Do you have a document where you need to number the paragraphs? Maybe you want the numbers as reference points or are simply required to include them. We’ll show you how to number paragraphs in Microsoft Word.
Word offers a feature to number the lines in a document. But when it comes to numbering paragraphs, there isn’t a built-in feature or handy tool. However, by using the Numbered List feature and making some tweaks to the formatting, you can add paragraph numbers.
Add Paragraph Numbers in Word
Inserting paragraph numbers using the Numbered List feature works just like when you use the feature to add list items.
Select your paragraphs by dragging your cursor through them and head to the Home tab. To apply the default number style, click “Numbering” in the Paragraph section of the ribbon.
To use a different number format, click the arrow next to the Numbering button and select an option.
Now you have basic numbering for your paragraphs. However, this does make your paragraphs look a bit like a list. So let’s look at the different ways to format them based on your needs.
RELATED: How to Set Paragraph Formatting in Word
Format the Numbered List Indents
You have a couple of ways to format the numbers in the list as well as the paragraphs they represent. You can use the Adjust List Indents feature or the ruler. Let’s look at both.
Adjust the List Indents
Select the numbers in the list, right-click, and pick “Adjust List Indents” from the shortcut menu.
This handy little box gives you a variety of ways to format the numbered paragraphs.
Number Position: This setting moves the numbers inward or outward from the left margin and does not affect the position of the paragraphs. Enter the number of inches or use the arrows to increase or decrease them in smaller increments.
Text Indent: This setting adjusts the paragraph spacing from the left and affects the overflow of lines. Here again, enter the number of inches or use the arrows to increase or decrease the measurement.
Follow Number With: This setting determines what displays between the number and the first word in the paragraph. You can choose from Tab Character, Space, or Nothing. If you select Tab Character, you can optionally add the tab stop at a certain spot.
You can adjust one setting or experiment with more to get the exact appearance you want.
RELATED: How to Control Line and Paragraph Spacing in Microsoft Word
Use the Ruler
If using the Adjust List Indents tools doesn’t give you the desired results, you can also manually move the numbers and paragraphs using the ruler at the top.
To display the ruler, go to the View tab and check the box for Ruler in the Show section of the ribbon.
Here are a couple of ways to use the ruler to adjust the indents.
Drag the numbers out of the margin: If you don’t want the numbers directly in the document but in the margin area instead, this is doable.
Select the paragraphs and then drag the First Line Indent indicator (top triangle) to the left. You’ll see a line display as you do this. Release when you are happy with the location.
Drag the numbers and move the paragraphs: If you prefer to move everything so that the numbers are outside the margin and the paragraphs are lined closer to the left, this is also a good option.
Select the paragraphs and then drag the Left Indent indicator (bottom rectangle) to the left. Again, you’ll see the line as you do this. Release when you see the position you want.
Numbering paragraphs may be something you want or something that is required for your document. Either way, you can add those numbers and then adjust the formatting per your preference.
RELATED: How to Use Rulers in Microsoft Word
READ NEXT
- › How to Adjust and Change Discord Fonts
- › BLUETTI Slashed Hundreds off Its Best Power Stations for Easter Sale
- › HoloLens Now Has Windows 11 and Incredible 3D Ink Features
- › This New Google TV Streaming Device Costs Just $20
- › The New NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Is Like an RTX 3080 for $599
- › Google Chrome Is Getting Faster
How to number lines and paragraphs in Microsoft Word and format the numbers with a different font, size or color.
When you’re discussing a speech or other document ‘in progress’ you might want to number the lines or paragraphs for easy reference “Please change paragraphs 6, 7, 21 and 27”. Sure, these days there’s a lot of linking and online collaboration but there’s still a place for line or paragraph numbering.
Line numbering will give you left hand line numbering like this:
Line numbering is simple. Paragraph numbering is done indirectly. As usual in Microsoft Office, there’s complications and surprising pitfalls. Office-Watch.com doesn’t just give you the simple ‘Microsoft approved’ answer but digs deeper.
