Explore paragraph dialog box options
There are general, indentation, and spacing options available in the Paragraph dialog box options. At the bottom of the dialog box, you can see a Preview of how the options will look before you apply them.
General |
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Alignment |
Choose Left to align text to the left with a ragged right edge (or use the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl+L). |
Choose Center to center text with a ragged left and right edge (Ctrl+E). |
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Choose Right to align text to the right with a ragged left edge (Ctrl+R). |
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Choose Justify to align text both left and right, adding space between words (Ctrl+J). |
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Outline level |
The level at which the paragraph appears in Outline view. |
Choose Collapsed by default if you want the document to open with headings collapsed by default. See Collapse or expand parts of a document to learn more. |
Indentation |
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Left |
Indents the paragraph on the left by the amount you choose. |
Right |
Indents the paragraph on the right by the amount you choose. |
Special |
Choose First line > By to indent the first line of a paragraph. To quickly create a first line indent using the ruler, see Create a first line indent. |
Choose Hanging > By to create a hanging indent. To quickly create a hanging indent using the ruler, see Create a hanging indent. |
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Mirror indents |
When you choose this, Left and Right become Inside and Outside. This is for book style printing. |
Spacing |
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Before |
Adjusts the amount of space before a paragraph. |
After |
Adjusts the amount of space after a paragraph. |
Line spacing |
Choose Single to single-space text. To quickly single space your entire document, see Single space lines in a document. |
Choose 1.5 lines to space text one-and-one-half times that of single spacing. |
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Choose Double to double-space text. To quickly double space your entire document, see Double space lines in a document. |
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Choose At least > At to set the minimum amount of spacing needed to fit the largest font or graphic on the line. |
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Choose Exactly > At to set fixed line spacing, expressed in points. For example, if the text is in 10-point font, you can specify 12 points as the line spacing. |
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Choose Multiple > At to set line spacing as a multiple expressed in numbers greater than 1. For example, setting line spacing to 1.15 will increase the space by 15 percent, and setting line spacing to 3 increases the space by 300 percent (triple spacing). |
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Don’t add |
Choose Don’t add space between paragraphs when you don’t want extra space between paragraphs. |
If you want to save the settings you chose as your default, select Set as Default.
Paragraph dialog box options
Choose from these options in the Paragraph dialog box. At the bottom of the dialog box, the Preview box shows you how the options look before you apply them.
General |
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Alignment |
Select Left to align text to the left with a ragged right edge (or use the keyboard shortcut, + L). |
Select Centered to center text with a ragged left and right edge ( + E). |
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Select Right to align text to the right with a ragged left edge ( + R). |
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Select Justified to align text both left and right, adding space between words ( + J). |
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Outline level |
Select the level at which the paragraph appears in Outline view. |
Indentation |
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Left |
Moves in the left side of the paragraph by the amount you choose. |
Right |
Moves in the right side of the paragraph by the amount you choose. |
Special |
Select First line to indent the first line of a paragraph, and then specify the size of the indent in By. |
Select Hanging to create a hanging indent, and then specify the size of the indent in By. |
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Automatically adjust |
When you select Automatically adjust right indent when document grid is defined, the right indent is automatically adjusted for the paragraph when a document grid is defined. |
Spacing |
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---|---|
Before |
Adjusts the amount of space before a paragraph. |
After |
Adjusts the amount of space after a paragraph. |
Line spacing |
Select Single to single-space text. |
Select 1.5 lines to space text one-and-one-half times that of single spacing. |
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Select Double to double-space text. |
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Select At least > At to set the minimum amount of spacing needed to fit the largest font or graphic on the line. |
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Select Exactly > At to set fixed line spacing, expressed in points. For example, if the text is in 10-point font, you can specify 12 points as the line spacing. |
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Select Multiple > At to set line spacing as a multiple expressed in numbers greater than 1. For example, setting line spacing to 1.15 will increase the space by 15 percent, and setting line spacing to 3 increases the space by 300 percent (triple spacing). |
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Don’t add |
Select Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style when you want to exclude some paragraphs, such as paragraphs in a bulleted list, from the spacing set by Before and After. |
Snap to |
Select Snap to grid when document grid is defined to more easily align text with the document grid. |
Ever since Word 2013 there’s been a line alignment bug in Word. Line and Arrow shapes aren’t straight, horizontal or vertical. Here’s how to fix this ten year (and counting) bug.
