Using Text As a Page Border

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 25, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Word includes the possibility to add page borders to your documents. These borders can serve a valuable decorative purpose to enliven your creation. The page borders included with Word repeat around the edges of your page, regardless of page size.

Unfortunately, Word limits you to using only the page borders provided with Word. As of now, Microsoft provides no ability to create new page borders. For instance, you might want to include text that goes around the edges of your document as a border. You cannot do this using the native page borders feature.

There is a workaround, however. If you create your page borders as graphics, you can paste the graphics into your document. For example, you could use your favorite graphics program to create four narrow graphics, one for each edge of your paper. The graphics would consist of whatever text and art treatment you deemed appropriate. Then you can place the graphics along the four edges of your document pages.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1557) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

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...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Problems Pasting Large Pictures

If you insert a large picture in your document and your text jumps all around and the picture seems to disappear, don't ...

Discover More

Generating a PDF that Uses CMYK Colors

Getting a Word document into a PDF format that a commercial printer can use can be challenging. This tip examines just ...

Discover More

Clearing the Undo Stack in a Macro

When writing a macro, you may need a way to clear the undo stack. This can be done with a single command, as described in ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!

More WordTips (menu)

Borders on Multiple Paragraphs with Differing Indents

When you place a border around a paragraph, the position of that border is determined, partially, by the indent with ...

Discover More

Deleting Paragraph Borders

Got a document that has a border around some paragraphs? Here's how you can get rid of the border in the fastest way ...

Discover More

Setting the Distance between Text and Borders

Add a border around a piece of text (such as a paragraph), and Word makes some assumptions about the placement of that ...

Discover More

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.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is three less than 3?

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.