Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. 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 Diagonal Borders.
Word allows you to add all sorts of borders to paragraphs, text boxes, and tables. You can place borders on the left, right, top, and bottom of these items. Many people don't realize that when it comes to table cells, you can also place diagonal borders. This means that a border can appear from the top-left to the lower-right corners of a cell, or from the top-right to the lower-left. To take advantage of diagonal borders, follow these steps:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (12722) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Adding Diagonal Borders.
The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!
Need a way to make sure your text fits within the space available in a table cell? Word has a handy setting that will ...
Discover MoreInsert a table in your document and Word assumes that you want borders around the table and its cells. Here's a shortcut ...
Discover MoreTables can be a necessity in many types of documents. However, they can be a bother to get positioned properly relative ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2015-10-27 01:00:25
Shanker
Good Tip. Thanks for reminding this feature in Word!
2013-11-18 12:48:52
Henri
Thanks,
a fast and easy alternative is to select the cell, right mouse click, choose "borders and shading", then the tab borders, in the pop up window, right side (Preview) in the left and right corner you click on the the diagonal line
2013-11-18 09:19:35
Jane
Thanks! I've often wanted to do this (to label the columns and rows of a table) and never knew it was possible. I guess it was hiding in plain sight.
Surendera: I typed a label in the cell using two paragraphs. I right-aligned the first paragraph and left-aligned the 2nd paragraph, and they were a perfect fit.
2013-11-16 15:57:58
Surendera
This we can do by clicking 'Draw Table' tool in 'Draw Border' Group on the 'Design Tab' and then dragging pen tool type cursor across the opposite corners of a cell, or multiple cells or the entire table.
But What is the use of such a border. The Text is not aligned in in such type of border
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2018 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. 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: 
Comments