Add borders to text in Word with a few keystrokes

by Mary Ann Richardson | Sep 14, 2005 12:36:00 AM

Tags: Keyboards, Word processors, Microsoft Office, Mary Ann Richardson, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office Suite Word Tips Newsletter

Takeaway: If you favor the ease of keyboard shortcuts to using menus and toolbars, then check out these handy Microsoft Word tips on how to add a variety of borders to paragraphs in your documents.

Do you want to add a simple, black border above or below a paragraph in your Microsoft Word document without having to go through the menus? Using your keyboard, you can add a border in a couple of quick steps and eliminate much of the mouse clicking involved with using the Format | Border And Shading menu or the toolbar.

Here's how to create a border above your paragraph:

1. Position the pointer at the beginning of the line where you want your border to occur.
2. Press the hyphen key [-] three or more times and then press [Enter].

While the keyboard method doesn't give you the same options to create a custom line as you would have with the toolbar or menus, you are not limited to a simple black line. You can vary the shape and thickness of the border by substituting any one of the following keys for the hyphen:

• Underline [_]: produces a bold black line
• Equals sign [=]: produces a double-line border
• Asterisk [*]: produces a dotted border
• Tilde [~]: produces a wavy border
• Number symbol [#]: produces a thick, solid black border with a thin line above and below it.

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A suggestion frank_s | 09/14/05

Thanks! I'd done this accidentally.. annmarie.cross@... | 09/14/05

One addition bosmenycn@... | 09/14/05

How do you remove a Borderline? jczipri | 09/28/05

To Remove a Borderline wenn_chorray@... | 09/29/05

Thanks jczipri | 11/16/05