Line Numbering
Line numbering is simple in Word. Go to Layout tab click on the small arrow at bottom right of the Page Setup section to reach the Page Setup dialog then Layout | Line Numbers. This dialog and option hasn’t changed for many versions of Word.
In Word the Layout tab has a Line Numbers pull down.
The full Line Numbering dialog has options for continuous line numbers or numbering for each page or section also the start number and increments. ‘From text’ controls the distance between the numbering and the document text.
Line numbering can be applied on a per-paragraph basis to selected paragraphs or the entire document. (Strictly speaking you can have line numbering for a single line but the results aren’t helpful – try for yourself).
Stop or Suspend Line Numbering
The line numbering can be stopped at any time or suspended for selected paragraphs via Line Numbering | Suppress for Current Paragraph or Paragraph dialog | Line and Page Breaks | Formatting exceptions | Suppress line numbers.
Change the look for line numbers
You can change the look of just the line numbers using the ‘Line Number’ style.
Line Number is one of those annoying hidden Word styles. It doesn’t show up in the ‘In use’ or ‘In current document’ style lists even when it’s being used in the document. You have to choose ‘All Styles’ to see the Line Number style and modify it.
Curiously, line numbering itself isn’t a formatting option in Paragraph styles. At least we can’t find it.
You can use a style to suppress line numbering at Format Paragraph | Line and Page Breaks | Formatting Exceptions | Suppress Line Numbers.
However styles can’t enable the line numbering in the first place. That’s a curious omission since Microsoft developers themselves should be aware of one common use for line numbering – in samples of computer code. These samples are usually formatted with a special style (fixed space font, indent and a special color) to which automatic line numbering would be very useful.
Paragraph numbering
Since there’s line numbering in Word, you’d expect to also find a paragraph numbering option. It’s common to find draft documents with paragraphs numbered so that people can refer to each by that number (“We mention government oversight in paragraphs 6, 7, 9 and 12”).
There’s no direct option for paragraph numbering in Word that works similarly to the line numbering feature.
The workaround is to use numbered lists instead. It’s not a good workaround but it’s what Microsoft leaves us with.
Select the paragraphs then choose Numbering to make a numbered list.
Unfortunately, the defaults for this also mess up the formatting of your document.
If the document already has numbers or lists, making this choice will override that formatting (we did say this is a workaround).
To fix the formatting, change the position of the numbers to put them in the margin as a hanging indent. You can do that by dragging the ruler markers to the left.
Or in the Format Paragraph dialog box, a Before Text indent plus a Hanging indent both of the same value.
You can create or modify a style to do this and turn on/off quickly.
Change look of Paragraph numbering
Paragraph numbering is formatted with the List Paragraph style. Or select one of the numbers so the whole column of numbers is selected, then change the formatting
Wish List
As usual, there’s features missing from Word’s numbering options that really should be present in such a long standing product. We mention these to save you the trouble of looking for options that Microsoft left out.
We’ve already mentioned there’s no real paragraph numbering option that numbers the paragraphs without changing the formatting of the document. This omission alone makes us wonder about Microsoft’s customer research and decision making process. There are plenty of ‘use cases’ for numbered paragraphs, especially in the legal profession.
Sometimes line/paragraph numbering should be on the right of the page. On the right it’s less obtrusive and would be more appropriate for ‘right-to-left’ languages.
For longer documents, it could be useful to show the line/paragraph number range in the header/footer for example “ Page 7 Paras 23-28 “ .
If you want to number your paragraphs in Word, Google Docs, and Word Online, here is how you can do that. Although it is easy to create bullet points or numbered lists in those tools, you can make use of the same thing to add numbers to paragraphs. This article explains how you can do that and customize the number as per your requirements.
The basic thing of this guide is to add a numbered list and customize the list as per your requirements. Once you create a numbered list with the desired paragraphs, you will be able to change the corresponding setting such as position, color, font, size, etc. In simple terms, you need to customize the paragraphs in such a way it must not look like a numbered list.
Note: Here, we have shown the steps in Microsoft Word. However, you can do the same in Google Docs and Word Online. As some options may be placed in a different location, we have included some specific steps for specific apps for your convenience.
