\\ or \newline. To start a new paragraph, leave one blank line in the source. Do not insert manual breaks just to wrap ordinary prose—LaTeX calculates those line endings automatically.
Choose the right break: use a blank source line for a paragraph,
\\ for a deliberate line break, and \\[6pt] only when that manual break also needs extra vertical space.How LaTeX Handles Paragraphs
Creating Paragraphs
In LaTeX, a blank line creates a new paragraph:Multiple Spaces and Line Breaks
LaTeX treats multiple spaces as one and ignores single line breaks:Manual Line Breaks
Using Double Backslash
Force a line break within a paragraph using\\:
Line Break with Extra Space
Add vertical space after a line break:The \newline Command
Alternative to\\:
Preventing Line Breaks
Non-breaking Space
Use~ to prevent line breaks between words:
\mbox Command
Keep text together on one line:Paragraph Formatting
Paragraph Indentation
Control first-line indentation:Paragraph Spacing
Control space between paragraphs:Special Paragraph Commands
\par Command
Explicitly end a paragraph:Centered Text
Flush Left and Right
Advanced Line Breaking
Preventing Hyphenation
Line Breaking Commands
Page Breaking
Control where pages break:Common Patterns
Address Format
Poetry or Verses
Quotations
Best Practices
Common Mistakes
Troubleshooting
Underfull/Overfull hbox
If you get these warnings:- Let LaTeX handle line breaking
- Use
\sloppyfor problematic paragraphs - Rewrite sentences if needed
Unwanted Page Breaks
Inconsistent Spacing
Check these settings:Quick Reference
Try Paragraph and Line Breaks
Open the line-break example
Paste the examples into a project and compile them to compare automatic wrapping, paragraphs, and manual line breaks.
See the online LaTeX editor
Review the browser editor workflow before starting a project.
Next: Learn about Bold, italics and underlining to add emphasis to your text.