The quickest way to add a border
Open your Word document and go to the Design tab at the top of the screen. Click Page Borders — it's on the right side of the ribbon. A dialog box will open with border options. Choose the style you want (solid line, dashed, dotted, or decorative), pick a color if you like, set the width, and click OK. The border appears around all four edges of every page.
This method takes about 30 seconds and works the same way whether you're using Word on Windows or Mac. The border prints with your document and shows up in print preview, so you can see exactly how it will look on paper before you print.
Key Takeaways
- The Design tab's Page Borders option adds a border around the entire page in one step, and you can choose from solid lines, dashed lines, dotted patterns, or decorative styles.
- You can apply a border to only certain pages by using sections, which lets you have a border on your title page but not on the rest of the document.
- If you want a border around just a paragraph or table instead of the whole page, use the Borders option under the Home tab.
- Word lets you adjust the distance between the border and the edge of the page, so the border doesn't crowd your text.
Choosing your border style and color
When the Page Borders dialog opens, you'll see several preset options at the top. The first box shows no border, the second shows a border on all four sides, the third shows a border on the left and right only, and the fourth shows a border on the top and bottom only. Click whichever matches what you need.
Below that, you can pick the line style from a dropdown menu — solid is the most common, but you can also choose dashed, dotted, double lines, or decorative patterns. The Color dropdown lets you change from black to any color Word offers. The Width setting controls how thick the line is, measured in points. Start with a standard width like 1 or 1.5 points unless you want a very bold border.
As you make changes, the preview box on the right shows you what the border will look like. If you don't like it, change the settings and watch the preview update in real time.
Adding a border to only some pages
If you want a border on your title page but not on the rest of your document, you need to create a section break first. Go to the Layout tab, click Breaks, and choose Next Page. This splits your document into two sections at that point.
Now go back to Design and open Page Borders again. Add your border as usual. When you click OK, Word asks you whether to apply the border to "This section" or "The whole document." Choose This section. The border now appears only on the pages in that section.
You can create as many sections as you need. This is useful for documents where the first page has a border but the body pages don't, or where different chapters have different borders.
Adjusting the space between the border and your text
By default, Word places the border fairly close to the edge of the page. If you want more breathing room between the border and your text, open the Page Borders dialog again and look for the Options button at the bottom. Click it to open a second dialog.
You'll see four fields labeled Top, Bottom, Left, and Right. These control how far the border sits from the edge of the page, measured in points. Increase these numbers to push the border outward. For example, changing all four to 24 points gives you about a third of an inch of space between the border and the page edge. Click OK twice to apply the change.
Adding a border to a paragraph or table instead
If you want a border around just one paragraph or a table rather than the whole page, use a different method. Select the paragraph or table you want to border, then go to the Home tab and click the arrow next to Borders. A menu appears with options like "All Borders," "Outside Borders," "Top Border," and "Bottom Border." Click the one you need.
This approach is faster for small elements and doesn't affect the rest of your document. You can also right-click the selected paragraph or table, choose Borders and Shading, and customize the border the same way you would for a page border — picking color, style, and width.
Removing a border you no longer want
To remove a page border, go to Design and click Page Borders. In the dialog, click the first preset box (the one with no border) and click OK. The border disappears immediately.
If you applied a border to a paragraph or table using the Home tab method, select that element again, click the Borders arrow, and choose No Border. The border is removed from just that element, leaving the rest of your document unchanged.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have different borders on different pages?
Yes, by using section breaks. Insert a Next Page break where you want the border to change, then apply borders to each section separately. When you open Page Borders, make sure to choose "This section" instead of "The whole document" so the border only affects the current section.
Will my border print when I print the document?
Yes, page borders print by default. If you don't want the border to print, open Page Borders, go to Options, and change the "Measure from" setting. However, most people want borders to print, so you usually won't need to change this.
What's the difference between a page border and a paragraph border?
A page border goes around the entire page edge. A paragraph border goes around a single paragraph or block of text. Use page borders for a frame around your whole document, and paragraph borders to highlight or separate specific content within the document.
Can I use a picture or pattern as a border instead of a solid line?
Word offers decorative line styles in the Style dropdown, but you cannot use a custom image as a border. You can choose from the built-in decorative patterns, or stick with solid, dashed, or dotted lines in any color.
Why does my border look different on screen than in print preview?
Screen display sometimes compresses or stretches borders depending on your zoom level. Print preview shows the actual size the border will be on paper. If the border looks wrong in print preview, adjust the width or spacing in Page Borders and check preview again.