Lines are a basic design element. In Microsoft Give-and-take, a horizontal or vertical line can dissever a certificate and guide the menstruation of the text. You tin can insert a line in Word and format it in different ways to change a humble line into something more than appealing.

It's so simple after all. But if y'all don't know all the ways to practise it, so this primer on how to insert a line in Word is for you.

The Quick Way: How to Insert a Line in Word With the Keyboard

Did you know that you lot can quickly add a line in Word by typing a few characters? Word'southward AutoFormat feature types stuff for you as yous type information technology. You may have already seen it in action when it creates automatic bulleted lists.

Yous can not only insert a line just likewise add lines with different designs. Here'due south how it works:

Place the cursor in the spot where you would like to start your horizontal line.

And so, blazon three characters for any of the possible line styles you see in the screenshot beneath. Press Enter.

For example, to draw a dotted line, type *** and press Enter.

Different types of AutoFormatted Lines in Word

Equally you will run into, you volition get 6 variations of the standard horizontal line.

  • Plain single line with iii hyphens (---)
  • Broken or dotted line with 3 asterisks (***)
  • Plain double line with three equal signs (===)
  • Bold unmarried line with three underline symbols (___)
  • Triple line with a thick center with Three number signs (###)
  • Wavy line with three tildes (~~~)

The line takes up the entire width of the folio. When added within a cavalcade, the line is inserted to match the width of the column. If you want to add text above or below the line, put your cursor where you want the text and begin typing.

You lot will as well notice a tiny AutoCorrect Options button popular up adjacent to the line. This is a shortcut that allows you to undo the automated line when y'all don't need it, stop them birthday, or swoop into the AutoFormat options dialog.

AutoFormat Button in Microsoft Word

You lot can turn off these lines permanently from the AutoFormat options dialog.

Go to AutoFormat Every bit You Type tab > Apply as you type section > uncheck Border lines.

Insert a Horizontal Line From the Ribbon

If y'all find AutoCorrect abrasive and disabled the selection, there's some other quick mode to add together a horizontal line.

1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the line.

ii. Go to the Home tab and so click the dropdown arrow for the Borders option in the Paragraph group.

iii. Select Horizontal Line from the menu.

Insert horizontal line in Microsoft Word

four. To tweak the look of this horizontal line, double-click the line. The Format Horizontal Line dialog box enables you lot to alter the width, meridian, colour, and alignment of the line.

Format Horizontal Line dialog box in Word

5. To resize a line, select the line with a double click and and so drag any of the resizing points to change the length or width.

6. To remove the line, select it and press Delete on your keyboard.

Use Borders to Add Horizontal and Vertical Lines

The Borders selection in the Paragraph group besides gives you lot another way to insert a top or bottom border that resembles a horizontal line in the document.

i. Click on the paragraph of text where you want the line to appear.

two. Got to Home and the Paragraph group. Click on the Edge button. The Bottom border is usually the default. This places a line beneath the text you have selected on the page or the paragraph if yous oasis't selected any text.

Screenshot of Word's Border and Shading button

3. For other options (like a vertical border), you tin can click on the tiny dropdown arrow on the Borders button to access a list of options.

Adding a Vertical Border in Word

iv. To change the look of any border, click on Borders and Shading. Use the dialog to adapt the style, color, and width of the border.

5. Deleting this horizontal line in your Discussion document may not exist obvious only it easy plenty.

Use Shapes to Insert a Horizontal or Vertical Line in Give-and-take

The Shapes bill of fare contains several line options. These line shapes come with ane important difference---you tin describe them at different angles. So, after you draw the line, you can customize the colour and appearance to brand decorative horizontal or vertical lines even in the middle of a Word document.

1. Position the cursor where you desire to insert a line.

2. Go to Insert > Illustrations group > Shapes dropdown arrow.

3. In the Lines group, choose the shape of the line.

Screenshot of Lines shapes in Word

iv. Click and drag across the document with the mouse pressed till the endpoint. (Tip: Agree downward the Shift key to insert a straight line that is either horizontal or vertical)

five. Keep the line selected to customize the appearance of the line with the Shape Format tab on the Ribbon.

Shape Effects and Styles for a straight line in Word

six. Become to the Shape Styles tab and change the color, use a different line manner, or employ effects.

7. Y'all can also right-click on the line and choose Format Shape from the context menu to open up more options for changing the wait.

How to Add together a Vertical Line and Separate Text into Columns

Text arranged into columns is a basic layout technique. You can separate any cake of text into multiple columns and as well insert a vertical line between them.

1. Select the text.

2. Go to Ribbon > Layout > (Folio Setup group) Columns. Click on the dropdown and select the number of columns y'all want.

Change layout to columns in Word

iii. The text is now bundled into columns. Click on whatsoever column and get to Layout > Columns > More than Columns.

iv. In the Columns dialog box, cheque the Line Between box and click OK.

Adding Vertical lines between columns

Note that you can modify the number of columns and the spacing between them from this dialog too.

How to Apply a Bar Tab to Insert a Vertical Line

Tab stops in Word aid align lines and paragraphs. The bar tab, on the other mitt, doesn't gear up a tab stop. It inserts a vertical line and demarcates your paragraph into columns.

1. Select the paragraph where you want to add together the vertical line.

ii. Go to Ribbon > Home. In the Paragraph group click the tiny arrow to open the Paragraph Settings.

Paragraph Settings in Word

3. Click the Tabs button at the bottom of the dialog.

4. In the Tab terminate position box, enter the position where you want the vertical line to appear. You tin utilise the ruler at the superlative of the screen to gauge a value to enter.

5. Click the Bar push in the Alignment section. Click on Set and OK.

Every bit you tin can see, I have set it to "-0.ii" to make it announced just to the left of the offset paragraph. To delete the vertical line, delete the bar tab.

Using a bar tab for a vertical line in Word

Likewise: Want to brand bare lines where the reader can fill in some information? Y'all tin can utilize tabs to quickly create empty lines in forms with Microsoft Give-and-take.

Depict a Line in Your Give-and-take Document

Horizontal lines are more obvious and common. Merely adding vertical lines at the right place can heave the visual appeal of your content. Lines aren't mere decorations... they can lead your eye to the most of import office of a certificate when used with subtlety.

Recall near lines and use these methods the next fourth dimension you sit downwards to write a professional study with Microsoft Word.

How to Create Professional Reports and Documents in Microsoft Word

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About The Author

Saikat Basu (1525 Articles Published)

Saikat Basu is the Deputy Editor for Internet, Windows, and Productivity. After removing the grime of an MBA and a 10 twelvemonth long marketing career, he is now passionate about helping others ameliorate their storytelling skills. He looks out for the missing Oxford comma and hates bad screenshots. But Photography, Photoshop, and Productivity ideas soothe his soul.

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