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How to Split a Word Document Into Columns

Tap through each step to turn a single-column page into a newspaper-style layout.

  1. Select the text to split into columns (optional)

    If you only want part of the document in columns rather than the whole thing, select that text first.

  2. Open the Layout tab and click Columns

    Click the "Columns" icon in the Page Setup group on the Layout tab.

  3. Choose how many columns you want

    Click "Two," "Three," or another option from the list, and the selected text splits into that many columns.

  4. Adjust column width and spacing (optional)

    Select "More Columns" from the Columns menu to fine-tune each column's width and the spacing between them.

  5. Why it is worth using

    When you want a layout that looks like a newsletter or newspaper rather than one continuous line of text, columns let text flow automatically from one column into the next.

Want a newsletter- or newspaper-style layout?

Instead of one long unbroken block of text, splitting content into columns gives a page a more professional, publication-style look, with text automatically flowing into the next column as it fills up.

Also worth checking: inserting page breaks

Learning section breaks and page breaks alongside columns opens up a lot more flexibility for controlling exactly how your document is laid out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can only part of a page use columns?

Yes. Select just the content you want in columns before applying the feature, and only that part splits while the rest of the page stays single-column.

Can I add a line between columns?

Yes. In the Layout β†’ Columns β†’ More Columns dialog, check "Line between," and a vertical divider appears between each column.