Centering a Page Vertically

Last updated May 5, 2005.

To center a page vertically in:

• Word
• Word Perfect

Instructions for Word

• Before typing the document
• After typing the document
• Checking to be sure it is done correctly

Before Typing the Document

These directions are for creating a title page that is vertically centered. To center a one page document vertically use just steps 2 to 5. If there are more than one page in the document, continue with steps 10 to 14.

1. With your insertion point at the very top of the page and no spaces or lines on the page create the header. (Remember that the title page is page 1 and has a page number on it!)
2. Click on File>Page Set up>Layout
3. Dropdown the box under Vertical alignment (to the right in XP) and select "Center."
4. Under Apply to in the lower right quadrant of that window select "Whole Document." (Yes, it makes no sense, and will be changed later.)
5. Click OK.
6. Click on the center justification button on the format bar. (To center the text left to right)
7. The first line will now start in the middle of the page. The text will position itself as you type.
8. Do NOT tap the Enter key at the end of the last line of text. Instead go to step 11. (DO NOT SKIP REST OF STEPS!)
9. With your insertion point at the end of the last line of text in the title page, Tap Ctrl+Enter to create a new page. (This will be the second page, but the abstract page if you are using an abstract, else the beginning of your text.)
10. Click on File>Page Setup
11. Dropdown the box under Vertical alignment and select "Top"
12. Click on the drop down arrow on the Apply box in the lower right quadrant of the Page Layout Window
13. Click on "This point forward."
14. Click on left justify to left justify the rest of the paper.
15. Type your paper.
16. To see how it should look retrieve this Word document.

After Typing the Document

These directions are for creating a title page that is vertically centered. To center a one page document vertically skip steps 2 and 10.

1. Tap Ctrl+Home. (Hold down the Ctrl key and tap the Home key.) This will place your insertion point at the very top of the document.
2. Tap Ctrl+Enter to create a new page above the current document.
3. Tap the up arrow key to place your insertion point on the new page.
4. If you have not already done so, create a header. (Remember that the title page is page 1 and should be numbered!)
5. Click File>Page Setup>Layout>
6. Under Apply to in the lower right quadrant of that window select "Whole Document." (Yes, it makes no sense, and will be changed later.)
7. Dropdown the box under Vertical alignment (lower half of window ) and select Center.
8. Click OK.
9. Click on the center justification button on the format bar. (To center the text left to right)
10. Type all the text that you want on the title page Do NOT tap enter at the end of the last line. Instead tap the down arrow key once to get to the next page. (DO NOT SKIP REST OF STEPS!)
11. WIth your insertion point at the end of the last line of text for the title page, Click File>PageSetup> Layout>
12. Under Vertical Alignment select Top
13. Click on the drop down arrow on the Apply box in the lower right quadrant of the Window and click on "This Point Forward."
14. Click OK .
15. If you have not already placed the title of the paper at the head of the document, do so now. The title starts the first page of the document, page 2 if you have no abstract, page 3 if you do.
16. To see how it should look retrieve this Word document.

Checking to Be Sure It is Done Correctly

If you are using the Normal View (Many of us write in this view so we can concentrate on writing, not pagination.) you will not see the formatting you have just completed. To check that it is done correctly you will switch to the Print Layout view. (Note: The text is NOT correct APA format.)

• To see the page in Normal View: Click on View>Normal
• To see the page in Print Layout View: Click on View>Print Layout

Instructions for Word Perfect

These directions are for creating a title page that is vertically centered. To center a one page document vertically use just steps 3 to 5.

1. If you have already typed the paper, hold down the Ctrl key and tap the Home key twice to place the insertion point at the very beginning of the document.
2. Tap Ctrl+Enter to create a new page above the document. (If you are creating the title page first, skip this step.)
3. Tap the Up arrow key to move the insertion point to the newly created page.
4. Create a header if you have not already done so.
5. Click Format>Page>Center
6. Click on Current Page
7. Click OK
8. Tap Shift+F7 to center a line and enter your name. To create the next line, tap Enter and Shift+F7 to center it vertically. (If the title page is the first page that you have created, when you enter the last line of text on the title page tap Ctrl+Enter. This will force a new page.)
9. To see how this should look, retireve this Word Perfect document. (Note: The text is NOT correct APA format.)

If you are in Draft view (Many of us write in this view so we can concentrate on writing, not pagination.) you will not be able to see the header, nor how the text centers itself.

• To see the page in Draft view click on View>Draft
• To see the page in Print view click on View>Page

For questions or broken links please email the author .

Copyright 2003/2008 Linda Q. Thede
All rights reserved