Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
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APA format in Word is easier than it looks. In this APA 7th edition tutorial I set up a complete student paper in Microsoft Word from scratch: the APA title page, all five heading levels, and a reference page with hanging indent. By the end you will have an APA format template you can save and reuse for the rest of your degree.
No guesswork and no digging through the APA style manual. Just the exact settings, in order, that meet the APA 7th edition guidelines.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
How to set up APA formatting in Word from a blank document
How to insert a page number in the header, APA style
Correct APA font and size (Times New Roman 12pt) and the approved alternatives
How to build an APA title page: title in bold title case, author name, affiliation, course, instructor, and due date
Correct APA line spacing (double spaced) and how to remove space before and after paragraphs
How to insert a page break so your sections never shift
All five APA heading levels and exactly how each one is formatted
First line indent set to 1.27 cm (0.5 inches)
APA margins (2.54 cm / 1 inch on all sides)
How to format an APA reference page with a hanging indent
How to save the whole thing as a reusable Word template
00:00 Intro
00:16 Intro: what we are building
02:37 Formatting Line spacing and paragraph spacing
06:23 Adding a page break
06:47 APA heading levels 1 to 5
12:10 APA reference page
13:22 Hanging indent
WHY THE APA TITLE PAGE TRIPS PEOPLE UP
Most marks lost on APA formatting come from three things: the wrong spacing settings, headings that are not in the right hierarchy, and a reference list without a hanging indent. All three are covered here.
APA style is set by the American Psychological Association. The official APA style guidelines are at apastyle.apa.org if you want to check a specific rule, though the organisation of that site is not always obvious, which is why this walkthrough exists.
▶ Become a Master Academic Writer With AI using my course: academy.academiainsider.com/courses/ai-writing-course
▶Join 21,000+ email subscribers receiving the free tools and academic tips directly from me:
academiainsider.com/newsletter
APA format in Word is easier than it looks. In this APA 7th edition tutorial I set up a complete student paper in Microsoft Word from scratch: the APA title page, all five heading levels, and a reference page with hanging indent. By the end you will have an APA format template you can save and reuse for the rest of your degree.
No guesswork and no digging through the APA style manual. Just the exact settings, in order, that meet the APA 7th edition guidelines.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
How to set up APA formatting in Word from a blank document
How to insert a page number in the header, APA style
Correct APA font and size (Times New Roman 12pt) and the approved alternatives
How to build an APA title page: title in bold title case, author name, affiliation, course, instructor, and due date
Correct APA line spacing (double spaced) and how to remove space before and after paragraphs
How to insert a page break so your sections never shift
All five APA heading levels and exactly how each one is formatted
First line indent set to 1.27 cm (0.5 inches)
APA margins (2.54 cm / 1 inch on all sides)
How to format an APA reference page with a hanging indent
How to save the whole thing as a reusable Word template
00:00 Intro
00:16 Intro: what we are building
02:37 Formatting Line spacing and paragraph spacing
06:23 Adding a page break
06:47 APA heading levels 1 to 5
12:10 APA reference page
13:22 Hanging indent
WHY THE APA TITLE PAGE TRIPS PEOPLE UP
Most marks lost on APA formatting come from three things: the wrong spacing settings, headings that are not in the right hierarchy, and a reference list without a hanging indent. All three are covered here.
APA style is set by the American Psychological Association. The official APA style guidelines are at apastyle.apa.org if you want to check a specific rule, though the organisation of that site is not always obvious, which is why this walkthrough exists.
