To change paper size in Word, open your document, select Layout > Size, then choose the size you need, such as A4, Letter, or Legal. Desktop Word also lets you enter custom dimensions and apply different sizes to separate sections.
The desktop steps cover Word for Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 on Windows and Mac. In Word for the web and on Android tablets and iPads, you can choose an available size from the Layout ribbon.
The short version
- Standard sizes: Select Layout > Size and choose the paper size you want.
- Whole document: On Windows, open Page Setup and choose Whole document under Apply to to resize every section.
- Custom dimensions: Use Custom size on the Paper tab of Page Setup on Windows or Manage Custom Sizes on Mac.
- Printed output: Match the printer's paper setting to the loaded sheets, or use print scaling to fit an existing layout onto another size.
| Task | Where to start | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| Choose a desktop preset | Layout > Size | Standard document dimensions on Windows or Mac |
| Resize all sections on Windows | Layout > Margins > Custom Margins | Document dimensions through Paper and Apply to |
| Use Page Setup on Mac | File > Page Setup | The document's Paper Size |
| Enter custom dimensions on Windows | Layout > Margins > Custom Margins > Paper | An exact width and height |
| Create a custom size on Mac | Page Setup > Paper Size > Manage Custom Sizes | A named size with dimensions and margins |
| Change size in a browser | Layout > Size | Available web presets |
| Access desktop controls from the web | Editing > Open in Desktop App | Custom dimensions and section layouts |
| Change size on a tablet | Layout > Size in the tablet ribbon | Available tablet presets |
| Resize one section | Layout > Breaks > Next Page | A separate part of a desktop document |
| Set a Windows document default | Page Setup > Paper > Set As Default | Future documents based on the relevant template |
| Change size from the Windows Print screen | File > Print > Settings | The paper-size selection shown beside the preview |
| Match the Windows printer setting | File > Print > Printer Properties | The sheet size requested from the printer |
| Check for a missing Windows preset | File > Print > Printer | The driver supplying available sizes |
| Scale a Windows printout | 1 Page Per Sheet > Scale to Paper Size | Output size while retaining the document layout |
| Choose a Mac output size | File > Print > Paper Size | The printed sheet size |
| Scale a Mac printout | File > Print > Paper Handling | Scaling to the destination sheet |
| Choose browser output size | Edge's print dialog > More settings > Paper size | The printed sheet and output scaling |
Change paper size in Word for Windows
Open your document and select Layout > Size, then choose the required preset. If your document contains multiple sections and you want to resize them all, press Ctrl + A before applying the size. Save the document after making the change.
For explicit control over which sections change, select Layout > Margins > Custom Margins. In Page Setup, open the Paper tab, choose Paper size, and set Apply to to Whole document. Select OK, then save your changes.
Choose a paper size on Mac
In Word for Mac, select Layout > Size, then choose the required preset. The available presets depend on printer information.
You can also select File > Page Setup, choose Paper Size, and select OK. Another entry to the same controls is Format > Document > Page Setup.
Set an exact width and height
On Windows, select Layout > Margins > Custom Margins to open Page Setup. On the Paper tab, choose Custom size under Paper size, then enter Width and Height. Choose the required scope under Apply to and select OK.
On Mac, open File > Page Setup, open Paper Size, and select Manage Custom Sizes. Select the + button, name the new size, and enter its dimensions and margins. Select OK, choose the new size in Page Setup, and select OK again.
You can also change margins in Word when setting up your document. Before printing a custom size, select the intended printer and confirm that it supports those dimensions. Creating a custom document size does not make that size available on every physical printer.
Change paper size in Word for the web
Open the document with editing permission, then select Layout > Size. Choose an available paper size, and Word saves the change automatically.
For custom dimensions or section-specific layouts, select Editing > Open in Desktop App. This requires an installed, licensed Word desktop app. Make the change using the desktop sizing controls, then save the document.
Use the size controls on tablets
On an Android tablet or iPad, tap Layout, then tap Size. Select one of the available paper sizes.
Give one section a different paper size
In desktop Word, place the cursor before the content that needs a different size. Select Layout > Breaks > Next Page to start a new section. Insert another Next Page section break after that content when subsequent pages should return to the original size.
Click inside the isolated section and change its paper size. On Windows, open the Page Setup dialog, choose the size on the Paper tab, and set Apply to to This section before selecting OK. Word for the web cannot create the section breaks needed for this task.
Section breaks also let you apply other layout changes to part of a document. If you need a page to turn sideways, you can make one page landscape in Word.
Make a paper size the default
On Windows, select Layout > Margins > Custom Margins to open Page Setup. On the Paper tab, choose the required Paper size or enter Width and Height. Select Set As Default, then select Yes.
This affects future documents based on the relevant template. For a reusable layout on either Windows or Mac, you can also save a document with the desired paper size as a personal template.
Fix missing sizes and mismatched printouts
On Windows, select File > Print and open the paper-size control under Settings, such as Letter. Choose the required size and review the preview. Select the intended printer, open Printer Properties, and choose the size loaded in the printer; the driver's labels and tabs vary by model. Select OK, then select Print when ready.
When a size is missing, choose the intended printer under Printer, then return to Layout > Size. The available sizes depend on the selected driver. For PDF output, selecting Microsoft Print to PDF can provide a different size list, and you can save your Word document as PDF when you need a PDF copy.
To keep the existing layout while fitting it onto another sheet size on Windows, open File > Print. Under Settings, open 1 Page Per Sheet, select Scale to Paper Size, and choose the output size. Review the preview before selecting Print.
On Mac, select File > Print and choose Paper Size. Select Print if you only need to choose the output sheet size.
For scaling on Mac, open Paper Handling in the print dialog, select Scale to fit paper size, and choose Destination Paper Size. These controls depend on the printer and app. Select Scale Down Only when you want scaling to reduce the output without enlarging it, then select Print.
For Word for the web in Microsoft Edge, select File > Print to generate the PDF output. In Edge's print dialog, choose your printer, open More settings, and choose Paper size. Choose Fit to printable area for scaling or Actual size to preserve scale, then select Print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you change paper size in Word using the keyboard?
In English-language Word for Windows, press Alt + P, then S, then P to open Page Setup. Use Shift + Tab to reach the tab headings and the arrow keys to select Paper. Press Tab to reach Paper size, choose a size, set Apply to, and activate OK. Access keys can differ with the interface language.
Why does Word automatically scale between A4 and Letter?
Word for Windows has a print-conversion setting for those two sizes. Open File > Options > Advanced, scroll to Print, and uncheck Scale content for A4 or 8.5 x 11" paper sizes to stop that automatic conversion. Select OK to save the setting.
How do you save a paper size as a reusable template?
On Windows, set the size, select File > Save As > This PC, enter a name, choose Word Template under Save as type, and select Save. Reuse it through File > New > Personal; some installations display Custom. On Mac, set the size, select File > Save as Template, choose Microsoft Word template (.dotx) under File Format, and select Save. Reuse it through File > New from Template.
How do you choose an envelope size in Word?
On Windows, select Mailings > Envelopes > Options > Envelope Options, then choose Envelope size. For an unlisted size, choose Custom size and enter Width and Height. Select OK, then choose Add to Document to create the envelope page or Print for direct output.
Does changing the Mac's default paper size change Word documents?
Changing the Mac's printing default does not necessarily change your Word document dimensions. Where available, open Apple menu > System Settings > Printers & Scanners and choose a size under Default paper size to change the printing default. Individual print jobs can override it, and Word templates can retain their own document dimensions.