Weird Lines and Borders

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Using Date Fields in Microsoft Word
Calculated Dates
Booklet Formatting and Printing in Microsoft Word
Changing the Default Font in Microsoft Word
Document linked to Printer in Microsoft Word
Fonts Missing from Menu in Microsoft Word
How can I get a different header / footer on the second page?
Heading? Header? Microsoft Word Help
More on Headers and Footers in Word
Letterhead
I want the filename in the footer of every document.
Margins Missing - White Space
Mapped Content Controls and Document Properties
Moving/Reorganizing Pages in Microsoft Word
Print Preview in Microsoft Word
Weird Lines and Borders
Macros and VBA
Malicious Macros vba in Microsoft Word
Master Documents Feature in Microsoft Word
A Back CoverPage in Microsoft Word
Normal Template in Microsoft Word - How to Open or Find the Normal Template
My docs open in the wrong program! Re-registering Word using the commandline.
Moving (Sharing) Customizations in Microsoft Word
Global StyleSheet?
MVP means?
Naming Files - A System is the Key
Posting tips in the Microsoft Word Forums
Getting rid of that (*)#"@^ paperclip! - Taming the Office Assistant
Page X of Y doesn't work in Microsoft Word!
Save Changes to the Global Template? Keeps Popping Up
Templates in Microsoft Word
Global Templates
Too Many Icons on the Taskbar in Microsoft Word 2000
Getting Rid of the Web Toolbar in Microsoft Word
Word for Word Perfect Users
Favorite Documents Menu
Work Menu in Microsoft Word
Spell Check Dialog Instead of Editor
Templates Menu in Microsoft Word
What books have been recommended about Microsoft Word?
Where can I find more templates?
Word Links

 

This page last revised: 06 Jan 2024 23:47:31 -0500 .

Weird Lines and Borders in Microsoft Word

 

That weird line that appears magically . . . I've tried everything! How can I get rid of it?

Q: I typed a 3-inch underscore for a signature line and when I hit Enter it turned into a dark line going clear across the page!

I can't delete it and don't know what is going on!

A: You've run into AutoFormat as you type (same thing that capitalizes new sentences). When this happens, if you hit Undo (Ctrl+Z) or backspace, the change will go away. If you simply press the space bar once before you hit Enter, AutoFormat won't do anything to change it. What it is doing is applying a border to your paragraph.

If it is too late to "undo," go to the paragraph before the line and

Format => Borders and Shading

Click the box on the left for "None"

Make sure it says it is being applied to the paragraph.

Click the OK button.

Type your underscore again and this time press the space bar before you hit Enter.

You can turn this feature off by going to the AutoFormat As You Type Settings

bulletWord 97-2003: Tools > Autocorrect > AutoFormat As You Type (tab)
bulletWord 2007: Office Button > Word Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options (button) > AutoFormat As You Type
bulletWord 2010+: File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options (button) > AutoFormat As You Type

uncheck "Borders"

Click the OK button

Now that you know what is going on, though, you may want to leave this checked and experiment with different characters:

  _____ ----- ======== ++++++ ***** ~~~~~.

Here are my option settings in Word 2003 and Word 2010:

   

 

See also Troublesome Lines, There is a line in my document that I can't delete because I can't select it. How did it get there, and what can I do about it?, and this video: Fix Automatic Border Lines by Deborah Savadra

 

Vertical lines

Vertical lines can appear as an artifact of track changes or comments. They can also be paragraph borders but those don't appear magically. More on this later, perhaps.

The bottom page border doesn't print.

http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/BottomsDontPrint.htm

Why Don't My Table Borders Print? (gridlines)

Run for the Border - Using Borders in Microsoft Word


Using Date Fields in Microsoft Word
Calculated Dates
Booklet Formatting and Printing in Microsoft Word
Changing the Default Font in Microsoft Word
Document linked to Printer in Microsoft Word
Fonts Missing from Menu in Microsoft Word
How can I get a different header / footer on the second page?
Heading? Header? Microsoft Word Help
More on Headers and Footers in Word
Letterhead
I want the filename in the footer of every document.
Margins Missing - White Space
Mapped Content Controls and Document Properties
Moving/Reorganizing Pages in Microsoft Word
Print Preview in Microsoft Word
Weird Lines and Borders
Macros and VBA
Malicious Macros vba in Microsoft Word
Master Documents Feature in Microsoft Word
A Back CoverPage in Microsoft Word
Normal Template in Microsoft Word - How to Open or Find the Normal Template
My docs open in the wrong program! Re-registering Word using the commandline.
Moving (Sharing) Customizations in Microsoft Word
Global StyleSheet?
MVP means?
Naming Files - A System is the Key
Posting tips in the Microsoft Word Forums
Getting rid of that (*)#"@^ paperclip! - Taming the Office Assistant
Page X of Y doesn't work in Microsoft Word!
Save Changes to the Global Template? Keeps Popping Up
Templates in Microsoft Word
Global Templates
Too Many Icons on the Taskbar in Microsoft Word 2000
Getting Rid of the Web Toolbar in Microsoft Word
Word for Word Perfect Users
Favorite Documents Menu
Work Menu in Microsoft Word
Spell Check Dialog Instead of Editor
Templates Menu in Microsoft Word
What books have been recommended about Microsoft Word?
Where can I find more templates?
Word Links

Click to return to table of contents page of Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word.Click to go to Microsoft Word new users frequently asked questions site in a new browser window.
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Using Date Fields in Microsoft Word
Calculated Dates
Booklet Formatting and Printing in Microsoft Word
Changing the Default Font in Microsoft Word
Document linked to Printer in Microsoft Word
Fonts Missing from Menu in Microsoft Word
How can I get a different header / footer on the second page?
Heading? Header? Microsoft Word Help
More on Headers and Footers in Word
Letterhead
I want the filename in the footer of every document.
Margins Missing - White Space
Mapped Content Controls and Document Properties
Moving/Reorganizing Pages in Microsoft Word
Print Preview in Microsoft Word
Weird Lines and Borders
Macros and VBA
Malicious Macros vba in Microsoft Word
Master Documents Feature in Microsoft Word
A Back CoverPage in Microsoft Word
Normal Template in Microsoft Word - How to Open or Find the Normal Template
My docs open in the wrong program! Re-registering Word using the commandline.
Moving (Sharing) Customizations in Microsoft Word
Global StyleSheet?
MVP means?
Naming Files - A System is the Key
Posting tips in the Microsoft Word Forums
Getting rid of that (*)#"@^ paperclip! - Taming the Office Assistant
Page X of Y doesn't work in Microsoft Word!
Save Changes to the Global Template? Keeps Popping Up
Templates in Microsoft Word
Global Templates
Too Many Icons on the Taskbar in Microsoft Word 2000
Getting Rid of the Web Toolbar in Microsoft Word
Word for Word Perfect Users
Favorite Documents Menu
Work Menu in Microsoft Word
Spell Check Dialog Instead of Editor
Templates Menu in Microsoft Word
What books have been recommended about Microsoft Word?
Where can I find more templates?
Word Links

Click to return to table of contents page of Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word.Click to go to Microsoft Word new users frequently asked questions site in a new browser window.
(Intermediate Users' Guide) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  (Questions List)

Home
Word Tutorial - Intermediate
Legal Users Guide to Word
Downloads
Books about Microsoft Word - Newsgroup suggestions
Links
Web Resources for Microsoft Word