Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Displaying the Ruler.
The ruler appears at the top of every Word document window. The ruler is used to adjust formatting and align elements of your page. It is very helpful if you are using Word with a mouse.
Word allows you to control whether this ruler is displayed or not. To do this, simply select the Ruler option from the View menu. This is a toggle; every time you select it, the display is changed. If a check mark appears the left of the Ruler option, then the ruler is visible. If no check mark is there, then the ruler is not displayed.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1071) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Displaying the Ruler.
The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!
When working in Word's dialog boxes, most people understand that you should enter measurements using inches. If you don't ...
Discover MoreScreenTips are those small, yellow boxes that appear when you hover over different objects in Word. You have complete ...
Discover MoreAre your documents displaying too slowly? You can configure Word so that it is as quick as possible on displaying by ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: 
Comments