Whenever a line or arrow is inserted (Insert | Shapes | Lines ) the result is always a little off. The end points never align properly either horizontally or vertically.
It’s not possible to move one end to exactly match the other end and make a horizontal or vertical line. It will snap either side of the correct alignment but not exactly in line.
The result is a slightly askew line at a slope or diagonal no matter what you try. Holding Shift doesn’t help because the Shift + option moves the entire object in small increments, not just one end.
Hold Shift while drawing
What DOES work is drawing a line/arrow while holding down the Shift key. Holding Shift while drawing forces the line to horizontal, vertical or 45° angles.
But Shift only works while drawing the line, not for fixing lines already drawn.
Fix lines to horizontal or vertical
To fix a line that’s not quite horizontal/vertical, go to Layout Options | See More …
On the Size tab, look at Height | Absolute – it will be slightly off.
NOT the Rotation or Scale | Height settings.
Change Height | Absolute to 0 (zero)
And lo! A horizontal line
We suggest leaving this setting to last because Word has the annoying habit of resetting to the non-zero value when the line is changed.
Of course, another fix is to delete the existing line and redraw it while holding down the Shift key.
Make lines vertical
It’s the same for vertical lines except that the Width | Absolute changes to 0 (zero)
Word for Mac
It’s the same problem in Word for Mac. Right-click on the line/arrow then More Layout Options | Size …
For a horizontal line, make sure Height is 0 (zero)
For a vertical line, make the Width 0 (zero)
It’s a bug
You’d think drawing a simple horizontal or vertical line would be simple thing to do in such long-standing software as Microsoft Word. That doesn’t take into account Microsoft’s willingness to add more features to their software while ignoring the basic needs of customers.
It’s a bug in Word … no doubt about it. Microsoft would probably try to argue that Word is working as designed … they’d even say that with a straight face.
PowerPoint does not have the same problem. Lines align horizontally or vertically first time. The same Height / Width settings are available in Powerpoint but they should not be necessary to fix the alignment bug.
Combined Drawing Tools in Word 365 and other Office programs
Great OPEN signs in Word for any business
Gradient Effects and Text in Word – in depth
Click the “Layout” table under “Table Tools”. In the “Table” section of the “Layout” tab, click “View Gridlines”. The gridlines now display on the table. To turn off the gridlines for the table, simply select the table and click “View Gridlines” again.
Contents
- 1 How do I add gridlines to a table in Word?
- 2 How do I make table lines invisible in Word?
- 3 How do you insert lines in Word?
- 4 How do I view border lines in Word?
- 5 How do you insert multiple lines in Word?
- 6 How do you put a line through text?
- 7 How do you put a line above text in Word?
- 8 What are grid lines?
- 9 How do I turn on automatic border lines in Word?
- 10 How do I insert a specific row in a table in Word?
- 11 How do you put a line above and below text in Word?
- 12 How do you put a line under a letter in Word?
- 13 How do you get a line above a letter on a keyboard?
- 14 What is grid line with example?
- 15 How do you set out grid lines?
- 16 How do you write a grid line?
- 17 How do I fix lines in Word?
- 18 Why do lines keep appearing on my Word document?
- 19 How do you insert rows in an existing table?
- 20 How do you insert multiple rows?
How do I add gridlines to a table in Word?
Show or hide gridlines for all tables in a document
- Click the table.
- Click the Table Layout tab, and then under Settings, click Gridlines.
How do I make table lines invisible in Word?
Hover your mouse over the table until the table move handle displays in the upper left corner and then click this handle to select the entire table. Click “Table Tools,” select “Design,” click the arrow on the “Borders” button and then select “No Borders.” This hides the borders for the entire table.
How do you insert lines in Word?
Insert a line
- On the Insert tab, select Shapes.
- Under Lines, select any line style you like.
- Select a location in the document, hold and drag your pointer to a different location, and then release the mouse button.
How do I view border lines in Word?
Click the “Layout” table under “Table Tools”. In the “Table” section of the “Layout” tab, click “View Gridlines”. The gridlines now display on the table. To turn off the gridlines for the table, simply select the table and click “View Gridlines” again.
How do you insert multiple lines in Word?
Hold down the “Shift” key and press the “Underline ( _ )” key three times. Release both keys then press “Enter” to place a heavier line across the Word document.
How do you put a line through text?
