How to Draw a Line in Word (Windows, Mac and Web)

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To draw a line in Microsoft Word, go to Insert > Shapes, pick a line from the Lines section, then click and drag across the page. Hold Shift while you drag if you want the line to stay perfectly straight. That gives you a line you can move, angle, recolor, and resize anywhere on the page.

If you just need a divider that runs across the page, there’s an even faster route in Word for Windows: type three hyphens (—) on an empty line and press Enter. Word turns them into a full-width horizontal line. This guide covers both, plus paragraph borders, freehand drawing with the Draw tab, Word for Mac, Word for the web, and how to remove a line that won’t go away.

Quick Answer

  1. Click the Insert tab and select Shapes in the Illustrations group.
  2. Under Lines, choose the plain line (or an arrow or connector).
  3. Click where the line should start, drag to where it should end, and release. Hold Shift while dragging to keep it straight.
  4. Use the Shape Format tab and Shape Outline to change the color, weight, dashes, or arrowheads.
  5. For a quick full-width divider instead, type — on its own line and press Enter (Word for Windows).

In This Guide

Before You Start

These steps are based on Microsoft’s current support documentation as of September 2026. They cover:

  • Word for Windows: Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016. Most of the detailed steps in this guide are for this version, because that’s what Microsoft documents most completely.
  • Word for Mac: Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac and Word 2019 through 2024 for Mac. The Shapes method works the same way; some menus are in different places.
  • Word for the web: the free browser version at office.com. It has fewer drawing tools, and some features roll out gradually.

What you need:

  • A document open in Word, in a view where you can see the page. For shapes and freehand drawing, use Print Layout (the default view). You can switch views on the View tab.
  • For freehand drawing, a touch screen or digital pen helps, but a mouse or trackpad works too.

A few terms you’ll see:

  • Shape line: a drawing object that floats on the page. You can drag it anywhere, rotate it, and angle it.
  • Border line: a line attached to a paragraph, such as a line under a heading. It moves with the text and always runs the width of the paragraph.
  • AutoFormat: a Word feature that changes what you type into formatting automatically. Typing three hyphens and pressing Enter to get a line is one example.
  • Ink: freehand strokes you draw with a pen, finger, or mouse on the Draw tab.

Which Line Method Should You Use?

Word has several kinds of “lines,” and picking the right one saves you a lot of frustration later. The main difference is whether the line should float freely or stay attached to your text.

What you want Best method Why
A line at any angle, anywhere on the page Insert > Shapes > Line Full control over position, length, angle, color, and arrowheads.
A quick divider across the page Type — and press Enter Fastest option; spans the full width of the text area or column.
A line under a heading or paragraph that moves with the text Home > Borders > Bottom Border Stays attached to the paragraph when you add or remove text above it.
Arrows or lines that connect boxes in a diagram Shapes on a drawing canvas Connectors stay attached to shapes when you move them.
A hand-drawn mark, underline, or sketch Draw tab (pen) Natural freehand strokes, best with a touch screen or pen.

A simple rule: if the line is part of the layout of your text (dividers, heading rules, form lines), use a border or AutoFormat. If it’s part of a drawing (arrows, callouts, diagrams), use Shapes.

Method 1: Draw a Line with Insert > Shapes (Windows)

This is the most flexible way to draw a line, and it’s the method most people mean when they ask how to draw a line in Word.

  1. Open the Insert tab. In the ribbon at the top of Word, click Insert.
  2. Open the Shapes gallery. In the Illustrations group, click Shapes. Expected result: a gallery of shapes opens, with a Lines section at the top.
  3. Choose a line style. Under Lines, click the plain straight line. The same section also has arrows, double arrows, elbow and curved connectors, a curve, Freeform, and Scribble. Expected result: your pointer changes to a thin crosshair.
  4. Draw the line. Click where you want the line to start, hold the mouse button down, drag to the end point, and release.
  5. Keep it straight (optional). Hold Shift while you drag. Shift constrains the shape as you draw, which snaps a line to straight horizontal, vertical, or angled positions instead of slightly crooked ones.
  6. Adjust it. With the line selected, drag either end handle to change its length or angle, or drag the middle of the line to move it. Expected result: the Shape Format tab appears in the ribbon while the line is selected.

