Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, 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: Drawing Lines.

Drawing Lines

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 11, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021

The Drawing toolbar allows you to create a number of shapes that were previously only available through the use of a drawing program. One such shape is a line. To draw a line, follow these steps:

Display the Insert tab of the ribbon.
In the Illustrations group, click the Shapes tool. You'll see a large selection of shapes you can create.
Click one of the line types in the Lines group.
Position the mouse pointer where one end of the line is to be located.
Click and hold the mouse button.
Drag the mouse until the line is the desired length.
Release the mouse button.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (12270) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Drawing Lines.

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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