Word lines in margin

Change margins

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In Word, each page automatically has a one-inch margin. You can customize or choose predefined margin settings, set margins for facing pages, allow extra margin space to allow for document binding, and change how margins are measured.

  1. Select Layout > Margins. 

  2. Select the margin configuration you want, or select Custom Margins to define your own margins.

Margins

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What would you like to do?

  1. On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, choose Margins and the Margins gallery appears.

    Margins gallery in the Page Setup group on the Page Layout tab

  2. Choose the margin type that you want to apply.

    Note: If your document contains multiple sections, the new margin type will only be applied to the current section. To apply the new margin type to multiple sections, be sure to select each one.

3.  Make your new margin settings the default for your template. Each new document based on that template will automatically use the new margin settings.

  • Choose Margins after you select a new margin, and then choose Custom Margins.

  • In the Page Setup dialog box, choose Set As Default.

  1. On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, choose Margins and the Margins gallery appears.

    Margins gallery in the Page Setup group on the Page Layout tab

  2. At the bottom of the Margins gallery, choose Custom Margins.

    Page Setup dialog box

  3. In the Page Setup dialog box, enter new values for the margins.

More tips about margins

  • Change the margins for only a section of a document by selecting the text and entering the new margins in the Page Setup dialog box. In the Apply to box, click Selected text. Microsoft Word automatically inserts section breaks before and after the text with new margin settings. 

  • Most printers require a minimum width for margin settings. If your settings are too narrow, Microsoft Word displays the message One or more margins are set outside the printable area of the page. Click Fix to automatically increase the margin width. If you ignore the message, Word will display another message asking whether you want to continue.

  • Minimum margin settings for printing depend on your printer, printer driver, and paper size. To learn about your minimum settings, check your printer manual.

Use mirror margins to set up facing pages for double-sided documents, such as books or magazines. When you choose mirror margins, the margins of the left page are a mirror image of those on the right page. The inside margins are the same width, and the outside margins are the same width.

  • On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click Margins >Mirrored.

    Margins Gallery with Mirrored option highlighted

Note: To change margin widths, click Custom Margins at the bottom of the Margins gallery. Enter new values in the Inside and Outside boxes.

A gutter margin adds extra space to the side margin, top margin, or inside margins of a document that you plan to bind to help ensure that text isn’t obscured by binding.

Illustration of mirror and gutter margins

1. Gutter margins for binding

2. Mirror margins for facing pages

To set the gutter margin

  1. On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click Margins.

  2. Click Custom Margins.

  3. In the Gutter box, enter a width for the gutter margin.

  4. In the Gutter position box, click Left or Top.

    Note: The Gutter position box is not available when you use the Mirror margins, 2 pages per sheet, or Book fold option. For those options, the gutter position is determined automatically.

Word can display lines in your document to represent text boundaries.

  1. On the File tab, click Options.

  2. Click Advanced, and then select the Show text boundaries check box under Show document content.

    The page margins appear in your document as dotted lines.

Note: You can view page margins in either Print Layout view or Web Layout view, and the text boundaries don’t appear on the printed page.

Important: 
Office 2007 is no longer supported. Upgrade to Microsoft 365 to work anywhere from any device and continue to receive support.

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What would you like to do?

Microsoft Word offers several page margin options. You can use the default page margins or specify your own.

  • Add margins for binding   

    A gutter margin adds extra space to the side margin, top margin, or inside margins of a document that you plan to bind to help ensure that text isn’t obscured by binding.

Illustration of mirror and gutter margins

1. Gutter margins for binding

2. Mirror margins for facing pages

  • Set margins for facing pages    
    Use mirror margins to set up facing pages for double-sided documents, such as books or magazines. In this case, the margins of the left page are a mirror image of those of the right page. The inside margins are the same width, and the outside margins are the same width.

  • Note: You can set gutter margins for a document that has mirror margins if the document needs extra space for binding.

  • Add a book fold    
    Using the Book fold option in the Page Setup dialog box, you can create a booklet. Use the same option to create a menu, invitation, event program, or any other type of document with a single center fold.

Booklet with single center fold

1. Word inserts a single, center book fold

After you set up a document as a booklet, work with it just as you would any document to insert text, graphics, and other visual elements.

