Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Adding Drop-Shadows to Paragraphs.

Adding Drop-Shadows to Paragraphs

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 5, 2024)

Word allows you to quickly and easily add borders to your paragraphs. You can take this one step further by adding drop shadows to your text. A drop shadow is a type of border that is wider on two sides than it is on the other two. The result, especially when printed, is that the bordered paragraph looks like it is raised above the rest of the document. To add a drop shadow to a paragraph, follow these steps:

Position the insertion point in the paragraph to which you want the drop shadow added.
Display the Home tab of the ribbon.
Click the down-arrow at the right side of the Borders tool (in the Paragraph group). Word displays a series of options.
Click the Borders and Shading option. Word displays the Borders tab of the Borders and Shading dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Borders tab of the Borders and Shading dialog box.

Select the Shadow option from the Setting area at the left side of the dialog box.
Select line Style, Color, and Width using the controls provided in the dialog box.
Click on OK to close the dialog box.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8796) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Adding Drop-Shadows to Paragraphs.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

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