When working with East Asian languages such as Japanese, Chinese, or Korean in Word, you need to switch between horizontal text known as 横書き yokogaki and vertical text known as 縦書き tategaki. Word supports both orientations through dedicated layout settings, but many users do not know where to find the switch or how to apply it without breaking existing formatting. This article explains how to configure East Asian typesetting in Word by using the correct menu commands and layout options for 横書き and 縦書き. You will learn the exact steps to change text orientation for a whole document or for individual sections.
Key Takeaways: Switching Between 横書き and 縦書き in Word
- Layout > Page Setup > Text Direction > Vertical: Changes the entire document to 縦書き vertical text orientation.
- Layout > Page Setup > Text Direction > Horizontal: Returns the document to 横書き horizontal text orientation.
- Section breaks before changing orientation: Prevents mixed-orientation conflicts when only part of the document needs vertical text.
Understanding 横書き and 縦書き in Word
East Asian typesetting uses two primary text orientations. 横書き yokogaki means horizontal writing where text flows from left to right and top to bottom. This is the standard layout for most modern documents, web pages, and emails. 縦書き tategaki means vertical writing where text flows from top to bottom and columns advance from right to left. This orientation is traditional for novels, newspapers, formal letters, and certain academic works in Japanese and Chinese.
Word supports both orientations through the Page Setup dialog, not through a simple toolbar button. The feature is available in all editions of Word that include East Asian language support. To enable the full set of East Asian typography features, you must install the appropriate language pack or enable the language in Microsoft 365. Without the language pack, the Text Direction option may be grayed out or missing.
When you switch from 横書き to 縦書き, Word automatically adjusts line spacing, character rotation for punctuation, and column layout. Numbers and Latin letters may rotate 90 degrees unless you configure specific character spacing options. The switch applies to the entire document unless you insert section breaks first.
Prerequisites for East Asian Typesetting in Word
Before you can use the 横書き to 縦書き switch, verify that your Word installation supports East Asian languages. Open File > Options > Language. Under Office display language, confirm that Japanese, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, or Korean is listed. If the language is not installed, go to Microsoft 365 language pack download page and install the matching pack. After installation, restart Word.
Additionally, set the editing language for East Asian text. In the same Language dialog, under Office authoring languages and proofing, add the East Asian language you need. This enables the East Asian typography controls in the Paragraph dialog and the Page Setup dialog. Without this step, the Text Direction option may remain disabled.
Steps to Switch the Whole Document to 縦書き Vertical Text
- Open the Page Setup dialog
Go to the Layout tab on the ribbon. In the Page Setup group, click the small arrow icon at the bottom right corner. This opens the Page Setup dialog box. - Select the Document Grid tab
In the Page Setup dialog, click the Document Grid tab. This tab contains the Text Direction options for East Asian languages. - Choose Vertical text direction
Under Text Direction, select Vertical. The preview pane shows how your text will appear in 縦書き orientation. Click OK to apply the change to the entire document. - Adjust character spacing if needed
After switching, go to Home > Paragraph > East Asian Typography settings icon. Click the small arrow in the Paragraph group, then click the East Asian Typography tab. Here you can set line break rules, character spacing, and kinsoku handling for vertical text.
Steps to Switch Only Part of a Document to 縦書き
- Insert a section break before the vertical section
Place your cursor where the vertical text should start. Go to Layout > Breaks > Section Breaks > Next Page. This creates a new section. - Insert another section break after the vertical section
Place your cursor at the end of the vertical text area. Again go to Layout > Breaks > Section Breaks > Next Page. Now the vertical section is isolated between two section breaks. - Click inside the vertical section
Make sure your cursor is in the section you want to change. Only that section will be affected by the next step. - Open Page Setup and select Vertical
Go to Layout > Page Setup dialog launcher. On the Document Grid tab, select Vertical. Ensure the Apply to dropdown says This section. Click OK. - Return the other sections to Horizontal
If the surrounding sections changed to vertical inadvertently, click in each of those sections and repeat the process with Horizontal selected. Apply to This section each time.
Common Issues When Switching 横書き and 縦書き
The Text Direction Option Is Grayed Out
If the Text Direction options on the Document Grid tab are disabled, Word does not recognize the document language as East Asian. Go to File > Options > Language and ensure an East Asian authoring language is added. Also verify that the text in the document is formatted with an East Asian font such as MS Mincho, SimSun, or Batang. Switch the font using Home > Font > Font dialog, then reopen Page Setup.
Numbers and Latin Letters Appear Rotated Incorrectly
In 縦書き mode, Western characters may rotate 90 degrees by default. To fix this, select the rotated text. Go to Home > Paragraph > East Asian Typography settings. On the East Asian Typography tab, check the box for Compress rotated text to fit line height. You can also set the character rotation individually by using Font > Advanced > Character spacing > Scale or by applying the Vertical Text East Asian layout style from the Styles pane.
Page Numbers and Headers Do Not Align After Switching
When you switch a section to 縦書き, existing headers and footers may not update automatically. Double-click the header area in the vertical section. On the Header & Footer Tools Design tab, uncheck Link to Previous. Then manually adjust the header text orientation using the same Page Setup method. For page numbers, insert them using Insert > Page Number > Current Position, then format them with the East Asian number style if needed.
横書き vs 縦書き: Layout and Typography Differences
| Item | 横書き Horizontal | 縦書き Vertical |
|---|---|---|
| Text direction | Left to right, top to bottom | Top to bottom, right to left columns |
| Default line spacing | Single line based on font size | Line height measured in character width |
| Punctuation behavior | Standard Western punctuation orientation | Punctuation rotates 90 degrees or uses vertical-specific glyphs |
| Number handling | Horizontal Arabic numerals | Numbers may rotate or use full-width vertical forms |
| Latin alphabet | Normal horizontal orientation | Rotates 90 degrees unless compressed |
| Page layout default | Portrait or landscape | Portrait with columns from right to left |
After applying the 横書き to 縦書き switch, you can fine-tune the appearance using the East Asian Typography dialog. Open Home > Paragraph > click the East Asian Typography icon. Adjust settings for line break rules, character spacing, and kinsoku handling to match your publication standards. For documents that mix both orientations, use section breaks and apply the Text Direction per section as described above. Remember that Word Online and Word for Mac do not support the Document Grid tab. Use Word for Windows or Word for Microsoft 365 desktop app for full East Asian typesetting control.