This article shows you how to column-align the text of a Word document so that it has a layout similar to that of newspapers or magazines.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Use the Default Columns
Step 1. Launch Microsoft Word
It features a blue icon with a white letter "W" inside.
If you wish, you can also edit an existing document by double clicking on the corresponding icon
Step 2. Click on the Blank Document option
It is located in the upper left of the Word templates pane. A new blank document will be created.
If you have chosen to edit an existing document, skip this step
Step 3. Click the Layout tab
It is located at the top of the Word window on the right of the tabs Home, insert And Design.
Step 4. Click the Columns button
It is located within the tab's "Page Setup" group Layout. A drop-down menu will be displayed consisting of the following options:
- A - is the default setting for all Word documents;
- Two - the document page will be divided into two distinct columns;
- Three - the document page will be divided into three distinct columns;
- To the left - most of the text will be concentrated on the right side of the document pages leaving an empty column on the left side;
- To the right - most of the text will be concentrated on the left side of the document pages leaving an empty column on the right side;
- If, before selecting one of the options indicated, you highlight a portion (or the whole) of the text of the document, it will be formatted according to the chosen settings.
Step 5. Click the option you want
In this way the layout of the document will be reorganized using invisible columns. As you type the text, you will notice that a new line will be created before it reaches the right edge of the page. When you reach the bottom of the first column, the text will automatically be inserted into the start of the second and so on until you reach the end of the last column where a new page will be created.
Method 2 of 2: Create Custom Columns
Step 1. Launch Microsoft Word
It features a blue icon with a white letter "W" inside.
If you want, you can also edit an existing document by double clicking on the corresponding icon
Step 2. Click on the Blank Document option
It is located in the upper left of the Word templates pane. A new blank document will be created.
If you have chosen to edit an existing document, skip this step
Step 3. Click the Layout tab
It is located at the top of the Word window on the right of the tabs Home, insert And Design.
Step 4. Click the Columns button
It is located within the tab's "Page Setup" group Layout.
Step 5. Click the Other Columns option
It is the last item on the drop-down menu Columns.
Step 6. Click the number of columns you want to create
Inside the appeared window you will find different settings for example A, Two, Three etc. Clicking one of these options will change the layout of the document accordingly.
If you've selected a specific piece of text, the new pagination settings will only apply to that section
Step 7. Change the column width and spacing
You can modify these two aspects by acting respectively on the values in the "Width" and "Spacing" fields.
Also deselect the check button "Same width for all columns" to be able to vary the size of the individual columns present
Step 8. Select the "Separator Line" check button to insert a divider
This way the columns of the page will be visually separated from each other by a line.
If you don't want to insert a divider between one column and another, deselect the "Separator line" check button
Step 9. Click the "Apply to" drop-down menu
This way you will have the choice between Selected text or Whole document. The column formatting settings will be applied to the indicated text portion.
Step 10. Click the OK button
The column layout you created will be applied to the portion of the document you have selected.
