Page margins are indicated at each end of the Ruler bar by dark shading. The white space in between is the normal typing space.

The indents for the selected paragraph are also indicated on the horizontal Ruler bar. The left indent symbols are two triangles and a rectangular box. The right indent symbol is a single triangle.

Indents can extend into both the left and right margin areas. A hanging indent means that the first line of text begins to the left of the rest of the paragraph; for example, where numbering is used.

Horizontal Ruler bar

Tip: If you can't see the horizontal ruler, from the View menu, select Ruler.

To indent text using the Ruler bar

• Select the paragraphs you want to indent
• Drag the indent markers to the required position

To indent text using the Formatting toolbar

• Select the paragraphs you want to indent
• On the Formatting toolbar, click a button as shown in the table below

• To change an existing indent click on the indented text with the right mouse button and select either Increase Indent or Decrease Indent.

To indent text using the keyboard

To indent text using the Tab key

The first time you press the Tab key a normal first line indent is created to the first tab stop. Each time you press Tab again the whole paragraph is indented.

• Position the insertion point at the start of the paragraph
• Press Tab

To remove indents using the Backspacekey

The indents may be removed one step at a time or all at once depending on how they were created.

• Position the insertion point at the start of the paragraph
• Press Backspace

Note: If the Tab or Backspace keys do not work as described above, from the Tools menu select Options, then the Edit tab. Click the Tabs and backspace set left indent check box. A tick means it is switched on.

To indent text from the Paragraph dialogue box

• From the Format menu, select Paragraph...
• Select the Indents and Spacing tab
• Enter the measurements in the Left: and Right: boxes

Paragraph dialogue box - Indentation panel

• Click on the Special drop-down list to select first line or hanging indent options
• Enter the first line or hanging indent measurement in the By: box
• Click OK

Note: Negative numbers in the Left: or Right: indent boxes mean the text will spill over into the space normally reserved as the page margin.