The quickest way to add a border

Open your Word document and go to the Design tab (or Page Layout in older versions). Click Page Borders on the right side of the ribbon. A dialog box opens with border style options. Choose your style, color, and width, then click OK. The border appears around all four edges of every page.

If you want the border on only the first page, open that same dialog, click the Options button, and select First page only before clicking OK. For a border around just one section of your document instead of the whole page, you'll need to create section breaks first — select the text you want bordered, then use the approach described below under "Borders on specific sections".

Key Takeaways

  • Page borders are added through the Design tab (or Page Layout in older Word versions) using the Page Borders button.
  • You can choose from preset border styles, custom colors, and line widths before the border is applied.
  • Borders normally appear on every page, but you can limit them to the first page only through the Options button in the dialog.
  • To border only part of a document, you must create section breaks around that text first, then apply the border to that section.

Choosing border style and appearance

When you click Page Borders, the dialog shows preset options at the top: None, Box, Shadow, and 3-D. Box is the most common — a simple line on all four sides. Shadow and 3-D add depth. You can also build a custom border by clicking individual sides in the preview area on the right side of the dialog.

Below the style presets, you'll see a Style dropdown showing different line types: solid, dotted, dashed, and decorative patterns. The Color dropdown lets you pick any color in your document's theme or a custom color. The Width dropdown controls how thick the line is, measured in points. Thicker borders (2.25 pt or higher) are more visible; thinner ones (0.5 pt) are subtle.

As you make changes, the preview pane on the right updates to show what your border will look like. If you want to remove a border from one side only, click that side in the preview to toggle it off.

Borders on specific sections

Word normally applies a page border to your entire document. To border only part of it — such as a title page or a specific chapter — you need to separate that section first. Place your cursor at the start of the text you want to border, then go to the Layout tab and click Breaks. Choose Continuous (if the bordered section is in the middle of the document) or Next Page (if it starts on a new page).

Do the same at the end of the section you want bordered. Now select all the text in that section, return to Design or Page Layout, and click Page Borders. In the dialog, click the Options button and change the Apply to dropdown from "Whole document" to "This section". Set your border style and click OK. The border now appears only around that section.

Borders on paragraphs instead of pages

If you want a border around a single paragraph or a block of text rather than the entire page, use paragraph borders instead. Select the paragraph or text block, then go to the Home tab. Click the arrow next to Borders (in the Paragraph section) and choose Borders and Shading.

The dialog that opens is similar to the page border dialog. Choose your style, color, and width, then click OK. The border wraps tightly around only the text you selected. This approach is useful for highlighting important text, creating a box around a quote, or separating a sidebar from the main content. You can adjust the spacing between the text and the border by clicking Options in the same dialog.

Removing or changing a border

To remove a page border, go to Design or Page Layout, click Page Borders, and select None at the top of the dialog. Click OK. The border disappears from all pages (or from the current section if you applied it to a section only).

To change an existing border without removing it, open the Page Borders dialog again and adjust the style, color, or width. Your changes take effect immediately when you click OK. If you've applied different borders to different sections, you'll need to select each section separately to change its border.

Common border problems and fixes

If your border appears only on some pages, check whether you applied it to a single section or the first page only. Open Page Borders and look at the Apply to dropdown in the Options. If it says "First page only" or "This section", change it to "Whole document" if you want the border on every page.

If the border looks too close to your text or too far away, open Page Borders, click Options, and adjust the measurements under "Distance from edge of page". These numbers control the space between the border line and the edge of the page itself, not the text. If you want space between text and a paragraph border, select the bordered paragraph, open Borders and Shading, and adjust the padding under Options.

If your border doesn't print, check your printer settings. Some printers have a "borderless" mode that prevents borders from printing. Also verify that your border color isn't white or the same color as your background — a white border on a white page won't show up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different borders on different pages?

Yes, but only by creating separate sections. Each section can have its own border style, color, and width. Use the Breaks menu to create section breaks, then apply borders to each section individually through the "Apply to: This section" option in the Page Borders dialog.

How do I add a border to just the top of the page?

Open Page Borders, and in the preview pane on the right, click the left, right, and bottom sides to remove them, leaving only the top. You can also click individual sides to toggle them on and off until only the top border remains.

What's the difference between a page border and a paragraph border?

A page border wraps around the entire page margin. A paragraph border wraps tightly around a specific block of text. Use page borders for a frame around your whole document; use paragraph borders to highlight or separate individual sections of content.

Why does my border look different when I print it?

Printer margins and settings can affect how borders appear. Some printers can't print all the way to the edge of the page. Check your printer's margin settings and make sure your border isn't set to print outside the printable area. You can also adjust the distance from the edge of the page in the Page Borders Options.