Dotted lines in a Word document can come from several different places: a paragraph border Word added automatically, text boundaries or gridlines that only show on screen, table gridlines, section break markers, tab leaders, or proofing underlines. The fix depends on which one you’re seeing. This guide helps you identify each type and remove it.
Quick Answer
For a dotted line you can’t click or delete, click in the paragraph just above it, go to Home > Borders (the arrow next to the Borders button), and choose No Border. If the dotted lines outline the page margins, go to File > Options > Advanced and uncheck Show text boundaries.
Identify Your Dotted Line
| What you see | Likely cause | Prints? |
|---|---|---|
| Dotted line across the page that you can’t select | AutoFormat border (you typed *** or —, then Enter) | Yes |
| Dotted rectangle around the text area | Text boundaries | No |
| Grid of dotted lines over the page | Drawing gridlines | No |
| Dotted lines around table cells | Table gridlines | No |
| Double dotted line labeled “Section Break” or “Page Break” | Formatting marks | No |
| Dots leading to a page number or price | Tab leader | Yes |
| Blue or red dotted underline under words | Editor (spelling, grammar, or refinements) | No |
Remove an Automatic Border Line
- Click in the line of text directly above the dotted line.
- Go to Home and click the arrow next to the Borders button in the Paragraph group.
- Choose No Border.
Stop it from happening again: go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoFormat As You Type and uncheck Border lines. Word will no longer turn three hyphens, asterisks, or equal signs into a border.
Hide Text Boundaries
- Click File > Options > Advanced.
- Scroll to Show document content.
- Uncheck Show text boundaries and click OK.
Turn Off Gridlines
- Page gridlines: go to View and uncheck Gridlines.
- Table gridlines: click inside the table, go to Table Layout (or Layout), and click View Gridlines to toggle them off. To remove actual table borders, use Table Design > Borders > No Border.
Hide Section and Page Break Markers
Dotted lines labeled Section Break or Page Break appear when formatting marks are on. Click Home > Show/Hide ¶ (Ctrl + Shift + 8) to hide them. To delete the break itself, turn marks on, click just before the break line, and press Delete.
Remove Tab Leader Dots
- Select the paragraph with the dots.
- Go to Home, click the Paragraph dialog launcher, and click Tabs.
- Select the tab stop, choose 1 None under Leader, click Set, then OK.
In a table of contents, use References > Table of Contents > Custom Table of Contents and set Tab leader to (none).
Remove Dotted Underlines Under Words
- Right-click the word and choose a suggestion or Ignore.
- To hide them all, go to File > Options > Proofing and uncheck the Check spelling as you type and Mark grammar errors as you type options, or check Hide spelling errors in this document only.
- A dotted underline can also be real formatting: select the text and press Ctrl + U or use Home > Underline to remove it.
Troubleshooting
- No Border doesn’t work: the line may belong to the paragraph below, a header or footer, or a shape. Try clicking below the line, or double-click the header area.
- Line is in the header: double-click the header, click the paragraph, and use Borders > No Border.
- Still stuck: select the paragraphs around the line and press Ctrl + Q to clear paragraph formatting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will these dotted lines print?
Borders and tab leaders print. Text boundaries, gridlines, break markers, and proofing underlines don’t.
Why can’t I select the dotted line?
It’s a paragraph border, not a character, so there’s nothing to select. Remove it with the Borders menu.
Summary
- For an automatic line, use Home > Borders > No Border.
- Hide text boundaries in File > Options > Advanced.
- Toggle gridlines in the View or Table Layout tab.
- Hide break markers with Show/Hide ¶, and remove tab leaders in the Tabs dialog.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.