To number paragraphs in Microsoft Word follow these steps:
- Select the paragraphs in your document.
- Click on the Numbering option.
- Switch to the View tab.
- Tick the Ruler checkbox.
- Click on the First Line Indent option.
- Move it towards the left.
- Double-click on the numbered list to select.
- Change font, size, color, etc.
To learn more about these steps, continue reading.
First, you need to open the document and select the paragraphs you want to number. Then, click on the Numbering option to add the numbered list.
By default, the numbered list should not be enough for you. That is why you need to customize it to make it look different. In other words, it will stay a numbered list, but the appearance will be different than a typical numbered list.
For that, you need to change the position of the numbers. To do so, switch to the View tab and tick the Ruler checkbox.
Then, click on the First Line Indent button and move it towards the left side of the page.
It will create a gap between the numbers and paragraphs. However, you can also use the Left Indent button to move the paragraphs toward the right side as well. However, it will move the entire page instead of the numbered list.
If the positioning is done, you can double-click on the numbers and change the font, size, color, etc. Although it is not possible to apply bold or italic, you can certainly change the font family, font size, color, etc., within moments.
If you use Google Docs, you don’t need to go to any View tab since Google Docs enables the Ruler by default. Therefore, you can find the First Line Indent and Left Indent options by default in the same position as Word.
However, if you use Word Online, you might need to go to the View tab and select the Ruler option to display the ruler.
Following that, the steps are the same. You can change the position and customize it as you like.
How do I get paragraph numbers in Word?
To get paragraph numbers in Word, you can use the Numbering functionality. Whether it is in Word, Google Docs, or Word Online, the steps are the same. You need to add the numbered list, change the position and customize it as per your requirements. It is possible to change the font family, color, and size.
How do I number a multilevel paragraph in Word?
To create a multilevel numbered list and number a multilevel paragraph in Word, you need to follow the same steps. In the beginning, create the first set of numbered lists. Then, you can choose the sub-paragraphs and add another numbered list. For your information, you can create multiple lists under one numbered list.
That’s all! Hope this guide helped.
Read Next:
- How to Edit, Update, Remove a Table of Contents in Word
- How to mirror an Image in Microsoft Word.
Select Multilevel List from the Paragraph group in the Paragraph group on the Home tab. Make your selection for the document’s numbering style under List Library.
Word for Microsoft 365 Word 2020 Word 2019 Word 2016 Word 2013 Word 2010 Word 2007 More. Less.
Using multilevel list templates and Word’s built-in heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.), you can apply a numbering system to the headings in your document.
Make sure you’re using your document’s built-in heading styles.
Can Microsoft Word paragraphs be numbered?
The paragraph numbering feature in Microsoft Word is found in the Paragraph section of the Home tab, if you aren’t already familiar with it. For bullets, use the button on the left. For single-level numbering, use the one in the middle. Multi-level numbering is used with the one on the right.
When it works, Word’s automatic paragraph numbering feature can save you a ton of time. However, it appears to be impossible to correct a numbering sequence once it has gotten off course. The automatic paragraph numbering in Word can be made to behave by using the following tips:
If you’re not already familiar, you can find Microsoft Word’s paragraph numbering feature in the Paragraph section of the Home tab.
I always use the multi-level style instead of single-level numbering, even if I’m only numbering one level of the paragraph. I can format in more ways with multi-level. I can even store my own numbering systems for use in the future.
Is the symbol for numbering sentences in a paragraph in Word
Click in a section or select multiple sections to add line numbers. Select Line Numbers from the Page Setup group under the Page Layout tab. Afterwards, select the Layout tab by clicking Line Numbering Options. Click Selected Sections under the Apply to list. Tap the line numbers.
Microsoft Word for 365: Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010, and More Less.
A document’s lines can be counted automatically by Word, which will then display the appropriate number beside each line of text. When referencing specific lines in a document, such as a script or a legal contract, this is helpful.
