How to permantely change paragraph spacing in OneNote

Question

How to permantely change paragraph spacing in OneNote

Amy Faye 0

Is there a way to permanently change the paragraph spacing option in OneNote?

I have hundreds of pages for work/study and have to change the spacing option for every page, which isn't quick/easy.

In the general settings there is a way to set a default font, size and colour, but nothing for paragraph spacing.

I have included a photos, as other questions I've found only offer the temporarily solution

Screenshot 2026-10-29 104521

Screenshot 2026-10-29 104101

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2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Dear Amy Faye,

As your screenshot shows, File > Options > General only lets you set a default font, size, and color. Paragraph spacing is applied only to the text you select. Unlike Word, OneNote also doesn't let you customize its built-in styles with a preferred paragraph spacing. I also couldn't find a documented bulk command that applies spacing to every existing page in a notebook.

There are two workarounds that may reduce the effort.

Option 1: Use a page template for new pages

Create a blank page and add a sample paragraph or list.
Select the text, then go to Home > Paragraph Alignment > Paragraph Spacing Options.
Enter your preferred Before, After, and Line spacing at least values, then select OK.
Leave the formatted sample text on the page as placeholder text.
Go to View > Paper Size, then select Save current page as a template at the bottom of the pane.
Name the template and select Save.
For new pages, go to Insert > Page Templates > Page Templates, expand My Templates, and select your template.

Please note that a template only affects pages created from it. It will not reformat your existing pages.

Option 2: Use Format Painter for existing pages

Select a paragraph that already has the spacing you want.
On the Home tab, double-click Format Painter.
Drag over each block of text you want to match. Format Painter stays active as you move between pages and sections.
Select Format Painter again when you're finished.

Note:

OneNote uses point values rather than Word-style values such as "1.5" or "2". For example, with 11-point Calibri, entering 27 in Line spacing at least gives double spacing.
If you separate lines using Shift + Enter, OneNote treats them as one paragraph, so spacing is applied only before or after the whole block. Pressing Enter creates separate paragraphs, and each one gets the spacing.

If you would like this as a built-in default setting, I recommend submitting it as feedback to the OneNote team through File > Feedback in the app. Your feedback has been duly noted and is highly valued, as it provides with essential insights to continue improving and refining the products and services in the future.

Untitled

Please notice and accept my apologies that as moderators in the community, we are not supported for the product design and have limited resources for the advanced info for Microsoft products. To help you send your feedback and requirement to the related development team, we have redirected you to the correct path.

For more detail, please refer to:

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation. I wish you all the best!

If you found my response helpful, please click "Yes" on this answer and consider upvoting it, as it helps others in the community find solutions more easily.

Jade Ng 16,535 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-30T02:02:04.2933333+00:00

Dear Amy Faye,

I just wanted to check in and see if you have any updates or additional information you’d like to share regarding your situation.

Answer 2

OneNote for Windows does not provide a permanent, global default for paragraph spacing; the supported alternatives are a reusable page template for future pages and Format Painter for existing content.^1^

Best workaround for future pages: create a template

This applies to the Windows desktop versions of OneNote for Microsoft 365, OneNote 2024, 2021, and 2016.

Create a blank page.
Add a sample paragraph or list.
Select it, then open Home > Paragraph Alignment > Paragraph Spacing Options.
Enter the required Before, After, and Line spacing at least values.
Leave the formatted sample text on the page as placeholder text. New text entered within that placeholder should continue its formatting.
Select View > Paper Size.
At the bottom of the Paper Size pane, select Save current page as a template.
Name the template and select Save.
For future pages, open Insert > Page Templates > Page Templates, expand My Templates, and select it.^2^

A template affects pages created from that template; it does not retroactively reformat the hundreds of existing pages.

Faster method for existing pages

Since paragraph spacing cannot be added to OneNote’s default font settings, use a correctly formatted paragraph as the source:

Select text that already has the desired spacing.
Go to Home and double-click Format Painter.
Drag over each block that needs the same formatting.
Navigate between pages or sections while Format Painter remains active.
Select Format Painter again when finished.

Double-clicking keeps Format Painter active for multiple selections, including selections on other pages and sections.^3^

There is no documented bulk command in OneNote that applies paragraph spacing to every existing page in a notebook. Also, unlike Word, OneNote does not allow its built-in style list to be customized with a preferred paragraph spacing.^3^

Choosing spacing values

OneNote expects a total point value rather than Word-style values such as “1.5” or “2.” For example, with 11-point Calibri, Microsoft documents 27 in Line spacing at least as double spacing. For a different font or size, adjust the value until it produces the required result.^1^

For Before and After spacing:

Enter creates a new paragraph, so spacing is applied between those paragraphs.
Shift+Enter creates a soft line break within the same paragraph, so Before/After spacing is not inserted between those lines.^1^

References