  • Most printers require a minimum width for margin settings. If you try to set margins that are too narrow, Microsoft Word displays the message One or more margins are set outside the printable area of the page. Click Fix to automatically increase the margin width. If you ignore the message, Word will display another message asking whether you want to continue.

  • Minimum margin settings depend on your printer, printer driver, and paper size. To learn about your minimum margin settings, check the printer manual.

  1. On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click Margins.

    Word Ribbon Image

  2. Click the margin type that you want. For the most common margin width, click Normal.

    Note: When you click the margin type that you want, your entire document automatically changes to the margin type that you have selected.

  3. You can specify your own custom margin settings. Click Margins, click Custom Margins, and then in the Top, Bottom, Left, and Right boxes, enter new values for the margins.

  • To change the default margins, click Margins after you select a new margin, and then click Custom Margins. In the Page Setup dialog box, click the Default button, and then click Yes. The new default settings are saved in the template on which the document is based. Each new document based on that template automatically uses the new margin settings.

  • To restore the original margin settings, click Margins and then click Custom Margins. Change the margins for Top, Bottom, Left, and Right to 1″. Then click the Default button and click Yes.

  • To change the margins for part of a document, select the text, and then set the margins that you want by entering the new margins in the Page Setup dialog box. In the Apply to box, click Selected text. Microsoft Word automatically inserts section breaks before and after the text that has the new margin settings. If your document is already divided into sections, you can click in a section or select multiple sections and then change the margins.

  1. Click the Microsoft Office Button Office button image, and then click Word Options.

  2. Click Advanced, and then click the Show text boundaries check box under Show document content.

    The page margins appear in your document as dotted lines.

Note: You can view page margins in either Print Layout view or Web Layout view, and the text boundaries do not appear on the printed page.

When you choose mirror margins, the margins of the left page are a mirror image of those on the right page. The inside margins are the same width, and the outside margins are the same width.

  1. On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click Margins >Mirrored.

    Word Ribbon Image

  2. Click Margins > Custom Margins, and in the Inside and Outside boxes, enter the widths that you want.

A gutter margin setting adds extra space to the side margin or top margin of a document that you plan to bind. A gutter margin helps ensure that text isn’t obscured by the binding.

  1. On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click Margins >Custom Margins.

    Word Ribbon Image

  2. In the Multiple pages list, click Normal.

  3. In the Gutter box, enter a width for the gutter margin.

  4. In the Gutter position box, click Left or Top.

    Note: The Gutter position box is not available when you use the Mirror margins, 2 pages per sheet, or Book fold option. For those options, the gutter position is determined automatically.

  1. Click on the text box you created to highlight it.

  2. Click on the Format tab in the ribbon.

  3. Click the small button in the lower left of the Size group.

  4. In the Format Text Box window, click the Text Box tab.

  5. In the Internal margin section, you can customize the margins to your desired size.

  6. Click OK.

If this article did not answer your question, you can chat with a Microsoft virtual agent or a person at any time.

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In this article we’ll give you some easy to follow hints how to set line spacing and margins in Microsoft Word. We’ll also give you some easy tips for changing your first line indent and page margins. (Note: The following instructions apply specifically to Microsoft 365 Word, but should also work in the several preceding versions of Word.)

Table of Contents

Set line spacing and margins in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word offers its users hundreds of customization possibilities. Some of them are behind the scenes and rarely seen or adjusted by the average user. But others, such as the ability to adjust spacing and margins, stand out front in their impact on your document’s appearance. It is important to know how to set spacing and margins in Microsoft Word, whether you are a casual user or you use Word every day.

How to increase line spacing.

With normal font usage, the distance between lines of text will be set automatically, usually at “1”. There are going to be times when you will want to change the line spacing. For example, if you are typing a book manuscript and are expecting to provide a printed or emailed version to an editor, you may be asked to provide a manuscript in Courier font with double spacing. Or it may be that you want to increase the line spacing slightly for aesthetic reasons, so that your text better fills the page.

Another circumstance when larger line spacing will be necessary is when you have a line of text and somewhere along that line, you insert one or more characters in a much larger font size. As a hypothetical example, you might want a date presented in a much larger font size than the other text on the line. The larger font size that you used for the date will force that entire line’s spacing to be increased to accommodate the larger date font.

Fortunately, changing line spacing in Microsoft Word is an easy task.

