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: Changing Paragraph Borders.

Changing Paragraph Borders

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 24, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


In other WordTips you learn how to add borders to your paragraphs using the presets built into Word. This results in a paragraph contained in a box in which all four sides matched each other. Word allows you to mix and match line types for your border, however. For example you could have a paragraph that has different types of borders on all four sides. To change borders on your paragraph, follow these steps:

  1. Position the insertion point in the paragraph to which you want the border added.
  2. Select the Borders and Shading option from the Format menu. You will see the Borders and Shading dialog box.
  3. Make sure the Borders tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)
  4. Figure 1. The Borders tab of the Borders and Shading dialog box.

  5. In the Preview area of the dialog box (the part that shows what your borders look like) click on the side of the paragraph to which you want to add a border. Whatever line style that was selected should be applied to that border.
  6. Select a line type from the Style list.
  7. Use the Color and Width controls, if desired, to specify the color and weight of the border.
  8. In the Preview area of the dialog box (the part that shows what your borders look like) click on the side of the paragraph to which you want to add a border. (This could be the same side you selected in step 4.) The side should now show the border just as you want it.
  9. Repeat steps 5 through 7 for each of the other paragraph sides.
  10. Click on OK.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1110) 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: Changing Paragraph Borders.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Selecting a Word

Selecting text is a critical skill to possess when you want to work with a Word document. This tip explains how you can ...

Discover More

Black and White Blues

Getting a chart looking its best on a black-and-white printer can be a challenge. This tip examines different ways you ...

Discover More

Automatically Entering a Data Entry Time

Excel worksheets can be used to keep track of all sorts of information. You may want to use it, for instance, to track ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! Are you ready to harness the full power of Word 2013 to create professional documents? In this comprehensive guide you'll learn the skills and techniques for efficiently building the documents you need for your professional and your personal life. Check out Word 2013 In Depth today!

More WordTips (menu)

Removing Automatic Lines

Type a few dashes, underscores, or equal signs, and you could end up with a full-width line in your document. This is ...

Discover More

Creating a Full-Page Border

Borders are easy to add around text or entire paragraphs. It may be surprising to you to learn that Word can just as ...

Discover More

Adding a Drop Shadow to a Text Box

Drop shadows add a nice touch to text boxes, making it seem like they are hovering above the page. Here's the simple ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 8 - 6?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

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.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.