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: Aligning a Paragraph in a Macro.
Word allows a rich set of formatting attributes for text in a document. You can control the alignment of a paragraph by using the following VBA statement:
Selection.Paragraphs.Alignment = position
where position is one of the constants shown in the following table:
| Constant | Result | |
|---|---|---|
| wdAlignParagraphLeft | Formats the current paragraph as left justified | |
| wdAlignParagraphCenter | Formats the current paragraph as centered | |
| wdAlignParagraphRight | Formats the current paragraph as right justified | |
| wdAlignParagraphJustify | Formats the current paragraph so it expands to the left and right margins |
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (3501) 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: Aligning a Paragraph in a Macro.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!
One way you can access macros is through the use of a button, added directly into the text of your document. This is done ...
Discover MoreWhen using a macro to format text, you can set all sorts of attributes for paragraphs or individual characters. On ...
Discover MoreYou'd think that Word would be consistent, right? Wrong! Here's one example where Word is anything but consistent when it ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2021-03-09 09:57:05
Tim
Is there a way to include paragraph alignment in a Find operation? I'm looking to use a macro to find the word "References" in bold, case matched, and left-aligned. The first two I've got, but struggling to incorporate alignment.
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 © 2026 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