Margins in Word have standard sizes according to regulations for Word editors to follow, ensuring that documents are presented according to standard regulations. Especially with types of documents such as textbooks, reference books, manuals, projects, ... that are printed and public, it is very necessary to align margins.
If you are new to Word, you should use the Word margin frame to make it easier to align. After aligning Word to the standard size, the document has a beautiful and professional layout. Below are instructions for aligning Word according to different versions.
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Margin standards in Word
According to regulations, the circular of the Ministry of Home Affairs on the format and technique of presenting administrative documents guides the presentation on A4 paper size (210mmx297mm) or on a pre-printed A5 template, the document is presented along the length of an A4 paper page , with the margins set as:
- Top margin: 20 – 25mm (2cm – 2.5cm) from the top edge.
- Bottom margin: 20 – 25mm (2cm – 2.5cm) from the bottom edge.
- Left margin: 30 – 35 mm (3cm – 3.5cm) from the left edge.
- Right margin: 15 – 20 mm (1.5cm – 2cm) from the right edge.

Instructions for aligning margins in Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013
The interface from Word 2013 to Word 2021 will be different from the interface of Word 2007, so the operation of adjusting margins in a Word page will also be different in some items.
Step 1:
First of all, we need to adjust the margin measurement unit in Word from inches to centimeters. In the Word interface, click on File and select Options .
In the Word setup interface, click on Advanced and then look to the right to find the Display section . Now you will see Show measurements in units of and then change to cm .

Step 2:
Return to the Word interface, click on the Layout item on the toolbar. Then click on the Margins icon as shown below.

Step 3:
Display the new interface, click on Custom Margins at the bottom of the displayed list to adjust the margins in Word.

Now display the interface for us to align the margin. You will fill in the standard margin according to the regulations below.
- Top margin is 20 - 25 mm (2 to 2.5 cm) from the top edge.
- The bottom margin is 20 - 25 mm (2 to 2.5 cm) from the bottom edge.
- The left margin is 30 - 35 mm (3 to 3.5 cm) from the left edge.
- The right margin is 15 - 20 mm (1.5 to 2 cm) from the right edge.
To set this margin size as standard in Word, click Set As Default and then click OK to save and apply the new margin to the current Word document.

Step 4:
With future Word documents, when you want to change back to the default margin size , click on the Margins item and select Last Custom Settings with the star icon. Immediately after that, the document will automatically change back to the default margin size you selected.

How to align margins in Word 2010, Word 2007 and below
First, you need to change the unit in Word to cm to adjust the margin size. The steps to adjust the unit in Word, you follow the article Instructions on how to change Inch to cm in Word 2007 .
Step 1:
First we will select A4 paper size . Click on the Page Layout or Layout tab and then look down at the Page Setup group , click on the arrow icon to open the setup interface.

Click on Paper , here you choose Paper size as A4 , click OK to save.

Step 2:
Next, reopen the Page Setup dialog box interface but select the Margins item and adjust the values as follows:
- Top: Enter 2cm as top margin.
- Bottom: Enter the bottom margin value 2cm.
- Left: Enter the value 3cm for the left margin.
- Right: right margin enter value 1.5cm.
If you want to set this margin size as the standard margin for future documents, click Set As Default.

Finally, we enter the content and format the document. After entering and formatting, click Print > Print Preview to review the text before printing.

Video tutorial on aligning margins in Word