When you have your text selected, look on the “Home” tab of Word’s Ribbon. In the “Font” group, click the Strikethrough button (it’s the three letters with a line drawn through them). Now, any text you had selected should be struck through. You can also apply strikethrough formatting using the Font window.
How do you put a line above text in Word?
Learn the steps on how to put a line above a letter or text in Microsoft Word. The first step is to highlight the text you want to place the line over and navigate to the insert tab then equation and lastly accent. From here, select the option Overbar which can be found under the subheading ‘Overbars and Underbars’.
What are grid lines?
Definition of grid line
: any of a series of numbered horizontal and perpendicular lines that divide a map into squares to form a grid by means of which any point may be located by a system of rectangular coordinates.
How do I turn on automatic border lines in Word?
If you can’t automatically add lines on your system, follow these steps:
- Choose AutoCorrect (or AutoCorrect Options) from the Tools menu. Word displays the AutoCorrect Options dialog box.
- Make sure the AutoFormat As You Type tab is selected.
- Make sure the Border Lines (or Borders) check box is checked.
- Click on OK.
How do I insert a specific row in a table in Word?
Method 3: Add Multiple Rows with “Insert Table” Option
- To begin with, click “Layout” and check the column width in “Cell Size” group.
- Secondly, click “Insert” tab.
- Then click “Table” icon.
- Next, choose “Insert Table” option on the drop-down menu.
- In “Insert Table” dialog box, enter the number of columns and rows.
How do you put a line above and below text in Word?
To insert a line in Word above and / or below a paragraph using the Borders button:
- Select the paragraph(s) to which you want to add a line.
- Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
- Click Borders in the Paragraph group. A drop-down menu appears.
- Select the line you want to use.
How do you put a line under a letter in Word?
Hold the “Ctrl” key and press “U” to put a line under the letter.
How do you get a line above a letter on a keyboard?
These keyboard shortcuts will help you display text more accurately in your business documents.
- Open a document in Microsoft Word.
- Press “Ctrl-Shift” and the caret (” ^ “) key and then the letter to insert a circumflex accent.
- Press “Ctrl-Shift” and the tilde (” ~ “) key and then the letter to insert a tilde accent.
What is grid line with example?
Alternatively referred to as a column separator or row separator, grid lines or gridlines divide each of the cells, rows, and columns in a spreadsheet.
How do you set out grid lines?
- Step 1: Establish a baseline.
- Step 2: Place pegs along your baseline.
- Step 3: Place further pegs using right-angled triangles.
- Step 1: Establish a baseline.
- Step 2: Place pegs along your baseline.
- Step 3: Place pegs along perpendicular lines.
- Step 4: Fill in any missing pegs.
How do you write a grid line?
Lines can be addressed using their line number. In a left-to-right language such as English, column line 1 will be on the left of the grid, row line 1 on the top. Lines numbers respect the writing mode of the document and so in a right-to-left language for example, column line 1 will be on the right of the grid.
How do I fix lines in Word?
Change the line spacing in a portion of the document
- Select one or more paragraphs to update.
- Go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing.
- Select Line Spacing Options and choose an option in the Line spacing box.
- Adjust the Before and After settings to change spacing between paragraphs.
- Select OK.
Why do lines keep appearing on my Word document?
The line you’re seeing across the page is a paragraph border that Word has automatically inserted using AutoFormat. To get rid of it:Go to Format, Borders and Shading (Word 2002-2003) or click the Border drop-down in the Paragraph section of the Home tab of the Ribbon (Word 2007 and up)
How do you insert rows in an existing table?
Add a row above or below
- Click in a cell above or below where you want to add a row.
- Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, do one of the following: To add a row above the cell, click Insert Above in the Rows and Columns group. To add a row below the cell, click Insert Below in the Rows and Columns group.
How do you insert multiple rows?
To insert multiple rows, select the same number of rows that you want to insert. To select multiple rows hold down the “shift” key on your keyboard on a Mac or PC. For example, if you want to insert six rows, select six rows while holding the “shift” key.
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Use these three methods to quickly insert a line in your document
Updated on December 4, 2020
What to Know
- AutoFormat: Type the three characters for the desired line style > Enter.
- Horizontal Line tool: In Home tab, select Borders drop-down menu > Horizontal Line.
- Shapes menu: Go to Insert > Shapes. In Lines group, select and drag a line shape across the page.
