How to Delete Horizontal Lines in Microsoft Word That Won’t Go Away

Horizontal lines in Microsoft Word don’t count as characters, so getting rid of them can be challenging—unless you use this tip!

If you want to split up a Microsoft Word document with simple dividers for readability, all you have to do is type three hyphens and press Enter for a long horizontal line to appear.

However, once it’s there, getting rid of it can prove challenging. You’d think using the Delete or Backspace keys would work, but they don’t—you seem to be stuck with that line. Don’t worry, though. Here’s how to remove a line in Microsoft Word.

How to Delete a Horizontal Line in Microsoft Word

While you can’t use the Backspace or Delete keys to get rid of it, you can still delete that line:

1. Click directly above the line.
2. Go to the Home tab in the Ribbon.
3. Within the Paragraph section, click the dropdown arrow next to the Borders icon and select No Border.

How to Stop Word Automatically Creating a Horizontal Line

You might not want Word to automatically create a horizontal line when you type three dashes. If that’s the case, here’s how to disable that feature:

1. Go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoFormat As You Type.
2. Beneath Apply as you type, remove the tick from Border lines.
3. Click OK.

How to Insert a Horizontal Line in Microsoft Word

If you want an alternative method to insert a horizontal line in Word, and one that is more obvious to delete, here’s how:

1. Click where you want to place the line.
2. Go to the Home tab in the Ribbon.
3. Within the Paragraph section, click the dropdown arrow next to the Borders icon and select Horizontal Line.
4. Double click the newly inserted line to format it, like adjusting width, height, and color.

If you ever need to remove the line, all you need to do is click on it and press the Delete or Backspace key.

There are numerous ways to insert lines into Microsoft Word, so be sure to check them all out.

Discover Hidden Word Features

Now you know how easy it is to remove a horizontal line in Word. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the great hidden features of Microsoft Word; it has plenty of advanced tools just waiting to be discovered, so don’t be afraid to experiment.

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