Every line in a document is automatically numbered by Word, with the exception of those in tables, footnotes, endnotes, text boxes, headers, and footers. You can decide which line numbers to show, though. You can, for instance, make all or a portion of the document’s line numbers visible. Alternatively, you can show line numbers at regular intervals, like every tenth line (10, 20, 30, etc.).
In Word, how do I number paragraphs without using an indent?
The numbering will be displayed when you click the Format button in the bottom left corner. You only need to make one adjustment in the resulting dialog: as seen in Figure E, change the text indentation. setting in the Position section, near the bottom, to 0. Double-click OK to confirm.
Instead of altering an existing list style, create a custom one when you need a numbered list in Microsoft Word without a hanging indent.
It’s simple to create a numbered list in Microsoft Word. In the Paragraph group, select the text and then click Numbering. Usually, that will be all you require. But it has a hanging indent. Actually, there isn’t a pre-built list style that doesn’t use a hanging indent and uses the text style Normal. You could alter the font of a list style that already exists but doesn’t use a hanging indent, but you don’t want to go that route. I’ll demonstrate how to make a unique list style without a hanging indent in this article. Even though doing so seems more difficult than merely changing one of the preexisting list styles, this is an instance in which taking the right path rather than the simple one pays off.
(TechRepublic) SEE: 69 Excel hints every user should know.
What is the process for inserting sequential numbers in Word?
Click Numbering under the Paragraphs group in the Home tab. Reminder: To choose a different number format, right-click a number in the list, select Numbering, then click Define New Number Format. Then, choose the options you desire.
- Microsoft Word 365 Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010, Word 2007, and more. Less.
- Numbers can be added to table cells by using Word’s numbered list feature.
- If a table cell contains multiple lines of text, word number each line in the cell.
How do you enter 2.1 and 2.2 in Word?
In the event that you require numbered subsections (for instance, 2.1, 2.2, 2.12, etc.) as well, selecting List 1 Heading 1; List 1 Point 1 Heading 2, etc. (middle row, right side) is an option. Remember that once you do this, all heading levels will have the same formatting.
Find out how to number subsections and appendices more easily.
Important Information: If your discipline does not call for this kind of numbering, skip this section.
Using Chapter 1, 1 Point 1, 1 Point 2, etc., Word can automatically number sections, and in the captions (Figure 1 Point 2, 2 Point 2, etc.), list the chapter number.
How many words does a paragraph have?
There are more exceptions to this general rule than you might think, but paragraphs are typically between 100 and 200 words long.
There is no definitive answer to the question of “How many words are in a paragraph?” that you as a writer may find yourself wondering about. There are typically between 100 and 200 words in a paragraph, but a more accurate response would be “It depends,” which isn’t very helpful. So let’s examine word count, paragraphs, and how it all functions in greater detail.
Typically, a paragraph will only cover one idea. Typically, you’ll introduce that idea with one sentence and then use a number of supporting sentences to complete it. There are more exceptions than you might think to the general rule that paragraphs should be between 100 and 200 words long.
Commercial writing defies all conventions. Your goal is to keep your readers’ attention and persuade them to read what you have written, whether or not you find it annoying. Solid blocks of text are disliked by the average person. Nobody likes to work harder than necessary, and it seems like it will be difficult to get through.
How do you add sequential numbers to a Word document?
Click Numbering under the Paragraphs group in the Home tab. Note: To choose a different number format, right-click a number in the list, select Numbering, then click Define New Number Format. Then, choose the options you desire.
- Word for Microsoft 365 Word 2020 Word 2019 Word 2016 Word 2013 Word 2010 Word 2007 More. Less.
- To assign numbers to table cells, use Word’s numbered list feature.
- Note: Word numbers each line in a table cell that has multiple lines of text.
What is the quickest method for calculating Word’s paragraph count?
On the ribbon, click the Review tab. In the Proofing group, select the Word Count button. The Word Count dialog box can also be displayed by clicking the word count in the status bar. In addition to the word count, you can also see the number of characters (both with and without spaces), paragraphs, and lines in this area.
If your writing assignment has a word count requirement, the Word Count feature can be helpful.
The page number and the status bar at the bottom of the screen always include the word count. Open the Word Count dialog box to view a more thorough word count.