This article covers three ways to insert horizontal lines in Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, and Word 2010.
Use AutoFormat to Insert a Line in Word
You can quickly insert a line into a Word document with the AutoFormat feature. To create a line, place the cursor in the location that you’d like to insert it, type the three characters for the desired line style, then press Enter.
To create the different types of lines, press the associated keys on the keyboard:
- Plain single line: Three hyphens (—)
- Plain double line: Three equal signs (===)
- Broken or dotted line: Three asterisks (***)
- Bold single line: Three underline symbols (___)
- Wavy line: Three tildes (~~~)
- Triple line with a thick center: Three number signs (###)
Here’s what each of these line types looks like in Word:
Use the Horizontal Line Tool to Insert a Line in Word
To insert a line into a Word document using the built-in Horizontal Line tool:
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Place the cursor where you want to insert a line.
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Go to the Home tab.
By default, the Home tab is selected when you open a new or existing Word document.
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In the Paragraph group, select the Borders drop-down arrow and choose Horizontal Line.
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To change the look of the line, double-click the line in the document.
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In the Format Horizontal Line dialog box, modify the width, height, color, and alignment of the line.
Use the Shapes Menu to Insert a Line in Word
A third way to add a line to a Word document is to draw it on the page. The Shapes menu contains several line options, including lines with arrow points on one or both ends. After you draw the line, customize the color and appearance.
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Place the cursor in the spot where you want to insert a line.
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Go to the Insert tab.
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In the Illustrations group, select the Shapes drop-down arrow.
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In the Lines group, choose a line shape.
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In the Word document, drag across the location where you want the line to appear.
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To change the look of the line, select the line to enable the Shape Format tab. (Some versions of Word call this Format.)
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Go to the Shape Format tab and change the color, use a different line style, or apply effects.
FAQ
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How do I change line spacing in Word?
To fix spacing in Word, highlight the text whose spacing you want to change and select the Home tab. Next to Paragraph, select the down arrow to expand the options. In the Spacing section, set the amount of space before and after line breaks or choose a preset line-spacing option.
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How do I add a signature line in Word?
To insert a signature line in Word, go to the Insert tab and select Signature Line. Selecting few or no options leaves a blank line, and a signature line will appear in the document.
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How do I add line numbers in Word?
To add line numbers in Word, go to Layout > Page Setup > Line Numbers and choose Continuous, Restart Each Page or Restart Each Section > Line Numbering Options.
Thanks for letting us know!
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A user-friendly guide to making different types of lines in Microsoft Word
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- Using Shapes to Draw a Line
- Using Borders to Add a Line
- Using Keyboard Shortcuts
- Using the Mobile App
- Q&A
- Tips
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Do you want to create a horizontal line in your resumé or other Microsoft Word document? If you want to customize the color and format of the line, you can use the Shapes tool. If you need to make a quick, basic line, you can use the keyboard shortcut. While you can use the keyboard shortcut on Windows and Mac, you cannot use it on the mobile app. This wikiHow will show you how to insert different lines in Microsoft Word on your Windows, Mac, iPhone, or Android device.
Things You Should Know
- On desktop, go to the Insert tab. Click Shapes, then select a line. Click and drag across the document to create a line.
- To customize the line, double-click it. Click Shape Outline to change the color.
- On mobile, click the three dots. Tap Home and select Insert. Tap Shapes to select a line. Tap and drag across the document to create a line.
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1
Open Microsoft Word on your Windows or Mac computer. Click or double-click the Word app icon, which resembles a white «W» on a dark-blue background.
- If you want to draw a line in an existing Word document, double-click the Word document to open it and skip the next step.
- You’ll need a subscription to use Office 365.
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2
Click Blank document. It’s in the upper-left side of the page.
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3
Click the Insert tab. This tab is in the blue ribbon at the top of the Word window, between Home and Draw.
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4
Click Shapes. It’s in the Insert toolbar, next to the icon of an overlapping circle and square.
- A drop-down menu will appear.
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5
Select a line shape. In the «Lines» heading, click one of the line templates. You can choose a line, line arrow, double line arrow, and more.
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6
Draw your line. Click and drag across the document to create your line.
- If you need to adjust the line’s length and orientation, click the left or right circle. Drag it left or right to adjust the length, or drag it up and down to adjust the orientation.
- To move the line, double-click and drag it to the desired position.
