To add a border around a page in Word, go to the Design tab, click Page Borders, choose Box under Setting, pick a style, color and width, and click OK. To put a border around a paragraph instead, select it and use the Borders button on the Home tab. Pictures and tables have their own border options too. Each one is covered below.
Add a page border
- Click the Design tab (in Word 2010 and earlier, Page Layout).
- Click Page Borders at the far right.
- On the Page Border tab, choose a Setting: Box, Shadow, 3-D or Custom.
- Pick a Style (solid, dashed, double), Color and Width.
- For a decorative border, choose a pattern from the Art list instead.
- Under Apply to, choose Whole document, or a section option (see below).
- Click OK.
Border on one page only
Word applies page borders per section. To border just the cover page, choose This section – First page only. For a single page in the middle, insert section breaks before and after it (Layout > Breaks > Next Page), click on that page, and choose This section. To border every page except the first, choose This section – All except first page.
Move the border closer to the text
Click Options in the Page Borders dialog. Change Measure from to Text and set the margins in points to bring the border in from the page edge. This also helps if the border doesn’t print, since many printers can’t reach the edge. With narrow page margins (see how to change margins to Narrow), check the print preview first.
Add a border around a paragraph
- Select the paragraph or paragraphs.
- On the Home tab, click the arrow next to the Borders button in the Paragraph group.
- Choose Outside Borders for a box, or Bottom Border for a line underneath.
For more control, choose Borders and Shading at the bottom of the menu, and use the Shading tab to add a background color. More ideas in how to put a box around text in Word. For a quick dividing line, type three hyphens and press Enter, or see how to insert a horizontal line in Word.
Add a border to a picture
Click the picture, then on the Picture Format tab click Picture Border. Choose a color, then use Weight and Dashes to set the line. Picture Styles on the same tab include framed looks with a single click.
Add borders to a table
Click in the table, open the Table Design tab, pick a Line Style, Line Weight and Pen Color, then click the arrow under Borders and choose All Borders, Outside Borders or another option. Border Painter lets you click individual lines to apply the style.
Which border to use?
| Goal | Use |
|---|---|
| Frame the whole page, such as a certificate or flyer | Page border (Art or Box) |
| Highlight a note, quote or warning | Paragraph border with shading |
| Separate sections | Bottom border or horizontal line |
| Frame a photo | Picture Border or Picture Styles |
| Grid for data | Table borders |
Mac and Word for the web
In Word for Mac, use Design > Page Borders and the Borders button on the Home tab, the same as Windows. Word for the web supports paragraph and table borders but not page borders. Open the document in the desktop app to add one.
Troubleshooting
The page border doesn’t print, or only part of it does
It’s outside your printer’s printable area. In Page Borders > Options, set Measure from to Text, or increase the margins.
The border appears on pages I didn’t want
Check the section breaks and the Apply to setting. Show formatting marks with Ctrl + Shift + 8 to see where sections begin.
Paragraph borders join together
Word merges borders on adjacent paragraphs with the same settings. Add an empty paragraph without a border between them, or change the spacing.
Remove a border
For page borders, open Page Borders and choose None. For paragraphs, select them and choose No Border from the Borders button. See how to remove a border line in Word.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my own image as a page border?
Not through Page Borders, which only offers the built-in Art list. Instead, insert your image, set Layout Options to Behind Text, and stretch it to fill the page. Put it in the header if you want it on every page.
How do I make the border thicker?
Choose a larger Width in the Page Borders dialog. Line borders go up to 6 pt; Art borders go up to 31 pt.
Can I have different borders on different sides?
Yes. Choose Custom under Setting, pick a style, then click the side buttons in the Preview to apply it to the top, bottom, left or right only.
Summary
- Page border: Design > Page Borders > Box, then OK.
- One page: use section breaks and Apply to This section.
- Paragraph border: Home > Borders > Outside Borders.
- Pictures and tables: Picture Border, or Table Design > Borders.
Related: create a memo in Word.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.