The fastest way to delete a line in Word

To delete a single line, click anywhere on that line and press Ctrl+Shift+K (Windows) or Command+Shift+K (Mac). This removes the entire line in one keystroke, whether the line is full of text, partially filled, or blank. If that keyboard shortcut does not work in your version, you can also triple-click the line to select it, then press Delete or Backspace.

If you want to delete multiple lines at once, click at the start of the first line you want to remove, then hold Shift and click at the end of the last line. Once the lines are highlighted in blue, press Delete. This method works for any number of consecutive lines.

For blank lines specifically — the empty space between paragraphs — position your cursor at the beginning of the blank line and press Delete once. This pulls the next line up and closes the gap.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl+Shift+K (Windows) or Command+Shift+K (Mac) to delete an entire line without selecting it first.
  • Triple-click a line to select it, then press Delete if the keyboard shortcut does not work in your version of Word.
  • To delete multiple lines, click at the start of the first line, hold Shift, click at the end of the last line, then press Delete.
  • Blank lines between paragraphs disappear when you position your cursor at the start and press Delete once.
  • Word remembers your last deletion, so you can undo any removal by pressing Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac).

Selecting and deleting lines by hand

If keyboard shortcuts feel unfamiliar, you can delete lines by selecting them with your mouse. Click at the very beginning of the line — in the left margin, where the cursor becomes an arrow pointing right — and the entire line highlights. Then press Delete.

To select multiple lines this way, click in the left margin next to the first line you want to remove, then hold Shift and click in the margin next to the last line. All the lines between them turn blue. Press Delete and they vanish.

You can also click and drag in the left margin to select a group of lines at once. Start at the margin next to the first line, hold the mouse button down, and drag down to the last line you want. Release, then press Delete.

Deleting lines in a table or list

If your line is part of a table, right-click the row and choose Delete Rows from the menu that appears. Word removes the entire row and shifts the rows below it up to close the gap. If you only want to clear the content inside the row without removing the row itself, select the cells and press Delete instead.

For bulleted or numbered lists, click anywhere on the line and press Backspace. Word removes the bullet or number and pulls the line up into the previous line. If you want to keep the line but remove only the bullet, select the entire list, go to the Home tab, and click the bullet button to toggle it off.

Fixing accidental deletions

If you delete a line by mistake, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) when ready. Word restores the line exactly as it was. You can undo multiple deletions in a row by pressing the shortcut several times — Word steps backward through your recent changes.

If you closed the document without saving, the deletion is permanent. Word does not recover unsaved changes. To avoid this, save your work often — press Ctrl+S or Command+S every few minutes, or turn on AutoSave if your version of Word supports it.

Deleting blank lines between paragraphs

Extra blank lines often appear when you paste text from another source or when someone else edited the document. To remove them one at a time, click at the start of the blank line and press Delete. The line above it closes the gap.

To remove all extra blank lines at once, use Find and Replace. Press Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+H (Mac) to open the Find and Replace dialog. In the "Find what" field, type ^p^p (two paragraph marks). In the "Replace with" field, type ^p (one paragraph mark). Click Replace All. Word removes every double blank line in the document.

If you want to control spacing between paragraphs instead of deleting lines, go to the Home tab, click the small arrow next to Paragraph, and adjust the "Spacing" section. You can set how much space appears before and after each paragraph without adding or removing lines.

Deleting lines in Word Online

Word Online — the free version you use in a web browser — works the same way as the desktop version for basic deletion. Click on the line, triple-click to select it, and press Delete. Keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+Shift+K may not work in all browsers, so the triple-click method is more reliable.

Find and Replace in Word Online is slightly different. Click the Edit menu, then Find and Replace. The dialog works the same way as the desktop version, but you may need to use different paragraph mark codes depending on your browser. Test with a small section first before using Replace All.

When lines do not delete the way you expect

Sometimes a line refuses to delete, or deleting it creates strange spacing. This usually means the line is formatted differently — it might have a page break, a section break, or special paragraph formatting attached to it. Click at the end of the line and look at the Home tab. If you see a paragraph mark (¶) that looks different or larger than others, that line has special formatting.

To see all formatting marks in your document, press Ctrl+Shift+8 (Windows) or Command+Shift+8 (Mac). This shows you exactly where paragraph breaks, tabs, and spaces are. Once you can see the marks, you can delete the problematic line more precisely. If the line still will not delete, try selecting it and pressing Backspace instead of Delete.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a line without selecting it first?

Yes. Click anywhere on the line and press Ctrl+Shift+K (Windows) or Command+Shift+K (Mac). The entire line disappears without you having to highlight it. If that shortcut does not work, triple-click the line to select it, then press Delete.

What is the difference between Delete and Backspace?

Delete removes text to the right of your cursor. Backspace removes text to the left. For deleting entire lines, either key works the same way once the line is selected. If a line refuses to delete with one key, try the other.

How do I delete a line without losing the text?

Select the text on the line and cut it (Ctrl+X or Command+X), then delete the empty line. The text stays in your clipboard and you can paste it elsewhere. Alternatively, select the text, copy it to safety, then delete the line.

Why does deleting a line create extra space?

The line probably has paragraph formatting — extra spacing before or after it. Press Ctrl+Shift+8 (Windows) or Command+Shift+8 (Mac) to see formatting marks. Look for a paragraph mark (¶) that looks different. Right-click it and choose Paragraph, then set spacing before and after to zero.

Can I delete lines in bulk from a long document?

Yes, use Find and Replace (Ctrl+H or Command+H). If you want to delete all lines containing specific text, type that text in "Find what", leave "Replace with" empty, and click Replace All. Word removes every matching line at once.