The Word Count dialog box can also be opened by clicking the word count in the status bar.
In Word, how do I add a 1.1 numbering?
After selecting the Home tab, select the Multilevel List icon. The list library is now open. 2. Choose 1 heading (1, 1 point 2, etc. from the drop-down menu.
How do I add one-point-one numbers in Word?
Select the Home tab, then select the Multilevel List icon. – Doing so launches the List Library. 2. Choose 1 heading (1, 1 point 2, etc. from the drop-down list.
How can a word count be added to a paragraph?
In order to be able to check your word count right away, you should add a word count function here. whenever you change your word. So let’s put this word count here, then place the cursor here.
What’s the best way to fix Word’s sequential numbering?
After selecting it, simply make a right click, select Numbering from the menu, and then choose whether you want to change them all or just one in particular. And this is where you’ll find the predetermined numbering value.
How should paragraphs be numbered?
The first paragraph in the document’s body is numbered 1, and the numbering continues sequentially through the last paragraph.
paragraph numbering in word
Word’s automatic paragraph numbering feature is a great time-saver when it works. But, once a numbering sequence gets messed up, it seems impossible to get it back on track. Here are a few tricks for making your automatic paragraph numbering in Word behave.
How to Automatically Number Paragraphs in Word
If you’re not already familiar with Microsoft Word’s paragraph numbering feature, it’s located on the Home tab in the Paragraph section.
- The left-most button is for bullets.
- The one in the middle is for single-level numbering.
- The one on the right is for multi-level numbering.
Use the Multi-Level Option for More Flexibility
Even if I’m numbering just one level of the paragraph, I always use the multi-level style instead of single-level numbering. Multi-level gives me more options for formatting. And it even allows me to save my own numbering schemes for future use.
Three Ways Paragraph Numbering Goes Off Track
I typically see three problems with paragraph numbering getting off track, all of which can be cured with a simple right-click.
1. Most people really don’t like Word’s default indentation for automatic numbering. Fixing it is simple: Just right-click on one of the numbers and choose Adjust List Indents. Depending on whether you’re using single-level or multi-level numbering, you’ll get a dialog box that’ll allow you to set the indentation for the number itself and the following text. If you’re using the multi-level paragraph numbering style, you can also set the alignment of the number to right versus left if that’s what you prefer. In multi-level numbering, you can also reset the alignment of the first level of the numbering scheme, then instruct Word to increment the indentation for the remaining levels by a consistent measurement.
2. The numbers themselves somehow get out of sequence. When this happens, right-click and choose either Continue Numbering (if you want to connect your current paragraph to the previous list to continue that sequence) or Set Numbering Value (if you need to deliberately start at a specific number). This trick also comes in handy if you need to insert an unnumbered paragraph in the middle and then pick the number sequence back up in a subsequent paragraph.
Occasionally, however, some paragraph numbers just don’t respond to the Continue Numbering command. Here’s what I do as a fallback position. I place my cursor somewhere within a paragraph in the sequence I want to continue, and then on the Home tab click the Format Painter button. Notice that the mouse cursor is now a paintbrush. That means it’s copied the formatting of the paragraph that my cursor is currently sitting in, and now it’s looking to paste it elsewhere. So once I click into the offending paragraph, then it continues numbering.
3. You need to add more space between paragraphs. You probably want a little space between each paragraph, which, unfortunately, is not the default. To fix this, select all your numbered paragraphs, right-click, and choose Paragraph. In the Paragraph dialog box, set a bit of space after each paragraph. Be sure to uncheck the “Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style” box to ensure that spacing is honored. Once you click OK, your numbered paragraphs should be correctly spaced.
Click here to read more of Deborah’s Microsoft Office tips.
Updated March 31, 2021.
llustration ©iStockPhoto.com
Do you have a document where you need to number the paragraphs? Maybe you want the numbers as reference points or are simply required to include them. We’ll show you how to number paragraphs in Microsoft Word.