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1
Open Microsoft Word on your Windows or Mac computer. Click or double-click the Word app icon, which resembles a white «W» on a dark-blue background.
- If you want to draw a line in an existing Word document, double-click the Word document to open it and skip the next step.
-
2
Click Blank document. It’s in the upper-left side of the page.
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3
Click the Home tab. This tab is in the blue ribbon at the top of the Word window, between File and Insert.
- You may already be on this tab by default.
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4
Click the «Borders» arrow. This is next to the icon of the dotted square with a solid bottom line.
- A drop-down menu will open.
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5
Click Horizontal Line. This will be towards the bottom, above Draw Table.
- A horizontal line will be added.
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6
Format your line. Double-click the line; a dialogue box will appear.
- To change the line thickness, use the up and down arrow below Height. The higher the number, the thicker the line will be.
- To change the color, click the color box underneath Color. Select your desired color.
- Click OK to save and apply your changes.
- To move the line, double-click and drag it to the desired position.
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1
Open Microsoft Word on your Windows or Mac computer. Click or double-click the Word app icon, which resembles a white «W» on a dark-blue background.[1]
- If you want to draw a line in an existing Word document, double-click the Word document to open it and skip the next step.
-
2
Click Blank document. It’s in the upper-left side of the page.
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3
Place your cursor where you want your line to appear. You’ll need to be on a blank line, as this won’t work if there is text before or after your cursor on the same line.
- You’ll be creating a horizontal line that spans from one edge of your page to the other. The line will stop at your set margins.
- If you want to make the line span the whole page, you’ll need to change your document margins.
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4
Type three dashes in a row. Use your dash key on the number row at the top of your keyboard, or on the numeric pad.
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5
Press ↵ Enter to convert the dashes into a line. AutoCorrect will automatically create a solid line that will situate itself directly beneath the previous line of text.
- Note that the line does not occupy the space of a line of text, but instead exists between lines of text.
- If you do not have AutoCorrect enabled, do so by clicking File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options…. This will open a new window.
- Make sure the Border Lines box is checked. This can be found underneath Apply as you type.
- If you want to turn off AutoCorrect, uncheck the boxes.
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6
Use different characters for different line styles. There are a variety of different lines that you can create by using characters other than the dash:[2]
- Thin line: Three hyphens (-).
- Thick line: Three underscores (_).
- Double line: Three equal signs (=).
- Dotted line: Three asterisk (*).
- Triple line: Three pound signs (#).
- Squiggly line: Three tildes (~).
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7
Move the line by entering text above it. You can prompt the line to move down by typing text above it and then pressing Enter.
- Deleting text above the line will prompt it to move upward.
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1
Open a document in the Microsoft Word app. This looks like a blue notebook next to a W.
- Microsoft Word is available for iOS in the App Store and for Android in the Google Play Store.
- Tap Blank document to open a new document or tap a file to open an existing document.
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2
Tap ••• . This can be found above the keyboard, to the right.
- If you don’t see your keyboard, tap the document to bring it up.
- A new menu will open.
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3
Tap Home. This will be to the left of the formatting window.
- A drop-down menu will open.
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4
Tap Insert. You’ll see a list of all objects you can insert.
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5
Tap Shapes. This is next to the icon of an overlapping circle and square.
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6
Select a line shape. In the «Lines» heading, tap one of the line templates. You can choose a line, line arrow, double line arrow, and more.
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7
Draw your line. Tap and drag across the document to create your line.
- Use two fingers to pinch and zoom out to view the entire document.
- If you need to adjust the line’s length and orientation, tap the left or right circle. Drag it left or right to adjust the length, or drag it up and down to adjust the orientation.
- To move the line, tap and drag it to the desired position.
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Add New Question
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Question
How do I view all available symbols in Microsoft Word?
Click «Insert» and then click «Symbols» and you should be shown a box with all of the symbols in it.
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Question
How do I add a line on the first page, and no lines on the second?
Click «Insert» and then click «Symbols» and you should be shown a box with all of the symbols in it.
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Question
How do I change the color of the line?
In the paragraph section, open the drop-down menu on the «Borders» button. At the very bottom is a «Borders and Shading» option. In that option, change the color of the bottom border to your specified color. Click the «Borders» button.
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About This Article
Article SummaryX
1. Click Insert.
2. Click Shapes.
3. Select a line template.
4. Click and drag across your Microsoft Word document to draw the line.
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,043,531 times.