A stubborn horizontal line in Google Docs can be surprisingly hard to delete, because “a line” can be several different things: a horizontal line inserted from the menu, a paragraph border, a table border, a drawing, an underline, or even a section break. Each one is removed in a different way. This guide helps you work out which kind of line you have and how to get rid of it.
Quick answer
Click at the start of the line just below the horizontal line and press Backspace, or click just above it and press Delete. If the line does not go away, it is probably a paragraph border: select the text around it, go to Format > Paragraph styles > Borders and shading, and click Reset.
Step 1: Work out what kind of line it is
- Click directly on the line. If it gets a blue box with handles, it is a drawing or image.
- Check the width. A horizontal line inserted from the menu runs the full width between the margins, and the cursor jumps over it.
- Look for a table. If clicking near the line shows table cells or the Table options menu, it is a table border.
- See if it moves with text. A line that sits under a heading and moves with it is usually a paragraph border.
- Turn on non-printing characters. Go to View > Show non-printing characters (Ctrl + Shift + P). Section breaks and page breaks then show as labeled dotted lines.
Method 1: Delete an inserted horizontal line
- Click at the very beginning of the paragraph directly below the line.
- Press Backspace once. The line disappears.
Alternatively, click at the end of the text directly above the line and press Delete. You can also drag to select the line along with the empty space around it and press Delete. If the line seems too heavy rather than unwanted, see how to adjust horizontal line thickness in Google Docs instead.
Method 2: Remove a paragraph border
Paragraph borders are common in templates, résumés and text pasted from websites or Word. They cannot be deleted with Backspace because they are formatting, not an object.
- Select the paragraph above or below the line. If you are not sure which one has the border, select the text on both sides.
- Go to Format > Paragraph styles > Borders and shading.
- Click Reset at the bottom of the window, or set Border width to 0 pt.
- Click Apply.
If every heading in the document has the same line, the border is part of the heading style. Fix one heading, select it, then choose Format > Paragraph styles > Heading 1 (or the relevant heading) > Update to match so the change applies everywhere. For a full walkthrough, see how to remove a border in Google Docs.
Method 3: Remove a table border
- Click inside the table.
- Go to Format > Table > Table properties.
- Under Color, set Table border width to 0 pt.
- Click OK.
The table and its content stay, but the lines disappear. To remove only one edge, select the cells, click the small arrow that appears in the corner of the cell, choose the edge, and set its width to 0 pt from the toolbar.
Method 4: Delete a drawing or image line
Click the line once so it shows a blue selection box, then press Delete or Backspace. If it will not select, it may be set behind the text. Click right on its edge, or change the text wrapping of nearby images to In line to make it easier to reach.
Method 5: Remove underlines and other lines in text
- Underline: select the text and press Ctrl + U (Command + U on a Mac).
- Strikethrough: select the text and press Alt + Shift + 5 (Command + Shift + X on a Mac).
- Red or blue squiggles: these are spelling and grammar suggestions, not lines. Turn them off under Tools > Spelling and grammar.
- Link underline: click the link and choose Remove link.
Method 6: Remove a line in the header or footer
A line under a header is usually a paragraph border inside the header. Double-click the header to edit it, select its text, and follow Method 2.
Method 7: Remove a section break line
With non-printing characters showing, click just before the dotted section break line and press Delete. Removing a section break merges the two sections, so check page orientation and margins afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the line come back when I press Enter?
The new paragraph is inheriting the old paragraph’s border. Remove the border with Method 2, or choose Format > Clear formatting (Ctrl + \) on the new line.
How do I add a vertical line instead?
Google Docs has no vertical line menu option, but there are several workarounds. See how to add a vertical line in Google Docs.
Summary
- Inserted line: Backspace from the line below.
- Paragraph border: Format > Paragraph styles > Borders and shading > Reset.
- Table border: Table properties > border width 0 pt.
- Drawing: click it and press Delete.
- Underlines and strikethrough: use the keyboard shortcuts.
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.