAMPLE: Right-aligned Sample Paragraph Video provides a powerful way to help you prove your point. When you click Online Video, you can paste in the embed code for the video you want to add. You can also type a keyword to search online for the video that best fits your document.

EXAMPLE: Centered Sample Paragraph Video provides a powerful way to help you prove your point. When you click Online Video, you can paste in the embed code for the video you want to add. You can also type a keyword to search online for the video that best fits your document.

EXAMPLE: Justified Sample Paragraph Video provides a powerful way to help you prove your point. When you click Online Video, you can paste in the embed code for the video you want to add. You can also type a keyword to search online for the video that best fits your document.

Right-align

1. Place the insertion point in the paragraph you want to align, or select the paragraphs you want to align.
2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the Align Right button in the Paragraph group. Word right-aligns your paragraph(s).

Left-align

1. Place the insertion point in the paragraph you want to align, or select the paragraphs you want to align.
2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the Align Left button in the Paragraph group. Word left-aligns your paragraph(s).

Center

1. Place the insertion point in the paragraph you want to align, or select the paragraphs you want to align.
2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the Center button in the Paragraph group. Word centers your paragraph(s).

Justify

1. Place the insertion point in the paragraph you want to align, or select the paragraphs you want to align.
2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the Justify button in the Paragraph group. Word justifies your paragraph(s).

Note

You can use the Paragraph dialog box to set the paragraph alignment. 1) Select the paragraphs you want to align. 2) Click the dialog box launcher in the Paragraph group. 3) Choose the Indents and Spacing tab. 4) Select the option you want from the drop-down menu for the Alignment field. 5) Click OK. Word aligns the paragraphs.

Tip

If you want paragraphs centered between the top and the bottom of the page, aligned with the bottom of the page, aligned with the top of the page, or distributed evenly throughout the page, use Word’s vertical alignment feature.

To access the vertical-alignment feature perform the following steps: 1) Choose the Page Layout tab. 2) click the dialog box launcher in the Page Setup group. The Page Setup dialog box opens. 3) Choose the Layout tab. 4) Click the down-arrow next to the vertical alignment field, then click Top, Center, Bottom, or Justified. Top aligns paragraphs with the top of the page, Center centers paragraphs between the top and bottom of the page, Bottom aligns paragraphs with the bottom of the page, and Justified distributes paragraphs evenly.

Alignment Shortcut Keys
Description	Shortcut Keys
Right-align	Ctrl+R
Left-align	Ctrl+L
Center	Ctrl+E
Justify	Ctrl+J