Set Line Spacing via the Ribbon

Select the text you want to increase the line spacing for. If you need to change all of the text in a document, you can select all text in the document by using the key command, Control + A in Windows or Command + A on a Mac. That handy little shortcut will select all of the text in the entire document.

  • Be sure you are displaying the Home ribbon at the top of MS Word.
  • Look in the third section of icons from the left which deals with line spacing, ordered and unordered lists, paragraph indents, etc..
  • Look for an icon with four thin horizontal lines. On the left side of it is a blue up and down arrow. That icon is the one that allows you to set your line spacing.
  • Tap it and you can choose 1.0 (normal single spaced line), 1.15, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0.

Home tab ribbon microsoft word - line spacing button

Home tab ribbon In Microsoft Word – line spacing button.

There is also a line labeled “Line Spacing Options.” From there you can play with the settings in greater detail.

You may also open the Line Spacing Options box by selecting the text you wish to set line spacing for.

  • Right-click the selection and choose “Paragraph….”
  • The same Line Spacing Options box mentioned in the previous paragraph will open.

For more detailed information about line spacing, see our article Double Spacing in Microsoft Word – How to Start and Stop It.

How to set space between paragraphs.

There are several reasons you might wish to adjust the spacing between paragraphs in your documents. Whatever the reason is, the process is simple when you know where to look.

To change paragraph spacing:

  • Open the same Line Spacing Box you used in the previous instruction.
  • Select your text, then right click and select “Paragraph…” from the menu. The same box you saw before will open.
  • Be sure “Indents and Spacing” is chosen at the top of the box.
  • Look for the Spacing section.
  • In the Spacing section, the first controls you’ll see are the “Before” and “After” controls. Those controls set the spacing before or after each paragraph, accordingly.

If you select the entire document, any settings you make here will be used throughout your document.

If you select only a portion of the document, the setting you make here will apply only to the portion you selected.

How to set first line paragraph indents.

Formatting a paragraph so the first line is indented is easy in Microsoft Word, but not necessarily obvious.

For this task, you’ll need to be sure the ruler is turned on. Go to View in the top menu, then be sure there is a check next to Ruler. The check mark indicates the ruler is active. If it is not, just click on the word Ruler.

The Ruler option causes a ruler to be displayed horizontally at the top of the document and vertically on the far left.

If you want to indent the first line of all paragraphs in your document by, you can do so using Command + A on a Mac or Control + A in Windows to select the entire document.

  • Near the left end of the top ruler, you will see two icons, one above the other. The top icon looks like an upside down triangle.
  • With your chosen text selected, grab just that icon with your mouse or trackpad and slide it to the right. You should see the first line of your paragraphs become indented.

You may not want the first paragraph to be indented. In that case, select all of your paragraphs except the first before you slide the icon in the ruler. That should leave your first paragraph fully aligned left and your others with their first lines indented.

How to set margins in MS Word – easy method one.

If you followed the instructions above for indenting the first line of a paragraph, you’re halfway to knowing how to set margins. This method applies to the paragraph where your cursor is located if you have not selected a box of text. If you select a large block of text or your entire document, the changes will apply to the selected areas.

  • In the ruler, look just below the upside down triangle icon that you used to indent the first line. You’ll see what looks like a triangle sitting on a box.
  • Click and hold your mouse or trackpad on just the triangle. When you slide it, the margin will be adjusted, but leaving the first line indent wherever you set it. Slide it too far to the right and your indented first line will be negatively indented, hanging out to the left of your paragraph.
  • There is a single triangle icon on the right end of the ruler. It works the same way as the left one, but adjusts only the right side margin. It does not affect the first line indent.
  • Clicking and sliding the tiny box under the triangle on the left end of the ruler indents the entire paragraph or larger selection, taking with it the first line indent.

Because of their small sizes, it can be a little tricky to select just the triangle or the box.

How to set margins in MS Word – easy method two.

This method will change the margins for your entire document without the need to select any specific text.

  • Click on the Layout tab to open the layout ribbon.
  • The first icon in the layout ribbon is labeled “Margins.” When you click on the Margins icon you’ll be presented with a few preset options – normal, narrow, wide, and a couple others. Selecting any of these options will affect your entire document without having to select text.
  • At the bottom of the list is “Custom margins…” Click that option, then be sure Margins is selected at the top of the box that opens.
  • You’re given options to set top, bottom, left, right, and gutter. You’ll also see a box with drop-down options to apply the margins to the entire document or from that point forward.

