Free download · APA 7th edition
Free APA 7 Template for Word
A ready-to-use APA 7th edition student paper for Microsoft Word (.docx). The title page, double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins, page numbers, heading levels, and a References page with hanging indents are already set up. Type over the highlighted placeholders and write.
Free, no signup. Works in Word for Windows and Mac, and in Google Docs.
What the template looks like
What is already set up
- Title page with the bold, centered title and placeholders for your name, department and university, course, instructor, and due date
- 12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced everywhere, with 0 pt space before and after paragraphs
- 1-inch margins on all sides and a page number in the top-right corner of every page
- Body paragraphs with a 0.5-inch first-line indent that carries over when you press Enter
- Heading 1, 2, and 3 styles set to APA levels 1–3, so they also build Word's navigation pane
- A References page that starts on its own page, with a 0.5-inch hanging indent on every entry
- Example journal, book, and web-page references with the right parts in italics
How to use the template in Word
- 1
Download and open the file in Word
Click the download button and open apa-7-student-paper-template.docx. If Word opens it in Protected View, click Enable Editing.
- 2
Type over the yellow placeholders
Replace each bracketed placeholder on the title page and the title at the top of page 2. Then select the text and choose Home → Text Highlight Color → No Color to remove the highlighting.
- 3
Write over the sample paragraphs
Type your introduction over the sample text. Press Enter to start a new paragraph; the double spacing and the 0.5-inch first-line indent carry over.
- 4
Add headings from the Styles gallery
Click Heading 1 for a main section, Heading 2 for a subsection, and Heading 3 below that. Delete the example headings you do not need.
- 5
Paste your references and sort them
Replace the example entries on the References page. Select them all and choose Home → Sort → Paragraphs, Text, Ascending to put them in alphabetical order. The hanging indent is part of the paragraph style.
- 6
Save as .docx (or PDF if your instructor asks)
Use File → Save As. Keep a .docx copy even if you submit a PDF, so you can make changes later.
Student paper or professional paper?
This is the student version of APA 7, which most courses use: a page number in the header and no running head or abstract unless your instructor asks for them. Professional papers, written for publication, add a running head and an abstract. For every rule in detail, see how to format a Word document in APA 7 or the printable APA 7 checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Is this APA template free?
Yes. The template is a free download with no signup. You can share it or link to it.
Does it follow APA 7th edition?
Yes. It follows the APA 7th edition student paper format: a title page with the title, author, affiliation, course, instructor, and due date; a page number in the top-right corner; double spacing; 1-inch margins; and a References page with hanging indents.
Does the template include a running head or an abstract?
No. APA 7 student papers do not need a running head, and most do not need an abstract. If your instructor asks for one, add the running head as a short title in capitals at the left of the header, and put the abstract on its own page after the title page.
Can I use it in Google Docs or Word for Mac?
Yes. It opens in Word for Windows and Mac. For Google Docs, upload the file to Google Drive and choose Open with → Google Docs; the margins, spacing, indents, and page numbers carry over.
Can I use a font other than Times New Roman?
Yes. APA 7 also accepts 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 11-point Georgia, and 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode. Change the font in the Normal style so the whole paper changes at once, and use one font throughout.
I already wrote my paper. Do I have to copy it into the template?
No. Upload your finished Word file to Veermat and it applies the same APA 7 formatting automatically, without changing your words, then gives you a checklist of anything it could not fix.
Free to share or link. Made by Veermat, the tool that formats an existing Word document in APA, MLA, or Chicago without changing your words.
Already wrote your paper?
Upload your .docx and Veermat applies APA 7 formatting automatically: title page, double spacing, heading levels, page numbers, and hanging indents. Your words stay exactly as you wrote them.