Insert a Line in Word

Lines allow you to create clear visual breaks in your documents. They can also highlight important headings. This article will show you several different ways of inserting a line in Word.

10 Second Summary

1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the line.
2. Click the Home tab or the Insert menu.
3. Click the down arrow button next to the Borders button.
4. Select "Horizontal Line."
5. Double-click the line to edit it.
6. Click and drag the line to move it.
7. Drag the borders to resize the line.

Steps

Using the Horizontal Line Tool

  1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the line. You can insert a horizontal bar at any part of your document. This line is one of the easiest to use, since you can easily move it around your document after inserting it.
  2. Click the Home tab. If you're using Office 2007 or later, click the Home tab to find the right button. If you're using Office 2003 or earlier, click the Insert menu.
  3. Click the down arrow button next to the Borders button. The "Borders" button can be found in the Paragraph group, and looks like four boxes with dotted lines. Clicking the down arrow will display all of the border options.
  4. Select "Horizontal Line." This will insert a bar-like horizontal line where your cursor is.
  5. Double-click the line to edit it. This will open a new window, allowing you to adjust the line options. You can change the color, width, height, and alignment to suit your needs.
  6. Click and drag the line to move it. You can move the line to anywhere in your document. It can't exist on the same line as text, so it will be placed on its own line directly beneath any text.
  7. Drag the borders to resize the line. Clicking and dragging the boxes along the line's border will allow you to resize it. You can turn the line into a thick bar, or shrink it so that it doesn't take up as much space.

Using the Keyboard

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Press .↵ Enter to convert the dashes into a line. This 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.
  4. 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:[1]
    • *** will create a dotted line.
    • ___ will create a bolder solid line.
    • === will create a double line.
    • ### will create a three-stripe line, with a bold center stripe.
    • ~~~ will create a line made of carets.
  5. Click and drag the line to move it. You can click and drag the line to move it up and down a little on the page. You can't move it outside of the "line" that it currently occupies.

Drawing a Line

  1. Click the Insert tab. You can use Word's drawing tools to draw a line in your document. This will give you the most control over what the line looks like.
    • If you're using Word 2003 or older, click the Insert menu instead and select "Picture" → "New Drawing."
  2. Click the "Shapes" button and select the line you want. You can select a plain, straight line, or select from a variety of other line types.
  3. Click and drag the crosshair to draw your line. Hold ⇧ Shift to force the line to stay perfectly horizontal.
  4. Click and drag the line to move it. Since the line is a drawing, it can be placed directly over text. Click and drag the line to move it around the document.
  5. Select the line and then click the Format tab to open the drawing tools. This tab allows you to change the line's color, add effects, or choose from preset themes.[2]
    • Click the "Shape Outline" button to change the color or make the lined dashed, dotted, or change the thickness.
    • Click the "Shape Effects" button to add effects to the line, such as a shadow or glow.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://support.office.com/en-gb/article/Insert-horizontal-lines-9bf172f6-5908-4791-9bb9-2c952197b1a9?ui=en-US&rs=en-GB&ad=GB&fromAR=1
  2. ↑ http://royalwise.com/rw/4-ways-insert-horizontal-lines-microsoft-word/
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