Set new default margins

You can easily set new default margins which will affect all future documents that use the normal.dotm styles.

Use the same instructions as instructed in How to set margins in MS Word – easy method two, above.

In the Custom margins… box, make the adjustments you wish to use, then, at the bottom, click the Default… button (Mac) or “Set as Default…” (Windows). That will set your margins for all future documents according to the settings you made.

You’ll find more helpful hints on using Microsoft Word here.

You can also set line spacing in the Web version of Microsoft Word.

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Margins are the blank spaces that line the top, bottom, and left and right sides of a document.To change margins, click on the Margins button, found on the Page Layout tab.

Contents

  • 1 How do I use margins in Word?
  • 2 What is a margin in text?
  • 3 What does no margin mean?
  • 4 How many margins are on a page?
  • 5 What is 1 margins mean?
  • 6 What do you mean by margin explain with example?
  • 7 Why is there a margin on paper?
  • 8 What are a company’s margins?
  • 9 What is margin in business?
  • 10 What is a margin requirement?
  • 11 How do I remove a margin line in Word?
  • 12 How do you margin a paper?
  • 13 Where is the margin on Microsoft Word?
  • 14 Is margin same as profit?
  • 15 Why do books have a margin?
  • 16 What are margins for in a notebook?
  • 17 What is a margin on sales?
  • 18 What is margin in balance sheet?
  • 19 What are margins in docs?
  • 20 Is a margin account a good idea?

How do I use margins in Word?

Select Layout > Margins. Select Custom Margins. In Margins, use the Up and Down arrows to enter the values you want. Select OK when done.
Change default margins

  1. Select Layout > Margins > Custom Margins.
  2. Set your margins.
  3. Select Set As Default.
  4. Confirm your selection.

In typography, a margin is the area between the main content of a page and the page edges. The margin helps to define where a line of text begins and ends. When a page is justified the text is spread out to be flush with the left and right margins.(Any space between columns of text is a gutter.)

What does no margin mean?

Key Takeaways. Non-marginable securities are not allowed to be purchased on margin at a particular brokerage, or financial institution, and must be fully funded by the investor’s cash. Non-marginable securities are put in place to mitigate risks and control costs on stocks that are volatile.

How many margins are on a page?

Page margins should be consistent throughout the text. Required Margins: The top, bottom, and right margins are required to be 1 inch, but the left margin can either be 1 inch or 1.25 inches.

What is 1 margins mean?

The unit of measurement in those boxes is an inch so if you type 1″ in a text box, Word sets that margin to 1 inch. The Margins tab in the Page Setup window also has a “Set as Default” button. Click that when you want your margin settings to apply to all documents.

What do you mean by margin explain with example?

Margin can be defined in two main ways: It is the ratio of profit divided by revenue. This financial ratio is used to determine a company’s profitability. Money borrowed from a brokerage firm in order to leverage an investment.

Why is there a margin on paper?

Margins come in handy for notes, but at one time they had a more unique purpose. Mice and rats may not be able to read, but they love the taste of paper.So, paper manufacturers added margins as a safeguard to satisfy the rodents’ journalistic appetites while also helping to protect the written works.

What are a company’s margins?

A company’s operating margin, sometimes referred to as return on sales (ROS), is a good indicator of how well it is being managed and how efficient it is at generating profits from sales.In its essence, the operating margin is how much profit a company makes from its core business in relation to its total revenues.

What is margin in business?

Margin, or profit margin, is a percentage that’s used to measure the profitability of your business after expenses have been deducted from revenues. While revenue provides a good preliminary indicator of how well your business is performing, to determine actual business profit, you must consider your expenses as well.

What is a margin requirement?

A Margin Requirement is the percentage of marginable securities that an investor must pay for with his/her own cash.An Initial Margin Requirement refers to the percentage of equity required when an investor opens a position.

How do I remove a margin line in Word?

Go to Design > Page Borders. In the Borders and Shading box, on the Page Border tab, select the arrow next to Apply to and choose the page (or pages) you want to remove the border from. Under Setting, select None, and then select OK.

How do you margin a paper?

On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click Margins. Click the margin type that you want. For the most common margin width, click Normal. Note: When you click the margin type that you want, your entire document automatically changes to the margin type that you have selected.

