Set Tab stops

Define Tab stops

  • Tabs are simply entered by pressing TAB on the keyboard, and removed by pressing BACKSPACE to remove them

  • The distance of the tab or indent is controlled by tab stops on the ruler. If the ruler is not visible, click on View Ruler button at the top of the vertical scroll bar


Apply and modify Tab stops in the document

Set the tab stops by using the ruler

  • Click the tab selector at the left end of the ruler until it displays the type of tab that needs to be applied

  • Click the ruler where you need to set the tab stop


Use the Tabs dialog box to set Tab stops at precise positions

The Tabs dialog box is used to set Tab stops at positions which can’t get done by clicking the ruler, or to insert a specific character (leader) before the tab.

  • Go to Home tab > Paragraph group > click Paragraph dialog box Launcher arrow

  • In the Paragraph dialog box, click Tabs button

  • In the Tabs dialog box, do any of the following:

    • Under Tab stop position, type the tab number to set the tab distance

    • To change the spacing between the default tab stops, in the Default tab stops text box, enter the amount of spacing between the default tab stops

    • Under Alignment, click the desired type of tab stop

    • Under Leader, select dots with tab stop or another type of leader

    • Click Set.

Modify the existing tab stops

  • Double-click on the tab stop on the ruler

  • In the Tab dialog box, select formatting options bring


Clear Tab stop spacing in the document

  • Go to Home tab > Paragraph group > click Paragraph Dialog Box Launcher arrow

  • In the Paragraph dialog box, click Tabs button

  • In the Tabs dialog box, do any of the following:

    • Under Tab stop position, select the tab position need to be cleared in the list > click Clear button

    • Click Clear All  button to remove the spacing from all manual tab stops