Draw several lines in a row with Lock Drawing Mode

Normally Word switches back to the regular pointer after each line. If you need several lines, for example to build a simple chart or form, lock the tool:

  1. Go to Insert > Shapes.
  2. Right-click the line style you want and select Lock Drawing Mode.
  3. Click and drag to draw each line.
  4. Press Esc when you’re done. Expected result: the pointer returns to normal.

Draw a freeform or curved line

To draw a line that isn’t straight, go to Insert > Shapes and, under Lines, pick Freeform (click to set points, or drag to draw) or Scribble (drag like a pen). Double-click to finish a Freeform line.

Lines that connect shapes (drawing canvas)

If you’re drawing a flowchart or diagram, you probably want connector lines that stay attached when you move the boxes. In Word, connection points only work when the shapes sit on a drawing canvas, a container that holds a group of shapes together. To add one, go to Insert > Shapes > New Drawing Canvas, then draw your shapes and connectors inside it. Microsoft’s guide to drawing lines and connectors explains connection points in more detail.

Format a Drawn Line: Color, Weight, Dashes, and Arrows

A new line uses your document theme’s default color and thickness. To change how it looks:

  1. Select the line. Click directly on it. Expected result: small handles appear at each end and the Shape Format tab shows up.
  2. Open Shape Outline. On the Shape Format tab, click the arrow next to Shape Outline.
  3. Pick a color. Choose a theme or standard color from the palette.
  4. Change the thickness. Point to Weight and choose a width in points. A thin divider usually looks cleanest at 0.5 to 1 pt; use heavier weights for emphasis.
  5. Make it dashed or dotted. Point to Dashes and pick a style.
  6. Add arrowheads. Point to Arrows and choose a style, or select More Arrows for detailed settings such as arrow size and begin and end types.

For dotted lines specifically, see our guide on how to add a dotted line in Word, which covers both shape lines and border styles.

Position the line relative to text

Shape lines float over or around your text. If text jumps around your line, or the line moves when you edit text, select the line and use the Layout Options button that appears next to it (or Wrap Text on the Shape Format tab) to choose how text flows around it. In Front of Text keeps the line from pushing text aside. Option names can vary slightly between versions.

Method 2: Type Three Hyphens for a Horizontal Line (AutoFormat)

In Word for Windows, AutoFormat can create a horizontal line for you as you type. According to Microsoft’s horizontal line instructions, this works with six different characters, each giving a different style.

  1. Place your cursor on an empty line where you want the divider.
  2. Type three of the same character on that line by itself: hyphens (—), underscores (___), equal signs (===), asterisks (***), number signs (###), or tildes (~~~).
  3. Press Enter. Expected result: the characters disappear and a line appears across the full width of the page’s text area, or the full width of the column if you’re using columns.

Each character produces a different line style (for example, a thicker, double, or decorative line), and the exact look depends on your version. Try a few and press Ctrl+Z to undo any you don’t like.

To cancel the line and keep the characters you typed, press Backspace immediately after the line appears.

What this line really is

The AutoFormat line isn’t a shape. Word adds a bottom border to the paragraph above your cursor. That matters because you can’t click it and press Delete like a drawn line. See How to remove a line in Word below if one appears where you don’t want it.

Change the look of an AutoFormat line

  1. Click in the paragraph just above the line.
  2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the arrow next to Borders.
  3. Select Borders and Shading at the bottom of the menu.
  4. Choose a different style, color, or width, then select OK.

Microsoft’s instructions also note that you can apply the new settings by clicking the Borders button again, and that choosing All Borders or Outside Borders puts a box around the paragraph instead.