Where is the margin on Microsoft Word?

To change margins, click on the Margins button, found on the Page Layout tab. Word lists a number of pre-formatted options, but you can also make your own margins by selecting “Custom Margins,” found at the bottom of the Margins list. You can change each of the four margins in the dialog box that appears.

Is margin same as profit?

Profit Margin Measures a Company’s Profitability
Unlike profit, which gets measured in dollars and cents, profit margin gets measured as a percentage. To measure profit margin, use the company’s net income divided by the total sales generated.

Why do books have a margin?

Also known as “white space”, the margins of a book serve several important functions: 1) Enhances Aesthetics – margins help center the content on the page and make it more visually appealing.2) Improves Readability – the blank margins provide contrast to the printed words and images on the page.

What are margins for in a notebook?

Margins are around 2-inch lines presented on the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the notebook to make the writing look neat and mainly help teachers add notes and remarks for the students.

What is a margin on sales?

Sales margin is the amount of profit generated from the sale of a product or service. It is used to analyze profits at the level of an individual sale transaction, rather than for an entire business.

What is margin in balance sheet?

A margin is the difference between sales and expenses. There are a number of margins that can be calculated from the information located in the income statement, which give the user information about different aspects of an organization’s operations.

What are margins in docs?

Margins are the blank and unused spaces between the document’s content and edges. Margins don’t contain any text or image, and their prime purpose is to prevent text from colliding with document boundaries.

Is a margin account a good idea?

A margin account increases purchasing power and allows investors to use someone else’s money to increase financial leverage. Margin trading offers greater profit potential than traditional trading, but also greater risks. Purchasing stocks on margin amplifies the effects of losses.

How do I get rid of margin lines?

When Word inserts a vertical red line into your margins when you create a new paragraph, it means someone has enabled change tracking in the document . Change tracking is often used with shared documents so that each user’s changes can be tracked and even undone if necessary.

Why is there a line in the margin of my Word document?

If you ever need to remove the line, all you need to do is click on it and press the Delete or Backspace key .

How do you get rid of a line in word that won’t go away?

When Word inserts a vertical red line into your margins when you create a new paragraph, it means someone has enabled change tracking in the document . Change tracking is often used with shared documents so that each user’s changes can be tracked and even undone if necessary.

How do I remove the margin lines in Word?

In Microsoft Word, click the File tab, then go into Options. Select Advanced and use the scroll bar at the right side of the window to scroll down to the Show document content section. Uncheck the Show crop marks checkbox . Click OK.

How do I get rid of margin marks?

Make sure the “Home” tab is active. If not, click the “Home” tab on the ribbon. In the “Paragraph” section of the “Home” tab, click the down arrow on the right side of the “Borders” button and select “No Border” from the drop-down menu. This removes the line from below the paragraph in which you placed the cursor.

How do I get rid of template lines?

In Microsoft Word, click the File tab, then go into Options. Select Advanced and use the scroll bar at the right side of the window to scroll down to the Show document content section. Uncheck the Show crop marks checkbox . Click OK.

How do I delete a line in word that won’t delete?

The easiest way to get rid of it is to use the Ctrl+Q combination on your keyboard. Simply move your cursor anywhere in the paragraph above the line that you want to delete, and then use Ctrl+Q.

How do I delete a random line in Word?

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)

Why do lines keep appearing on my Word document?

The easiest way to get rid of it is to use the Ctrl+Q combination on your keyboard. Simply move your cursor anywhere in the paragraph above the line that you want to delete, and then use Ctrl+Q.


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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

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.
  1. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 1

    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.
  2. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 2

    2

    Click Blank document. It’s in the upper-left side of the page.

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  3. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 3

    3

    Click the Insert tab. This tab is in the blue ribbon at the top of the Word window, between Home and Draw.

  4. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 4

    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.
  5. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 5

    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.

  6. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 6

    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. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 7

    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. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 2

    2

    Click Blank document. It’s in the upper-left side of the page.

  3. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 9

    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.
  4. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 10

    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.
  5. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 11

    5

    Click Horizontal Line. This will be towards the bottom, above Draw Table.

    • A horizontal line will be added.
  6. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 12

    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. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 13

    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. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 17

    2

    Click Blank document. It’s in the upper-left side of the page.

