Align text left or right, center text, or justify text on a page (2024)

Word for Microsoft 365 Word 2021 Word 2019 Word 2016 Word 2013 More...Less

The term "alignment" generally specifies the appearance and orientation of the edges of a paragraph --left-aligned text, right-aligned text, centered text, or "justified" text (aligned evenly from left to right margins). In left-aligned -- the most common alignment -- the left edge of the paragraph is flush with the left margin.

Additionally, "vertical alignment" determines the up/down position of text within a defined space in the document -- such as placement of a title on a section-break page.

  1. Select the text that you want to align.

  2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Align Left Align text left or right, center text, or justify text on a page (1) or Align Right Align text left or right, center text, or justify text on a page (2).

  1. Select the text that you want to center.

  2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Center Align text left or right, center text, or justify text on a page (3).

  1. Select the text that you want to center.

  2. On the Layout or Page Layout tab, click the Dialog Box Launcher Align text left or right, center text, or justify text on a page (4) in the Page Setup group, and then click the Layout tab.

  3. In the Vertical alignment box, click Center.

  4. In the Apply to box, click Selected text, and then click OK.

When you "justify" text in a Word document, you give your text straight edges on both sides of the paragraph. Justifying extends each line of your text from the left margin to theright margin. Justifying text might make the last line of text in a paragraph considerably shorter than the other lines.

  1. Select the text you want to justify.

  2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Justify Align text left or right, center text, or justify text on a page (5).

Tips:

  • In the Paragraph group, click the Dialog Box Launcher Align text left or right, center text, or justify text on a page (6), and select the Alignment drop-down menu to set your justified text.

    Align text left or right, center text, or justify text on a page (7) Align text left or right, center text, or justify text on a page (8)
  • You can also use the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl + J to justify your text.

In Office Word 2007, you can choose from a selection of predesigned cover pages to create a professional-looking document quickly and easily.

  1. On the Insert tab, in the Pages group, click Cover Page.

    Align text left or right, center text, or justify text on a page (9)

  2. Click the cover page that you want.

    A cover page is always added to the beginning of the open document.

See also

Adjust indents and spacing

Need more help?

Want more options?

Discover Community

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Align text left or right, center text, or justify text on a page (2024)

FAQs

How to format text alignment to the left right centre and justify? ›

Align left – select the paragraph(s) and press Ctrl + L to align to the left. Align right – select the paragraph(s) and press Ctrl + R to align to the right. Align center – select the paragraph(s) and press Ctrl + E to align center. Justify – select the paragraph(s) and press Ctrl + J to justify.

What is an arrangement of text on a page left right center or justified? ›

The term "alignment" generally specifies the appearance and orientation of the edges of a paragraph -- left-aligned text, right-aligned text, centered text, or "justified" text (aligned evenly from left to right margins).

Is it better to align left or justify? ›

Readability is one of the essential functions of designs containing text. Left-aligned text can be easier to read due to the varying line length, which helps the reader track where they are.

Should essays be justified or left-aligned? ›

Document layout

Alignment - left aligned (fully justified with a straight right-edge is not recommended as this reduces readability and accessibility). Some longer essays may require subheadings which should also be left-aligned. Indents - no indents on first lines of paragraphs are needed.

How to align text left and right in Word? ›

To align the text left, press Ctrl+L. To align the text right, press Ctrl+R. To center the text, press Ctrl+E.

How to align and justify text in Word? ›

In the "paragraph" section, click on the small arrow in the bottom right corner. In the "paragraph" dialog box that appears, under the "alignment" section, select "justify" from the drop-down menu. Click "oK," and the selected text will be justified.

What does it mean to justify text? ›

Justified text is spaced so the left and right sides of the text block both have a clean edge. The usual alternative to justified text is left-aligned text , which has a straight left edge and an uneven right edge. Compared to left-aligned text, justification gives text a cleaner, more formal look.

What is the most accurate alignment method? ›

Laser Alignment Tools: These are the most accurate and easiest to use. A laser beam and sensor are mounted on the shafts, and a display unit shows the degree of misalignment. These tools are quick and provide highly accurate measurements.

Is justified or left-aligned easier to read? ›

Use left-aligned text.

A consistent left margin makes reading easier.

Why should text be left aligned? ›

By aligning text to the left, you create a straight edge on the left side of the page, making it easier for the reader to follow along.

What is the difference between left and justified text? ›

For example, in a paragraph that is left-aligned (the most common alignment), text is aligned with the left margin. In a paragraph that is justified, text is aligned with both margins.

What is the difference between right align and justify? ›

If the text is right-aligned, the invisible vertical line sits to the right-hand side of the paragraph; if the text is center-aligned, the line sits in the center of the paragraph. It's possible to have the text aligned to both left and right; this is known as justified text.

What do you use to align the text to the right between the left and right margins? ›

Detailed Solution. The correct answer is Justify. Justify Text - When you justify text, space is added between words so that both edges of each line are aligned with both margins.

What are the 4 types of alignment? ›

There are four main types of alignment commonly used in design: left alignment, right alignment, center alignment, and justified alignment. Left alignment aligns text or objects along the left margin, creating a clean and structured look. Right alignment does the opposite, aligning elements along the right margin.

Which alignment aligns text to the left and right side margins? ›

Justified alignment means that the text is word spaced to be flush to the margins on both the left and the right.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jerrold Considine

Last Updated:

Views: 6277

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jerrold Considine

Birthday: 1993-11-03

Address: Suite 447 3463 Marybelle Circles, New Marlin, AL 20765

Phone: +5816749283868

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Air sports, Sand art, Electronics, LARPing, Baseball, Book restoration, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Jerrold Considine, I am a combative, cheerful, encouraging, happy, enthusiastic, funny, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.