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: Setting the Left Indent of a Paragraph in a Macro.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 31, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Macros are often used to process large amounts of text in some way or another. If you are using a macro to do processing, you may want part of that processing to include setting the left indent applied to a paragraph. If you are programming in VBA, you can use the LeftIndent property to set this value, as shown here:
Selection.Paragraphs.LeftIndent = 72
The LeftIndent property is always applied to a paragraph object. This means you can apply it to either a single paragraph or a range of paragraphs. In the above example the property being set belongs to all the paragraphs currently selected in the document.
You must also always specify the indent in points. In the above example, the left indent is set to 72 points, which is equivalent to one inch.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1468) 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: Setting the Left Indent of a Paragraph in a Macro.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!
Need to figure out a date a certain number of days, weeks, months, or years in the future? It's easy to do using the ...
Discover MoreNeed to figure out how far the insertion point is from the left margin? You can do so by using this small macro that ...
Discover MoreIf you know how to create macros, you can easily create entire replacements for Word's internal commands. Here's all you ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
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:
Comments