Word offers a feature to number the lines in a document. But when it comes to numbering paragraphs, there isn’t a built-in feature or handy tool. However, by using the Numbered List feature and making some tweaks to the formatting, you can add paragraph numbers.
Add Paragraph Numbers in Word
Inserting paragraph numbers using the Numbered List feature works just like when you use the feature to add list items.
Select your paragraphs by dragging your cursor through them and head to the Home tab. To apply the default number style, click “Numbering” in the Paragraph section of the ribbon.
To use a different number format, click the arrow next to the Numbering button and select an option.
Now you have basic numbering for your paragraphs. However, this does make your paragraphs look a bit like a list. So let’s look at the different ways to format them based on your needs.
Format the Numbered List Indents
You have a couple of ways to format the numbers in the list as well as the paragraphs they represent. You can use the Adjust List Indents feature or the ruler. Let’s look at both.
Adjust the List Indents
Select the numbers in the list, right-click, and pick “Adjust List Indents” from the shortcut menu.
This handy little box gives you a variety of ways to format the numbered paragraphs.
Number Position: This setting moves the numbers inward or outward from the left margin and does not affect the position of the paragraphs. Enter the number of inches or use the arrows to increase or decrease them in smaller increments.
Text Indent: This setting adjusts the paragraph spacing from the left and affects the overflow of lines. Here again, enter the number of inches or use the arrows to increase or decrease the measurement.
Follow Number With: This setting determines what displays between the number and the first word in the paragraph. You can choose from Tab Character, Space, or Nothing. If you select Tab Character, you can optionally add the tab stop at a certain spot.
You can adjust one setting or experiment with more to get the exact appearance you want.
Use the Ruler
If using the Adjust List Indents tools doesn’t give you the desired results, you can also manually move the numbers and paragraphs using the ruler at the top.
To display the ruler, go to the View tab and check the box for Ruler in the Show section of the ribbon.
Here are a couple of ways to use the ruler to adjust the indents.
Drag the numbers out of the margin: If you don’t want the numbers directly in the document but in the margin area instead, this is doable.
Select the paragraphs and then drag the First Line Indent indicator (top triangle) to the left. You’ll see a line display as you do this. Release when you are happy with the location.
Drag the numbers and move the paragraphs: If you prefer to move everything so that the numbers are outside the margin and the paragraphs are lined closer to the left, this is also a good option.
Select the paragraphs and then drag the Left Indent indicator (bottom rectangle) to the left. Again, you’ll see the line as you do this. Release when you see the position you want.
Numbering paragraphs may be something you want or something that is required for your document. Either way, you can add those numbers and then adjust the formatting per your preference.
With some business texts it is important that you can quickly refer to a certain paragraph. Microsoft Word has a simple function to automatically number lines, but to only number paragraphs, you have to put in a little more effort. How to number entire paragraphs in Word.
To number lines in Word, go to the tab Layout where you put the button Line numbers finds. A drop-down menu shows several options, but it doesn’t include a function to number only entire paragraphs. You will get that as a summary. First select all paragraphs that need to be numbered.
Then open the tab Start and in the group Paragraph choose a style with a numbered list. Immediately you see that each paragraph gets its own number. If you want to use a different number format, click the arrow next to the button Numbering. You now have a base numbering.
List Indents
There are two ways to format the numbers in the numbered paragraph list. Or you use the function Adjust list indents, or you use the ruler. To use the list indents, double-click a paragraph number. This will select all tracks. Then use the right mouse button and choose the command Adjust list indents in the context menu.
In the box Position of number move the numbering relative to the left margin. This does not affect the position of the paragraph text, only the number itself moves a little more to the left or right. Of Indent text on you determine the distance of the paragraphs from the margin.
There is also the option Have number tracked by. Specifies what should come between the number and the first word of the paragraph. For example, if you tab sign select, you can add a tab stop.
Ruler
You can also manually move the numbering and paragraphs using the ruler at the top. If you don’t see a ruler, turn it on via the tab Imagewhere you put a check in Ruler. Select all paragraphs and then drag the top triangle of ruler to the left to position the numbers. Then use the bottom triangle to set the position of the paragraph text.
.