How to format two-column papers in LaTeX
Updated 2026-06-02
Two-column venues like IEEE, ACM, and CVPR give each column roughly half the page width. Figures, tables, and equations that were fine in a single-column draft routinely overflow once the document switches to two columns. The fix is to size everything against the column, not the page.
Column vs page width
In two-column mode, \textwidth is the full text block (both columns) while \columnwidth is one column. Using \textwidth for a figure draws it at full page width, overflowing the column.
Size figures with \columnwidth or \linewidth, and use the starred float environments (figure*, table*) only when you deliberately want a full-width float spanning both columns.
Tables and equations
Wide tables need \resizebox{\columnwidth}{!}{...} or promotion to table*. Long display equations that fit a single column may overflow a narrow one - use multline or align.
Wide matrices may need scaling. Check each on the actual two-column template, not your draft class.
Verify against the real template
Different two-column venues have different column widths (IEEE ~88 mm, ACM ~84.5 mm, CVPR ~86 mm). A template-aware check measures your content against the exact width - see /ieee-format-checker and /acm-format-checker.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a figure span both columns?+
Use the figure* environment instead of figure. It places the float across the full text width, typically at the top or bottom of a page.
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