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.

Displaying the Ruler

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 18, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

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.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

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