Turn off automatic lines

If Word keeps turning your dashes into lines when you don’t want it to:

  1. Select File > Options.
  2. Select Proofing, then AutoCorrect Options.
  3. Open the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
  4. Clear the Border lines check box and select OK.

This only stops new automatic lines. It doesn’t remove lines already in the document.

Method 3: Add a Line with Paragraph Borders

Borders give you lines that belong to a paragraph, so they move with the text. They’re ideal for a rule under a heading, a line above a signature block, or separating sections of a letter.

  1. Click in the paragraph where you want the line (for example, your heading).
  2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the arrow next to the Borders button.
  3. Choose a border. Bottom Border puts a line under the paragraph, and Top Border puts one above it. Horizontal Line inserts a separate horizontal line at the cursor location. Expected result: the line appears across the width of the paragraph.
  4. Customize it (optional). Choose Borders and Shading from the same menu to set the style, color, and width.

Other options in the same menu include Left Border and Right Border, which draw vertical lines beside a paragraph, and Outside Borders, which boxes the paragraph. For a full box, see how to add outside borders in Word.

Tip: if you want a line only part of the way across, such as a short blank line to write on, borders aren’t the best fit because they run the width of the paragraph. For forms, our guide to making fill-in-the-blank lines in Word covers better options.

Method 4: Draw Freehand with the Draw Tab

The Draw tab lets you draw with a digital pen, your finger, or the mouse. It’s handy for quick annotations, circling something, or a hand-drawn underline. Microsoft’s ink drawing guide covers these tools across Office apps.

Show the Draw tab (Windows)

On touch-enabled devices, the Draw tab usually appears automatically. If you don’t see it:

  1. Select File > Options.
  2. Select Customize Ribbon.
  3. In the list of main tabs, check Draw and select OK.

Draw a line with a pen

Note: Word only lets you draw with ink in Print Layout view, so switch to it on the View tab first if needed.

  1. On the Draw tab, select a pen.
  2. Select the pen again (or the small arrow on it) to choose a thickness and color. You can also choose effects and textures such as pencil or highlighter.
  3. Draw on the page with your pen, finger, or mouse.
  4. Press Esc to stop drawing and go back to selecting text and objects.

Freehand lines are rarely perfectly straight. If you want tidy results, use the Ink to Shape option on the Draw tab, which converts hand-drawn strokes into standard shapes, or use Method 1 instead. To remove ink, use the Eraser on the Draw tab, or use Lasso Select to circle a stroke and then press Delete.

Drawing a Line in Word for Mac

The Shapes method works much the same on a Mac:

  1. Click the Insert tab.
  2. Click Shapes and choose a line from the Lines section.
  3. Click and drag in the document to draw the line. Hold Shift while dragging to constrain it.
  4. With the line selected, use the Shape Format tab to change its outline color, weight, and dashes.

Paragraph borders are available on the Mac too; look for the Borders button on the Home tab (its exact position can vary by version). Microsoft notes that its three-character AutoFormat instructions are written for Word for Windows and that steps and options may differ on a Mac. If typing — and pressing Return doesn’t create a line, check the AutoFormat As You Type settings in Word’s AutoCorrect preferences (on most Mac versions, Word > Preferences or Settings > AutoCorrect); the exact labels can vary by version.

The Draw tab is also available in Word for Mac for freehand lines, with pens and an eraser.

Drawing a Line in Word for the Web

Word for the web has lighter drawing tools than the desktop app. Microsoft added the ability to create drawings that combine shapes, text boxes, ink, and pictures:

  1. Open your document in Word for the web.
  2. Go to Insert > Drawing.
  3. In the drawing window, open the Shapes menu and choose a line, or use the drawing tool to draw freehand.
  4. Select Save and Close to insert the drawing into your document.

Microsoft rolled this feature out gradually, so labels and availability can vary by account. If you don’t see these options, or you need precise line formatting, open the document in the desktop app instead (look for an Editing or Open in Desktop App option). Whether typing three hyphens creates an automatic line in the web version isn’t documented, so don’t rely on it there.

