APA 7th edition requires double spacing throughout the entire paper — no exceptions for the abstract, references, block quotations, or figure captions. This is the single most common formatting mistake in student papers: adding extra spacing between sections or switching to single spacing for reference entries.
APA Line Spacing at a Glance
| Section | Line spacing | Extra space between paragraphs? |
|---|---|---|
| Title page | Double | No |
| Abstract | Double | No |
| Body paragraphs | Double | No — do not add extra blank lines between paragraphs |
| Block quotations | Double | No |
| Reference list | Double | No — each entry is double-spaced; no extra line between entries |
| Figure captions | Double | No |
| Table notes | Double | No |
| Appendices | Double | No |
Source: APA Publication Manual, 7th Edition, Section 2.21.
What «Double Spacing» Actually Means
Double spacing sets the distance between lines of text to twice the height of the font. At 12-point Times New Roman, double spacing produces approximately 24 points of vertical space per line. In Word’s line spacing dialog, this corresponds to selecting «Double» (not «At least» or «Exactly» set to a specific point value).
Many students confuse double spacing with adding a blank line between paragraphs. These are different things. APA requires double line spacing without any additional blank lines between paragraphs. You achieve this by setting the paragraph spacing to zero (0 pt Before, 0 pt After) and the line spacing to Double.
How to Set Double Spacing in Microsoft Word
Method 1: Quick keyboard shortcut
- Select all text: Ctrl + A (Windows) or Cmd + A (Mac).
- Apply double spacing: Ctrl + 2 (Windows) or Cmd + 2 (Mac).
This is the fastest method for an existing document. It applies double spacing to all selected text instantly.
Method 2: Home tab → Paragraph spacing
- Select all text (Ctrl + A).
- In the Home tab, click the Line and Paragraph Spacing button (the icon with lines and arrows).
- Select 2.0 from the dropdown.
- Then click again and select Remove Space After Paragraph to eliminate extra spacing between paragraphs.
Method 3: Paragraph dialog for full control
- Select all text (Ctrl + A).
- Right-click and select Paragraph, or go to Home → Paragraph → dialog launcher (small arrow in bottom-right of the Paragraph group).
- Set Line spacing: Double.
- Set Before: 0 pt and After: 0 pt.
- Click OK.
Method 3 gives you the most control and is the only approach that guarantees both double line spacing and zero extra space between paragraphs in a single step.
How to Set Double Spacing in Google Docs
- Select all text: Ctrl + A (Windows) or Cmd + A (Mac).
- Go to Format → Line & paragraph spacing → Double.
- Then go to Format → Line & paragraph spacing → Remove space before paragraph.
- Repeat for Remove space after paragraph.
Google Docs often adds 10 pt spacing after paragraphs by default. Step 3 and 4 are necessary to make your document fully APA-compliant.
Special Cases: When the Spacing Rule Feels Confusing
Reference list entries
Each reference entry is double-spaced within the entry (if it wraps to multiple lines). There is no extra blank line between entries. The entire reference list looks like one uniformly double-spaced block of text — the only thing separating entries is the hanging indent structure, not blank lines.
Block quotations
Block quotations (40+ words) are double-spaced and indented 0.5 inch from the left margin. No extra space appears before or after the block quotation — it flows as part of the surrounding paragraph spacing.
Tables and figures
Table body text may use single or double spacing — APA 7 gives flexibility here to improve readability. Table titles and notes use double spacing. Figure captions use double spacing.
Footnotes
Footnotes may be single-spaced in APA 7 (Section 2.13). This is the one explicit exception to the double-spacing rule. Each footnote starts on a new line; multiple footnotes are separated by a single blank line.
APA 6th vs 7th Edition: Line Spacing Changes
| Element | APA 6th | APA 7th |
|---|---|---|
| Body text | Double | Double (unchanged) |
| Abstract | Double | Double (unchanged) |
| References | Double, no extra space between entries | Double, no extra space (unchanged) |
| Tables | Single or double | Single or double (unchanged) |
| Footnotes | Not specified clearly | Single spacing explicitly permitted |
The core double-spacing requirement did not change between editions. APA 7 clarified the footnote rule and gave explicit permission for single spacing in tables.
Common Line Spacing Mistakes
| Mistake | How it appears | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Single spacing in references | Reference list appears compressed | Select all references, apply Double spacing |
| Extra blank line between paragraphs | Wider gaps between body paragraphs | Set Paragraph Spacing After to 0 pt |
| 1.5 spacing instead of 2.0 | Slightly tighter than required | Select Double, not 1.5 in the spacing menu |
| Line spacing at «Exactly 24pt» | May clip descenders on certain fonts | Use «Double» setting, not a fixed point value |
| Extra blank line after title page | Abstract starts too far down | The first page after title page starts at top margin, no extra space |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should the abstract be double-spaced?
Yes. The abstract follows the same double-spacing rule as the rest of the paper. It appears on its own page, with the label «Abstract» centered and bolded at the top, followed by the text in double-spaced paragraph format (no first-line indent).
Is there any section where I can use single spacing?
Only footnotes. APA 7 explicitly permits single spacing for footnotes (Section 2.13). Table body cells may also use single spacing for clarity. Everything else — body text, abstract, references, block quotations, captions — must be double-spaced.
My professor asked for «double spacing» but my document looks different from theirs. Why?
The likely cause is extra space between paragraphs (Before/After spacing in Word or Google Docs). Select all text, open the Paragraph dialog, and confirm both Before and After are set to 0 pt. Then verify line spacing is set to Double, not «At least» or «Exactly.»
Can I use 1.5 spacing to save paper?
No. APA requires double spacing and does not offer a «save paper» exception. If you are submitting a published manuscript rather than a student paper, double spacing is intentional — it leaves room for editor annotations and peer review comments.
For the complete list of APA 7th edition formatting requirements including margins, fonts, and page numbers, see the APA Format Guide.