  3. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 18

    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.
  4. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 19

    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.

  5. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 20

    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.
  6. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 21

    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 (~).
  7. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 22

    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. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 20

    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.
  2. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 21

    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.
  3. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 22

    3

    Tap Home. This will be to the left of the formatting window.

    • A drop-down menu will open.
  4. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 23

    4

    Tap Insert. You’ll see a list of all objects you can insert.

  5. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 24

    5

    Tap Shapes. This is next to the icon of an overlapping circle and square.

  6. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 25

    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.

  7. Image titled Insert a Line in Word Step 26

    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

  • Question

    How do I view all available symbols in Microsoft Word?

    Community Answer

    Click «Insert» and then click «Symbols» and you should be shown a box with all of the symbols in it.

  • Question

    How do I add a line on the first page, and no lines on the second?

    Community Answer

    Click «Insert» and then click «Symbols» and you should be shown a box with all of the symbols in it.

  • Question

    How do I change the color of the line?

    Community Answer

    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.

See more answers

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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.

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,043,877 times.

Is this article up to date?

How do you show the margin lines in Word?

  1. Click on Advanced.
  2. Under Show document content, check the box next to Show text boundaries.

How do I get rid of margin lines in Word?

In Microsoft Word, click the File tab, then go into Options. Select Advanced and use the scroll bar at the right side of the window to scroll down to the Show document content section. Uncheck the Show crop marks checkbox. Click OK.

Why is word not showing the full page?

Try going to File>Options>Display and check the box for “Show white space between pages in Print Layout View”.

How do I show margins in Word for Mac?

Answer:Select the Layout tab in the toolbar at the top of the screen. Then in the Margins group, click on the Margin button. This will open a popup menu where you can select one of the preset margins or “Custom Margins”.

What is a 1 inch margin in CM?

2.54 centimeters

How do you set margins on a Mac?

Set document margins in Pages on Mac

  1. Click. in the toolbar, then click the Document tab at the top of the sidebar.
  2. In the Document Margins section, click the arrows or enter values in the fields next to Top, Bottom, Left, and Right. For documents that use facing pages, the document margins are Top, Bottom, Inside, and Outside.

How do I change the spacing between lines in Word?

Change the line spacing in a portion of the document

  1. Select one or more paragraphs to update.
  2. Go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing.
  3. Select Line Spacing Options and choose an option in the Line spacing box.
  4. Adjust the Before and After settings to change spacing between paragraphs.
  5. Select OK.

Is 1.15 single spacing?

The default line spacing in Word is 1.15. By default, paragraphs are followed by a blank line and headings have a space above them. Go to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing. Select Line Spacing Options, and then choose the options you want under Spacing.

How much is single line spacing?

About line spacing Line spacing is the space between each line in a paragraph. Word allows you to customize the line spacing to be single spaced (one line high), double spaced (two lines high), or any other amount you want. The default spacing in Word is 1.08 lines, which is slightly larger than single spaced.

What is the correct line spacing?

For most text, the optimal line spacing is between 120% and 145% of the point size. Most word processors, as well as CSS, let you define line spacing as a multiple. Or you can do the math—multiply your point size by the percentage. (The text in this paragraph has line spacing of 170%.

What is 1.5 spacing word?

Timesaver. Press Ctrl+1 for single-spacing, Ctrl+5 for 1.5 spacing, or Ctrl+2 for double-spacing.

Is 2.0 spacing the same as double spacing?

A 2.0 value will mean double spacing. Remember that the double spacing will take place from whatever part in the text your cursor is positioned. Place your cursor on the very top of the page if you want the entire document to be double spaced.

How many points is 1.5 spacing?

21 points

What is the shortcut key for 1.5 line spacing?

Changing the line spacing in a Word document is very easy if you remember a few keyboard shortcuts: Pressing Ctrl+5 changes to 1.5 line spacing. Pressing Ctrl+2 changes to double line spacing. Pressing Ctrl+1 will give you single line spacing.

What two keys do you press right align content?

Microsoft Word Keyboard Shortcuts

Action Shortcut Key
Right-align a paragraph Ctrl + R
Justify a paragraph Ctrl + J
Create a non-breaking space Ctrl + Shift + Spacebar
Create a page break Ctrl + Enter

What is the shortcut key for align right?

