How to Align Text to the Horizontal & Vertical Center

Word processors allow you to format your documents to meet any academic or professional requirements.

Few things discredit a writer faster than improper formatting. Not only does it label you as a novice, it also suggests that you have a laid-back attitude about industry standards. This is why it is important to know how to use your word processor's formatting tools, such as the horizontal and vertical alignment buttons. You use these tools to center text on a title page, such as for research papers written in APA style.

Instructions

Microsoft Word

1. Click just to the left of the text you want to center, then drag your mouse to the right to highlight it.

2. Click on the "Home" tab in the ribbon, then click the "Center" button in the "Paragraph" group. This centers the text horizontally on the page.

3. Click on the "Page Layout" tab, then click the Dialog Box Launcher in the bottom-right corner of the "Page Setup" group.

4. Click "Center" in the "Vertical Alignment" box.

5. Click "Selected Text" in the "Apply To" box, then click "OK." This centers the highlighted text vertically on the page.

Apple Pages

1. Click on the Text Box icon in the toolbar, then type the text you want to center inside the box.

2. Click the "Horizontal Alignment" button on the toolbar.

3. Click on the Inspector icon in the toolbar.

4. Click on the Text icon, then select the "Text" tab.

5. Click the "Center Vertically" button under the "Color & Alignment" heading.

OpenOffice Writer

1. Click on the "Insert" menu and choose "Frame." This launches the "Frame" dialog box.

2. Click the "Automatic" check box under the "Width" category and the "Autosize" check box in the "Height" category.

3. Select "Center" from the "Vertical" drop-down box.

4. Click the "To Page" radio button in the "Anchor" category.

5. Click the "Borders" tab, then click the "Set No Borders" button under the "Line Arrangement" category.

6. Click "OK" to close the dialog box. A frame will appear in the middle of the document. Click inside and type your text.

References

• Microsoft Office Support: Word 2010: Center Text on a Page
• Pages '09 User Guide: Aligning Text Vertically
• Openoffice.org Training, Tips and Ideas: Centering Text Vertically in a Page (Writer): Using Frames, Text Boxes and a One-Celled Table