Changing Paragraph Borders

In other WordTips you learn how to add borders to your paragraphs using the presets built into Word. This results in a paragraph contained in a box in which all four sides matched each other. Word allows you to mix and match line types for your border, however. For example, you could have a paragraph that has different types of borders on all four sides. To change borders on your paragraph, follow these steps:

1. Position the insertion point in the paragraph to which you want the border added.
2. Display the Home tab of the ribbon.
3. Click the down arrow at the right side of the Borders tool in the Paragraph group. Word displays a number of different borders you can apply.
4. Choose Borders and Shading; it is the last option available. Word displays the Borders and Shading dialog box.
5. Make sure the Borders tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)



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

6. In the Preview area of the dialog box (the part that shows what your borders look like), click on the side of the paragraph to which you want to add a border. Whatever line style that was selected should be applied to that border.
7. Select a line type from the Style list.
8. Use the Color and Width controls, if desired, to specify the color and weight of the border.
9. In the Preview area of the dialog box (the part that shows what your borders look like) click on the side of the paragraph to which you want to add a border. (This could be the same side you selected in step 6.) The side should now show the border just as you want it.
10. Repeat steps 7 through 9 for each of the other paragraph sides.
11. Click on OK.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9723) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Changing Paragraph Borders.