How to Remove a Line in Word

How you delete a line depends on what kind of line it is. Microsoft’s line removal instructions cover both types.

Remove a shape line

  1. Click the line to select it. Expected result: handles appear at each end.
  2. Press Delete.

To remove several lines at once, click the first one, hold Ctrl while you click the others, then press Delete.

Remove a line you can’t select (a border)

If clicking the line does nothing, it’s probably a horizontal line created as a border, often by AutoFormat.

  1. Place your cursor in the paragraph just above the line.
  2. On the Home tab, click the arrow next to the Borders button.
  3. Select No Border. Expected result: the line disappears.

If it’s still there, the border might belong to the paragraph below the line, so click there and repeat.

Troubleshooting

Typing three hyphens doesn’t create a line

Check that Border lines is turned on under File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoFormat As You Type. Make sure the three characters are alone on the line, with nothing else before or after them, and that you pressed Enter right after typing them. On Mac or the web, this shortcut may behave differently.

My line isn’t straight

Delete it and draw it again while holding Shift. In most versions you can also select the line and use the size boxes on the Shape Format tab: a height of 0 gives a level horizontal line, and a width of 0 gives a vertical one.

The line moves when I edit text

Shape lines are anchored to a paragraph, so they can shift as text changes. Change the wrapping with Layout Options or Wrap Text, or use a paragraph border instead if the line should always sit under specific text.

I can’t click or delete a line

It’s almost certainly a border. Use Home > Borders > No Border with your cursor in the paragraph above it. If the line sits in the header or footer, double-click that area first to make it editable, then try again.

The Draw tab is missing

Add it with File > Options > Customize Ribbon and check Draw. If the pens don’t draw, switch to Print Layout on the View tab.

Connector lines don’t stay attached to my shapes

In Word, connectors only stay connected when the shapes are on a drawing canvas. Insert one with Insert > Shapes > New Drawing Canvas and rebuild the diagram inside it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the fastest way to insert a horizontal line in Word?

In Word for Windows, type three hyphens (—) on an empty line and press Enter. Word replaces them with a line across the page. Underscores, equal signs, asterisks, number signs, and tildes give other line styles.

How do I draw a vertical line in Word?

Use Insert > Shapes, choose the line, and drag straight up or down while holding Shift. For a vertical line beside a paragraph that moves with the text, use Left Border or Right Border from the Borders menu instead.

How do I make a line thicker or change its color?

For a shape line, select it and use Shape Format > Shape Outline to set Weight and color. For a border line, click in the paragraph above it and use Borders and Shading on the Home tab.

Why can’t I delete the horizontal line in my document?

Because it’s a paragraph border, not a shape. Put your cursor just above it and choose No Border from the Borders menu on the Home tab.

Can I draw a line with my finger or a pen?

Yes. Use the Draw tab, pick a pen, and draw on the page in Print Layout view. Press Esc when you finish. Use Ink to Shape if you want your strokes converted into tidy shapes.

How do I draw a line with an arrow?

Choose an arrow from the Lines section of Insert > Shapes, or add arrowheads to an existing line with Shape Outline > Arrows.

Does this work in Word for Mac and Word for the web?

The Shapes method works in Word for Mac. Word for the web offers shapes through Insert > Drawing, with fewer formatting controls. The three-character shortcut is documented for Word for Windows, so results elsewhere can differ.

Summary

  1. For a line you can place anywhere, use Insert > Shapes > Line and drag, holding Shift to keep it straight.
  2. Format it with Shape Format > Shape Outline for color, weight, dashes, and arrows.
  3. For a quick divider in Word for Windows, type — on an empty line and press Enter.
  4. For a line that moves with text, use Home > Borders > Bottom Border.
  5. For freehand lines, use the Draw tab in Print Layout view.
  6. Delete shape lines with the Delete key; remove border lines with No Border.

Next step: decide whether your line belongs to the text or to a drawing, then use the matching method above, and try the three-hyphen shortcut next time you need a quick divider.

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