Share via

Don't Use HTML Paragraph Spacing

Anonymous
2018-05-15T17:22:45+00:00

My office just upgraded to Office 2016. While things have good well for the most part, I've found one annoyance. Significant to me and I would think to anyone with a passing interest with typography.

Earlier versions of Word defaulted to using HTML paragraph spacing. (This has always seemed a bizarre default to me.) Users were, however, given the option of checking the "Don't use HTML paragraph spacing" buried deep in the advanced options. This allows users to make both paragraph and line spacing regular and with a consistent rhythm. For example, if you want a regular 6 point "rhythm", you could set your line spacing to "exactly" 18 points with 18 points after with headings having 12 points before and 6 points after, all multiples of 6. (Sorry for being pedantic.)

The "Don't use HTML paragraph spacing", however, seems to have disappeared in Word 2016. This is extremely annoying and is screwing up my documents. (And please don't tell me "if you're interested in typography, why are you using Word?" I have no choice in the matter.)

Where did it go? Or is it good for good?

Thanks for any help.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

11 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Suzanne S Barnhill 275K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2018-05-17T23:13:59+00:00

    I can respond to the "single" spacing. Every font has a certain amount of leading built in, to provide the most readable display. For TNR, this is about 20% of the nominal point size. The early versions of Word used 10-pt TNR as the default font, which gave a line spacing of 12 points, equivalent to the 6 lpi which was the default for typewriters. Some fonts require much greater leading to display properly. OTOH, some have entirely unreasonable leading. You can always work around this by using Exactly or Multiple spacing that suits your needs. It does require some trial and error to determine what Exactly amount approximates the "single" spacing, but when you have done that, you can set that (or a multiple of it) for all styles for consistency.

    But I agree that being able to predict what the combined Spacing After and Spacing Before will be is generally preferable to having the larger amount prevail.

    0 comments