Line Spacing & Double Spacing in LaTeX (setspace)
To double-space a LaTeX document, load the setspace package and use \doublespacing, or \onehalfspacing for 1.5. Apply spacing to the whole document or a section.
To double-space a LaTeX document, load the setspace package and use \doublespacing; for 1.5 spacing use \onehalfspacing. setspace is the correct tool because it keeps footnotes, captions, and the table of contents single-spaced — exactly what thesis rules require — while spacing the body text. Avoid editing \baselinestretch directly.
1. Whole-document spacing
\usepackage{setspace}
...
\doublespacing % or \onehalfspacing, or \singlespacing
\begin{document}
Put the spacing command after loading the package. The four switches:
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| \singlespacing | Normal (default) |
| \onehalfspacing | ~1.5 line spacing |
| \doublespacing | "Double" (stretch ≈ 1.66) |
| \setstretch{2.0} | Exact stretch factor |
2. Spacing for part of a document
\begin{spacing}{2.0}
This block is double-spaced.
\end{spacing}
Back to normal here.
Use the spacing environment when only the body must be double-spaced but quotations, captions, or tables stay single — a common university requirement.
3. The "double" subtlety
\doublespacing produces a baseline stretch of about 1.66, which matches what examiners conventionally call double spacing for a 12pt document — it mimics a double-spaced typewritten page rather than literally doubling the leading. If a guideline demands an exact 2×, use \setstretch{2.0}.
4. Why not edit \baselinestretch?
The old \renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{2} approach also stretches footnotes and the TOC, where you want single spacing. setspace fixes this automatically, which is why it's the standard for a thesis.
5. Paragraph spacing vs line spacing
Line spacing (above) is the gap within a paragraph. To change the gap between paragraphs, set \setlength{\parskip}{1em} and \setlength{\parindent}{0pt} for a block style, or load the parskip package. Pair spacing with margins for complete page control.
→ Set spacing and see it applied instantly in LetX.
Written by Shihab Shahriar Antor — AI Engineer & Founder of Shahriar Labs, maker of LetX.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I double-space only part of a document?
Use the spacing environment from setspace: \begin{spacing}{2.0} ... \end{spacing} double-spaces just the enclosed text and returns to normal afterward. This is useful when a university requires double-spaced body text but single-spaced quotations, captions, or tables. The commands \singlespacing, \onehalfspacing, and \doublespacing also work as switches inside a group {} to limit their scope.
Why is double spacing in LaTeX not exactly twice the line height?
Because \doublespacing sets the baseline stretch to about 1.66, which renders as the spacing examiners conventionally call 'double' for a 12pt document — it matches the look of a double-spaced typewritten page rather than literally doubling the leading. If a guideline demands an exact value, use \setstretch{2.0} from setspace to set the stretch factor directly. Always check whether your institution means the setspace 'double' or a literal 2x.
Should I use setspace or change \baselinestretch directly?
Use setspace. Setting \renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{2} directly is the old approach and has side effects, like changing spacing in footnotes and the table of contents where you usually want single spacing. setspace handles these cases correctly — it keeps footnotes, captions, and floats single-spaced while spacing the body — which is exactly what thesis formatting rules expect. It also gives clean switches and the spacing environment.