How To Draw Lines In Microsoft Word - WikiHow

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How to Draw a Line in Word: Quick Guide to Add Lines to Doc Download Article Understand the Word line drawing features Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: May 30, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Using the Draw Shape Tool
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• Using Character Shortcuts
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• FAQ
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• Video
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• Q&A

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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly. Rain is a tech writer and editor for wikiHow with over 5 years of professional writing experience. In the past, Rain has worked with other creative writers as a Writing Tutor at San Francisco State University and has published gaming features, guides, and news articles for a variety of media outlets. Rain shares a lifelong passion for writing and gaming and is eager to grow alongside new tech inventions. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 581,459 times. Learn more...

Do you need to draw a line in Word? You can create a line that is horizontal, vertical, squiggly, and more. These lines can be hand-drawn or created using a 3-character shortcut. Here's how to draw lines in Microsoft Word using your Windows or Mac computer.

Quick Steps

1. Click the Insert tab.
2. Click the Shapes drop-down menu.
3. Select a line shape.
4. Click and drag your cursor to draw the line.
5. Release the mouse to save the line.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

Using the Draw Shape Tool

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1. 1 Open a document in Microsoft Word. You can use an existing document or create a new one.
2. 2 Click the Insert tab. You can find this option in the top toolbar, between Home and Draw. Advertisement
3. 3 Click Shapes. It's in the "Illustrations" section of the Insert toolbar. Clicking Shapes prompts a drop-down menu.[1]
4. 4 Select a line option from the drop-down menu. In the "Lines" heading, select a line type from the drop-down menu by clicking on it.
   • If you need to draw a unique line shape yourself, click the Freeform: Scribble icon, which is the squiggly line at the right end.
     • Alternatively, you can create freeform lines and other shapes by clicking the Draw tab, selecting a drawing tool, and drawing directly on your document with your mouse or trackpad.
5. 5 Click and drag your mouse to draw. If you selected a non-freeform shape, hold Shift as you drag your mouse to create a straight line. Release the mouse button to finalize the shape.[2]
   • You can click and drag the line around after it's finalized.
   • To delete a line, click it to select it and then press the Delete key.
6. 6 Add more lines. To add another line once the first is created, simply select a line template from the Shapes menu and repeat the drawing process.[3]
   • If you need to enter the same type of line many times, select the line and press CTRL + C (Windows) or CMD + C (Mac) to copy it. Then, press CTRL + V (Windows) or CMD + V (Mac) to paste it as many times as you need. You can move the lines once created.
7. 7 Format your line (optional). Once your line is drawn, you can adjust the color, line thickness, and even style. Do the following:
   • Click the line to select it.
   • Click the Shape Format tab.
   • Click the Shape Outline drop-down menu.
   • Select Weight to change the line thickness.
   • Select Dashes to change the line style.
   • Select a color to change the line color.
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Section 2 of 3:

Using Character Shortcuts

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1. 1 Make sure automatic lines are enabled. Word allows you to create lines using a three-character shortcut. This feature is usually on by default, but it may have been disabled. Do the following to check if it's enabled:
   • Click File (Windows) or Word (Mac).
   • Click Options (Windows) or Preferences (Mac)
   • Click the Proofing tab (Windows). On Mac, the tool you need will be under the Authoring and Proofing header at the top of the Preferences window.
   • Click AutoCorrect Options (Windows) or AutoCorrect (Mac).
   • Click the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
   • Check the box for Border lines under Apply as you type.
   • Click OK twice (Windows). On a Mac, just close the Preferences window to automatically apply your changes.
2. 2 Place the cursor where you want the line. This can be above or below your text.
3. 3 Type ---. This is three hyphens in a row. You can find this key near the top row of your keyboard, to the right of the 0 key.
4. 4 Press ↵ Enter. The three hyphens will convert into a solid horizontal line.
   • You can also use different characters to create different line styles:
     • Three equal signs (=) creates a double horizontal line.
     • Three underlines/underscores (_) creates a bold horizontal line.
     • Three asterisks (*) creates a dotted line.
     • Three number signs (#) creates a bold horizontal line between two fine horizontal lines.
     • Three tildes (~) creates a squiggly horizontal line.
5. 5 Use the Page Borders tool for additional options. Go to the Design tab in the Ribbon Menu and click Page Borders. You can use this tool to apply borders around one or more sides of a page, section, or paragraph. There are a wide variety of border options available, from simple lines to elaborate graphics.
   • In the Mac version of Word, you can click the Horizontal Line button in the Page Borders menu, select one of the line options, and click Insert to insert a horizontal border line anywhere on the page.
     • This option gives you access to additional line styles beyond the basic ones you can get with the autocorrect method. For instance, you can insert a colorful “stained glass” style line or a line that resembles a row of houses.
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Section 3 of 3:

Frequently Asked Questions

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1. 1 How do you put lines in Word? You can draw lines in Word by using the Shapes tool on the Insert tab. Just select a line type from the drop-down menu. Then, click and drag your cursor across the document to create a line.
   • You can also add a line in Word by entering three hyphens (-) and pressing Enter.
2. 2 How can I create lines for answers in Word? If you need to make answer lines in Word, use the Shapes tool to draw a line. Hold Shift as you drag your cursor to ensure the line is straight. Adjust the width as necessary for your answers.
   • Instead of creating the same line multiple times, you can copy and paste the one you created as many times as you need. Just select the line and press CTRL + C (Windows) or CMD + C (Mac) to copy it. Then, press CTRL + V (Windows) or CMD + V (Mac) to paste it.
3. 3 How do I delete a line? To delete a line, click it to select it. Then, press the Delete key on your keyboard. You can also right-click (or control-click, if you’re on a Mac with no right mouse button) the line and select Cut.
   • If you just created the line, you can undo the action by pressing CTRL + Z (Windows) or CMD + Z (Mac).
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Community Q&A

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• Question How do I keep the line horizontal? I only want to place a short line for a signing position. Community Answer If you're talking about keeping a line level while drawing it, press and hold the shift key while you draw the line. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 17 Helpful 30
• Question How do I draw lines on a phone? Community Answer With Word 2016 for iPhone you would click on the three dots on the right over the keyboard. Then on the left (where it says "Home"), go to "Insert." Then choose "Shapes" and the line you want. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 9 Helpful 5
• Question Can I draw several lines without going back and forth to the insert shapes drop-down? Community Answer Draw one line, then copy that line and paste it. Modify as/if you wish, then again paste, and so on. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 18 Helpful 8

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References

1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-shapes-0e492bb4-3f91-43b5-803f-dd0998e0eb89
2. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/draw-or-edit-a-freeform-shape-44d7bb9d-c05c-4e1c-a486-e35fc322299b
3. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-a-drawing-to-a-document-348a8390-c32e-43d0-942c-b20ad11dea6f

About This Article

Written by: Rain Kengly wikiHow Technology Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly. Rain is a tech writer and editor for wikiHow with over 5 years of professional writing experience. In the past, Rain has worked with other creative writers as a Writing Tutor at San Francisco State University and has published gaming features, guides, and news articles for a variety of media outlets. Rain shares a lifelong passion for writing and gaming and is eager to grow alongside new tech inventions. This article has been viewed 581,459 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 13 Updated: May 30, 2025 Views: 581,459 Categories: Microsoft Word Article SummaryX

1. Open a new Microsoft Word document. 2. Click Insert 3. Click Shapes 4. Click a line type. 5. Click and drag your cursor over your document. Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Written by: Rain Kengly wikiHow Technology Writer Click a star to vote Co-authors: 13 Updated: May 30, 2025 Views: 581,459

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