The quickest way to add a border

Open your document in Word. Click the Design tab (in Word for Mac, this is Layout). In the ribbon, find Page Borders — it's usually on the right side. Click it, choose Box from the menu, pick your line style and color if you want something other than black, then click OK.

That puts a border around the entire page. If you want a border around just one paragraph or a table instead, select that text first, then follow the same steps — Word will apply the border only to what you highlighted.

You can also add borders by selecting text and using the Borders button in the Home tab. Click the small arrow next to the borders icon to see options like top border only, bottom border only, or all sides.

Key Takeaways

  • Page borders go around the entire page and are found under the Design tab (or Layout on Mac) in the Page Borders option.
  • Paragraph borders apply only to selected text and are accessed through the Borders dropdown in the Home tab.
  • You can choose line style, color, and width before applying any border — the default is a thin black line on all four sides.
  • Borders around tables are added the same way as paragraph borders: select the table and choose your border style from the Home tab.

Adding a border to just part of your page

If you want a border around only a section of your document — say, a title at the top or a highlighted paragraph — select that text first. Then go to Home and click the arrow next to the Borders button. Choose Borders and Shading at the bottom of the menu.

In the dialog that opens, the Borders tab is already selected. Under Presets, click Box to put a border on all four sides of your selection. If you want only a top border or only a bottom border, click Custom and then click the sides you want in the preview area on the right.

You can also change the line style (solid, dotted, dashed) and the color here before you click OK. The border will appear only around the paragraph or text you selected.

Customizing line style and color

When you open Borders and Shading, the Style dropdown shows different line patterns. Solid is the default, but you can choose dotted, dashed, double lines, or decorative patterns. The Color dropdown lets you pick any color instead of black.

The Width option controls how thick the line is, measured in points. Most borders are 1 point (very thin) or 2.25 points (noticeably thicker). If you want a shadow effect or a 3D look, the Art option at the top of the dialog shows decorative border patterns — these work well for flyers or invitations but look unprofessional in formal documents.

After you choose your style, color, and width, the preview on the right shows what your border will look like. Click OK to apply it.

Removing or changing a border you already added

To remove a page border, go to Design (or Layout on Mac), click Page Borders, and select None under Presets. Click OK.

To remove a border from a paragraph or selection, select that text again, go to Home, click the arrow next to Borders, and choose No Border. To change an existing border instead of removing it, select the text and open Borders and Shading again — your new choices will replace the old ones.

Borders on tables

Word tables come with borders by default, but you can change them. Click anywhere inside the table, then go to Home and click the arrow next to Borders. You can choose to show all borders, no borders, or only outside borders (which hides the lines between cells).

For more control, select the entire table by clicking the small square in the top-left corner where the row and column headers meet, then open Borders and Shading. Under Apply to, you can choose whether your border style applies to the whole table, just the outside edges, or just the inside grid. This is useful if you want a thick border around the table but thin lines between cells.

Page borders with margins and special positioning

When you add a page border through Design > Page Borders, the Options button in that dialog lets you control how far the border sits from the edge of the page. By default, it's about 24 points (roughly a third of an inch) from the edge, which leaves room for the page margin.

If you want the border closer to the text or closer to the page edge, you can adjust this distance. You can also choose whether the border appears on all pages or only the first page — useful if you want a decorative border on a title page but not on the rest of your document.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a border to just the first page?

Yes. Go to Design > Page Borders, and in the dialog, look for Apply to at the bottom. Change it from "Whole document" to "First page only". This is common for title pages or cover sheets.

Why does my border look different on screen than when I print it?

Word sometimes displays borders differently depending on your zoom level or view mode. Switch to Print Layout view (under View) to see borders as they will actually print. If the border still looks wrong, check that your printer settings aren't cutting off the edges of the page.

How do I add a border to only the top and bottom of a page, not the sides?

Go to Design > Page Borders, click Custom under Presets, then click only the top and bottom lines in the preview box on the right. Click OK.

Can I use a picture or pattern as a border instead of a line?

Word's Art option in Borders and Shading offers decorative patterns, but you cannot insert your own image as a border. For a custom look, you can insert an image and position it at the edge of the page, or use a template designed with decorative borders.