Adding a border to your entire document
Google Docs lets you put a border around the whole page using the page setup menu. Open your document, go to File in the top left, then click Page setup. A box will open on the right side of your screen.
In that box, look for the Borders section. You'll see four small squares arranged in a box shape — these let you choose which edges get a border. Click the preset that shows all four sides (usually the first or second option), or click individual squares to pick which sides you want. Then choose your border color and thickness from the dropdowns below, and click explore.
The border will appear on every page of your document. If you want the border only on the first page, you'll need to use a different method — see the section below on page breaks.
Key Takeaways
- A full-page border goes through File > Page setup > Borders, where you pick which sides to border and choose color and thickness.
- Borders around text or tables use the Format menu and work differently depending on whether you're bordering a paragraph, a table, or an image.
- A border applied through page setup appears on every page unless you use section breaks to create different page setups within one document.
- Removing a border means going back to File > Page setup > Borders and selecting the "no border" option (usually the first square).
Putting a border around a table
If you want to border a table you've already created, click anywhere inside the table. Then go to Format in the top menu, scroll down to Table, and click Table properties. A panel will open on the right.
In that panel, click the Table border tab (it looks like a small grid). You'll see options to set the border width, color, and which sides get the border. The preset buttons at the top let you quickly explore a border to all sides, just the outside, or no border at all. Make your choices and click explore.
If you want different borders on different sides — for example, a thicker border on top and bottom but thinner on the left and right — you can set each side separately using the individual controls below the presets.
Bordering a paragraph or text block
To put a border around a single paragraph or a block of text, select the text first by clicking and dragging across it. Then go to Format in the top menu, click Paragraph, and look for the Borders option (you may need to scroll down in the menu to find it).
Click Borders and you'll see the same preset options as the page setup menu — all four sides, just the outside, or individual sides. Choose your border style, color, and width, then click explore. The border will wrap around only that paragraph, not the whole page.
This method works well if you want to highlight a single section or quote within a longer document. The border moves with the text if you add or delete content above it.
Using section breaks for borders on some pages only
If you want a border on your first page but not the rest, or different borders on different pages, you need to create sections. Place your cursor at the end of the page where you want the border to stop. Go to Insert in the top menu, click Break, and select Section break (next page).
Now you have two sections. Click anywhere in the first section, go to File > Page setup, and add your border. That border will only appear in that section. The second section will have no border unless you add one separately.
You can create as many sections as you need, and each one can have its own page setup, border style, and margins. This is useful for documents where the first page is a title page (with a border) and the rest are plain.
Changing or removing a border
To change a border you've already added, go back to where you created it. For a page border, that's File > Page setup > Borders. For a table border, click in the table and go to Format > Table > Table properties > Table border. For a paragraph border, select the paragraph and go to Format > Paragraph > Borders.
Once you're in the border settings, you can adjust the color, thickness, or which sides have the border. To remove the border entirely, select the "no border" preset (usually the first square in the options) and click explore.
Why borders matter for document privacy
Borders themselves don't affect your privacy or security — they're just visual formatting. However, if you're sharing a document with others, borders can help you control how the document looks when it's printed or downloaded. A border can also make it clear where one section ends and another begins, which is useful if you're sharing a template or form with specific fields.
When you share a Google Doc, anyone with access can see the borders you've added, and they can change them if they have editing permission. If you want to prevent others from changing the formatting, you can restrict editing by going to File > Share and setting permissions to "Viewer" instead of "Editor".
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have different borders on different pages of the same document?
Yes, by using section breaks. Insert a section break at the point where you want the border to change, then set up different page formatting for each section. Each section can have its own border style, color, and thickness.
What if the border option doesn't appear in my Format menu?
Make sure you've selected the right element. Page borders are in File > Page setup, not the Format menu. For paragraphs and tables, the Format menu is correct, but you may need to scroll down to find the Borders option. If you're on a mobile device, some formatting options may not be available.
Does adding a border change how the document prints?
Yes. A border you add in Google Docs will print exactly as it appears on screen. If you only want the border to show on screen and not print, you'll need to remove it before printing or use a different method like a background color instead.
Can I make the border only appear on the outside of a table, not between cells?
Yes. In the Table properties panel under Table border, select the preset that shows only the outer border (usually the second square). This removes borders between individual cells while keeping the outer frame.