Ctrl + E — Align selected text or line to the center. Ctrl + R — Align selected text or line to the right. Ctrl + M — Indent the paragraph.

How do I right align text?

Align the text left or right

  1. Select the text that you want to align.
  2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Align Left or Align Right .
  • Remove From My Forums
  • Question

  • Is there a way to show the margin lines in Word 2016 the way they showed in earlier renditions of the program?  I’d prefer not to keep gridlines on or rely on the ruler.  I use the margin lines to format documents which use a lot of text boxes,
    and it’s imperative that the edges of the text boxes align with the edge of the margin.  

Answers

  • Does Margin Line you said mean the «old» text boundaries
    option in previous versions of Word? Can you tell me detailed version information of Word 2016 you use currently. You can refer to

    About Office: What version of Office am I using? to get Product Information of Office. Currently, this option is available in the latest Office 365 and Office 2016, but there are some difference from the «old» text boundaries.
    To enable the option, open a Word document, click File>Options to open
    Word Options, click Advanced Tab, under
    Show document content
    group, select  Show text boundaries option.
     
    We’ve been told that the display of text boundaries in Word 2013 (and I assume 2016 as well) is the result of the new layout engine, that the old text boundaries were really a «mistake» and should not have been relied upon. Please visit 

    Bring back «classic» text boundaries on uservoice.com and add your vote. The issue is already marked as «under review» by Microsoft, but the more votes it gets, the more likely it is to be scheduled for a return to the old behavior.

    If you have any question about Office, please feel free to let me know.
    Best Regards,
    Herb Gu


    Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they helped. If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact
    tnsf@microsoft.com.

    Click
    here to learn more. Visit the dedicated
    forum to share, explore and talk to experts about Microsoft Teams

    • Proposed as answer by

      Wednesday, August 1, 2018 9:54 AM

    • Marked as answer by
      fefifofannie
      Tuesday, August 7, 2018 3:09 AM

How can I have full-width horizontal lines inserted between the lines of a long text? I do not want to use Ctrl+U to add underline to the text because it does not add lines to the empty spaces. Also adding lines via the «Insert Shapes» menu seems not accurate and somehow hard to do for multiple lines. Is there any straight forward way to add full-width line between the lines of a text?

I also thought of simulating this with a table and pasting my text in the rows of a table with bottom borders. The problem with this method is that all of the text is inserted in the first row of the table, while I want each line of my text to be in a separate row.

asked Jun 17, 2016 at 10:58

B Faley's user avatar

B FaleyB Faley

7405 gold badges15 silver badges39 bronze badges

2

The following can be used to add lines of different types. Try any of these:

In a new line, enter

  1. Three hyphens i.e. — and then press Enter button.

Result:
enter image description here

  1. Three underscores i.e. ___ and then press Enter button.

Result:enter image description here

  1. Three equals to sign i.e. === and then press Enter button.

Result:enter image description here

  1. Three hashes i.e. ### and then press Enter button.

Result:enter image description here

  1. Three asterisks i.e. *** and then press Enter button.

Result: enter image description here

  1. Three tildes i.e. ~~~ and then press Enter button.

Result:enter image description here

answered Jun 17, 2016 at 11:52

Sardar_Usama's user avatar

Sardar_UsamaSardar_Usama

1,7932 gold badges11 silver badges23 bronze badges

1

While the most popular answer will provide a solution for a line with no words, if you want to extend the underline under a current header, you need a different solution.

enter image description here

To do this you should write the header. Then you can highlight the complete line and click on the bottom border button.

enter image description here

This will give you an underline completely across the page.

answered Oct 13, 2020 at 21:45

Scott's user avatar

ScottScott

1,5634 gold badges17 silver badges27 bronze badges

This is fairly simple:

1) From the ribbon, select Insert — Shapes — Line
2) Draw a line across the screen where you want it
3) Right-click on the line and select More Layout Options
4) Select the Text Wrapping tab
5) Select In Line With Text

You will now have a line across the document that will stay in place relative to the text around it.

You state in the question that Insert Shapes is hard for multiple lines. Not so if you select the In Line With Text option.
Note that the default is In Front of Text which is probably where you are finding the difficulty. This option does not move the line with the text as it is edited.

answered Jun 17, 2016 at 11:52

Chenmunka's user avatar

ChenmunkaChenmunka

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2

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