Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Arranging Paragraphs.

Arranging Paragraphs

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 3, 2018)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Sometimes you want to move a paragraph or two around in your document. For instance, you might want to move a paragraph from its current location to before the preceding paragraph. You can quickly move paragraphs by following these steps:

Position the insertion point in the paragraph you want to move.
While holding down the Shift and Alt keys, press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow to move the paragraph.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1219) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Arranging Paragraphs.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

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What is seven more than 4?

2020-03-26 12:23:52

Joyce

I have used this keystroke for years and years (I think decades in fact). It stopped working recently. Any ideas? Did Microsoft Word change? Or another setting. TIA if you have any tips!

2018-07-07 12:16:22

Daniel

Thank you so much!

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Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.