How to Draw a Line in Word: Quick Guide to Add Lines to Doc

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Understand the Word line drawing features
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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.
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 .
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  3. It's in the "Illustrations" section of the Insert toolbar. Clicking Shapes prompts a drop-down menu. [1]
  4. 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. 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. 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.
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    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
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    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

      Article Summary X

      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.

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