- The three-character shortcut for a line in Word
- Undoing an unwanted line in Word straight away
- Why the Word line is really a paragraph border
- Changing the style, colour and width of a line in Word
- Turning a Word line into a box
- Stopping Word from adding lines on its own
- Drawing a line in Word when the shortcut won't do
- Using a line in Word documents for a small business
- If the line in Word isn't doing what you expect
- Frequently asked questions
To insert a line in Word, type three of the characters shown in Microsoft's sampler on a line by themselves and press Enter. Word draws a line across the width of the page or column. Press Backspace straight away if you wanted the characters instead.
A neat dividing line makes a proposal, a one-page handout or a client letter look finished. The good news is that Word can draw one in a couple of seconds, and most people never realise the shortcut exists. They reach for the Shapes menu, wrestle with a dragged line that won't sit straight, and give up.
I've worked through Microsoft's own support page on this. It's written for Word on Windows, and Microsoft says the steps and options may differ in Word for Mac or Word for the web, so I'll flag where you may need to look around.
The three-character shortcut for a line in Word
Microsoft's method is a typing shortcut rather than a menu. Here's the routine:
- Click in the document where you want the line to appear.
- On a line by itself, type three of the characters shown in the sampler picture on Microsoft's page.
- Press Enter.
Word swaps your three characters for a line that stretches across the available width. If your page is set up in columns, the line is only as wide as the column. Microsoft's page shows its characters in a picture rather than in text, so I won't guess which character gives which style. Open the sampler on Microsoft's page and match the look you like.
Undoing an unwanted line in Word straight away
Sometimes you type three dashes in a row because you want three dashes, and Word turns them into a line. Microsoft's fix is to press Backspace immediately after the line appears. The line goes and your three characters come back.
That only works if you do it at once. Type something else first and Backspace will just delete text, so reach for Undo instead or select the line and clear it.
Why the Word line is really a paragraph border
Here's the detail that explains everything else. Microsoft says the shortcut creates an empty paragraph with a bottom border. It isn't a drawn object floating on the page. That's why it moves with your text, stays in line with the margins and won't wander when you edit above it.
It also means the line belongs to a paragraph, so deleting the empty paragraph deletes the line. If you click just above it and press Delete, or select the empty line and clear it, it vanishes.
Changing the style, colour and width of a line in Word
Because it's a border, you restyle it through the Borders tools:
- Click on or next to the line.
- On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, select the arrow beside Borders.
- Choose Borders and Shading at the bottom of the menu.
- Change the style, colour or width in the dialog, then select OK.
- Select the Borders button again to apply your change.
Pick colours from your brand palette if you've got one. A thin line in your main brand colour looks considered. A thick black one often looks like a form.
Turning a Word line into a box
Microsoft points out a handy side effect. Since the line is a paragraph border, All Borders or Outside Borders gives you a box instead. That's a quick way to frame a short note, a quote or a call-out in a handout without building a table.
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| What you want | What Microsoft's page points you to |
|---|---|
| A full-width divider | Type three of the sampler characters on their own line, then Enter |
| Cancel it straight away | Backspace right after Word creates the line |
| Different colour or width | Home, Paragraph group, Borders arrow, Borders and Shading |
| A box around text | All Borders or Outside Borders |
| A line that isn't automatic | A drawn shape or freehand ink, which Microsoft links to separately |
Stopping Word from adding lines on its own
If you keep getting lines you didn't ask for, the automatic setting is switchable. Microsoft's steps are:
- Select the File tab, then Options.
- Choose Proofing, then AutoCorrect Options.
- Open AutoFormat As You Type.
- Clear the Border Lines check box, then select OK.
After that, three dashes stay as three dashes. Turn it back on the same way when you want the shortcut again.
Drawing a line in Word when the shortcut won't do
The shortcut gives you a straight, full-width divider. If you want a short line, an angled one, or a line placed exactly beside a heading, Microsoft's page directs you to its guidance on drawing a line shape and on freehand ink. Those are separate features with their own steps, so I'd open the article that matches what you're after instead of improvising from memory.
Using a line in Word documents for a small business
A divider does more work than it seems to. It separates a quote's terms from the summary, marks off the sign-off section of a letter and gives a one-page handout some structure. If you also collect signatures on documents, my notes on adding a signature in Google Docs cover the same job in Google's tool.
When you build a document that has to run over several pages, adding a page in Google Docs is the Google version of controlling where a new page starts. Keep the lines consistent: the same colour and width all the way through looks professional, and a mix looks like a patchwork.
If the line in Word isn't doing what you expect
- Nothing happened when you pressed Enter: check you typed the characters on a line by themselves, with no text before them.
- You got a line but wanted the characters: press Backspace straight away, or clear the Border Lines option described above.
- The line looks too heavy: use Borders and Shading to change its width and colour.
- It's using a different layout in Word for Mac or the web: Microsoft says the steps may differ, so look for Borders in the paragraph options.
Frequently asked questions
How do I insert a line in Word?
Put the cursor where you want it, type three of the characters shown in Microsoft's sampler on a line by themselves, then press Enter. Word turns them into a line across the available width.
How do I get rid of a line in Word?
If it has just appeared, press Backspace and the line goes back to your three characters. Otherwise remove the empty paragraph that holds the line, or clear its bottom border.
Can I change the colour of a line in Word?
Yes. On the Home tab, open the Borders arrow in the Paragraph group, choose Borders and Shading, then change the style, colour or width and select OK.
Why does Word keep turning my dashes into a line?
It's an automatic setting. Go to File, Options, Proofing, AutoCorrect Options, AutoFormat As You Type and clear Border Lines.
Does this work in Word for Mac and Word for the web?
Microsoft's page is written for Word on Windows and says the steps and options may differ on Mac and on the web.
