This wikiHow teaches you how to change the margins in a Microsoft Word document, in whole or in part.
Step
![Change Margins in Word Step 1 Change Margins in Word Step 1](https://i.how-what-advice.com/images/003/image-6020-1-j.webp)
Step 1. Open the desired Microsoft Word document
To open it, double-click the blue application icon that contains or looks like the letter “ W" After that, click the option " File ” at the top of the screen and select “ Open… ”.
To create a new document, click the " New ” on the “Files” menu.
![Change Margins in Word Step 2 Change Margins in Word Step 2](https://i.how-what-advice.com/images/003/image-6020-2-j.webp)
Step 2. Click the Layout tab
It's a tab at the top of the window.
![Change Margins in Word Step 3 Change Margins in Word Step 3](https://i.how-what-advice.com/images/003/image-6020-3-j.webp)
Step 3. Click Margins
It's on the left side of the toolbar.
![Change Margins in Word Step 4 Change Margins in Word Step 4](https://i.how-what-advice.com/images/003/image-6020-4-j.webp)
Step 4. Click on Custom Margins…
If you want, you can also click on one of the available margin templates, such as “ Normal ” (1 inch on each side) or “ Narrow ” (0.5 inches on each side), if available templates fit your needs.
![Change Margins in Word Step 5 Change Margins in Word Step 5](https://i.how-what-advice.com/images/003/image-6020-5-j.webp)
Step 5. Adjust the margins
Type a number indicating the width of the margin in the " Top " (on), " Bottom " (lower), " Left ” (left), and “ Right " (right).
Adjust margins" Gutter ” only if you want to use the document in a bound format (eg a book or report) and need space to bind the document. In a situation like this, type a number into the “ Gutter ” which can leave enough room for the binding and use the drop-down menu to determine whether the binding will be at the top or left of the document.
![Change Margins in Word Step 6 Change Margins in Word Step 6](https://i.how-what-advice.com/images/003/image-6020-6-j.webp)
Step 6. Click the Apply to drop-down menu
![Change Margins in Word Step 7 Change Margins in Word Step 7](https://i.how-what-advice.com/images/003/image-6020-7-j.webp)
Step 7. Select the method of applying margin settings to the document
- Click " Whole documents ” if you want to apply the same margin settings to the entire document.
- Click " This point forward ” if you want the new margin settings to be applied to existing document pages after the current cursor location.
- Click " Selected sections ” after selecting a block of text in the document to apply the new margin settings only to the text you selected.
![Change Margins in Word Step 8 Change Margins in Word Step 8](https://i.how-what-advice.com/images/003/image-6020-8-j.webp)
Step 8. Click the OK button
The new margin settings will be applied to the document, according to the selected application method.