When editing website text in WordPress and in most website systems, typing Shift + Enter adds a line break, which is not the same thing as a new paragraph. It’s useful in some situations.
Line Break within a Text Block
HyperText Markup Language (HTML) text elements like paragraphs, headings, and list items automatically create a new line. They also have margins at the top, bottom, and sides. These settings create the space around text elements.
Sometimes a new line can help the appearance of the text, BUT creating a new paragraph, heading, or list item isn’t appropriate. This could be a good time to use the line break <br> element to add a new line within the text element.
Shift + Enter Adds an HTML <br> Element
Type Shift + Enter where you want to insert a new line, which adds the line break <br> element to the HTML. You usually don’t see the element in WYSIWYG editors, but it’s there. This works in the WordPress editor and other systems too.
Learn how your website editing system adds this element. Start with Shift + Enter. If that doesn’t work, check the documentation for your system.
Some systems, including some WordPress sites, add the line break element with a slash like this: <br />. This is okay too.
Example 1: List Items with Important First Words
Here’s an image of a list on ABCNetFL.com. Each list item consists of bold text followed by sentences.
In this case, I added line breaks after the bold text at the places shown in this image.
Here’s the result. The bold text looks like small headlines, and the list is a little easier to scan and read.
See this example in use at this blog post: HIPAA Compliance Checklist for Medical Practices in 2025
Example 2: Centered Line of Important Text
In a recent blog post, I wrote this as a single paragraph:
So my advice is the same for everybody interested in SEO: monitor the clicks on your site. Then you’ll know.
I wanted the first sentence to stand out a little more. It is not a heading, so making it a headline is not appropriate. I made it bold, and that wasn’t quite what I wanted.
So my advice is the same for everybody interested in SEO: monitor the clicks on your site. Then you’ll know.
In the end, I centered it and put a line break before the word then. I left the space after the period of the first sentence:
So my advice is the same for everybody interested in SEO: monitor the clicks on your site.
Then you’ll know.
Visually it works like a small headline, but it’s still one paragraph. The last line “Then you’ll know.” is visually distinct from the bold text above and will always be on a new line at every screen size.
See this example in use at this blog post: Google Search Console (GSC) Impressions Has Major Drop
Some Screen Sizes Display One-Word Lines with This Example
On small screens, the last example above sometimes displays one word on a single line. In typography, it’s called an orphan. Sometimes it displays a two-word line. See the examples below. You have to decide if that’s important for your site.
Solution: Insert Non-breaking Spaces in the Text
For completeness, I include an outline of a solution that uses these methods:
- Use the WordPress Edit as HTML Feature on the Paragraph block.
- Insert HTML non-breaking spaces (
) between the last 4 words of the paragraph.
For brevity and to stay on topic, that’s all I’m saying about it here. In the coming weeks, I might write a post about the non-breaking space and when to use it.
Pro Tip: Include a Space Before the Line Break
I researched how search engines and screen readers read line breaks. Here are a few quick notes:
- Google reads a
<br>element like a regular space. - Some screen readers announce the line break.
- Some screen readers read it as nothing, no space at all.
So in the second example above, the line break could be created like this:site.<br>Then. This might be read without a space like this, “site.Then”.
Therefore, I suggest including a space before the line break. The code would look like this for the second example. Notice the space before the <br> element:
<strong>So my advice is the same for everybody interested in SEO: monitor the clicks on your site.</strong> <br>Then you'll know.A Caveat: Don’t Use Line Breaks as Replacements for HTML Text Elements or Spacing
You shouldn’t use line breaks very often. Use them sparingly.
Paragraphs, headings, lists, and other HTML elements have important meanings to screen readers and search engines. Use the proper text elements as much as possible.
If you have to add space with multiple line breaks, try cascading style sheets (CSS) settings margin and padding to adjust spacing.
Conclusion
Learn how to add a line break in your website editing system, not just a new paragraph. Usually, Shift + Enter adds the HTML <br> element, which adds a new line. It’s an easy, useful technique to have in your website editing toolbox.
