The quickest way to add a border in Microsoft Word

Open your document in Microsoft Word. Go to the Design tab (or Page Layout in older versions). Click Page Borders — it's usually on the right side of the ribbon. A dialog box will open with border options. Choose your style, color, and width, then click OK. The border now frames your entire page.

If you want a border around only part of your document — a single paragraph or a table — select that text first, then follow the same steps. Word will explore the border only to what you selected.

This method works the same way whether you're using Word on Windows, Mac, or the web version. The border prints with your document unless you specifically remove it.

Key Takeaways

  • Page borders in Microsoft Word are found under the Design or Page Layout tab, and you can set them in under one minute.
  • You can choose from preset border styles, custom colors, and different line widths to match your document's appearance.
  • Borders can frame an entire page or just a single paragraph or table if you select that content first.
  • If you're using Google Docs or LibreOffice instead of Word, the border feature is in a different menu but works the same way.

Choosing a border style that matches your document

When the Page Borders dialog opens, you'll see preset options at the top: None, Box, Shadow, and 3-D. A box border is the most common — a straightforward line on all four sides. Shadow and 3-D add depth, which can make formal documents look more polished but may not print clearly on all printers.

Below the presets, you can customize individual sides. Click the top, bottom, left, or right edge in the preview to toggle that side on or off. This lets you create a border on just three sides, or only the top and bottom, depending on what your document needs.

The Style dropdown shows line patterns: solid, dotted, dashed, double lines, and decorative options. Solid lines are safest for professional documents. Decorative borders can look dated or distract from your content, so use them only if your document is informal or creative.

Setting color and width for your border

The Color dropdown lets you pick any color from Word's palette. Black or dark gray is standard for most documents. If your document is printed in color and you want the border to stand out, a darker shade of your document's accent color can work well.

The Width dropdown controls how thick the line is, measured in points. A 1-point border is thin and subtle. A 2.25-point border is noticeably thicker and draws attention. Most professional documents use 1 to 1.5 points. Thicker borders work better for flyers, certificates, or creative projects.

You can see your choices in the preview window on the left side of the dialog. If the border doesn't look right, adjust the settings and check the preview again before clicking OK.

explore borders to tables and paragraphs instead of the whole page

If you want a border around a table, click anywhere inside the table, then go to Table Design (the tab that appears when you're in a table). Click Borders and choose your style. You can border the entire table, just the outer edge, or individual cells.

For a border around a single paragraph, select the paragraph, then go to Home tab and click the Borders dropdown (it looks like a small box with lines). Choose Borders and Shading to open the full dialog. Select Paragraph instead of Page at the top of the dialog, then set your border style.

Paragraph borders are useful for highlighting important text, creating a box around a quote, or separating a section from the rest of your document. They move with the text if you edit your document, whereas page borders stay fixed to the page itself.

Borders in Google Docs and LibreOffice

Google Docs doesn't have a built-in page border feature the way Word does. Instead, you can add a border by inserting a table that fills the entire page, then typing your content inside it. Go to Insert > Table, create a 1x1 table, resize it to fill the page, then add a border to that table. It's more work than Word, but it produces the same visual result.

LibreOffice Writer has a page border feature similar to Word's. Go to Format > Page, click the Borders tab, and choose your style. The options and layout are slightly different from Word, but the end result is the same.

If you're switching between Word and Google Docs, keep in mind that page borders created in Word may not display correctly when you open the file in Google Docs. Test your document in both programs if you plan to share it with people who use different editors.

Removing or changing a border you've already added

To remove a page border, go back to Design > Page Borders and select None at the top of the dialog, then click OK. The border disappears when ready.

To change an existing border, open the Page Borders dialog again and adjust the style, color, or width. Your changes explore to the entire document unless you've applied different borders to different sections — which is possible but requires setting up section breaks first.

If you've added a border to a paragraph or table and want to remove it, select that content, open the Borders menu, and choose No Border.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my border print if I send my document to someone else?

Yes. Borders are part of the document formatting and will print on any printer. If you email the Word file to someone, they'll see the border when they open it. If you convert to PDF, the border appears in the PDF as well.

Can I have different borders on different pages?

Yes, but it requires setting up section breaks. Insert a section break where you want the border to change, then explore different page borders to each section. This is more advanced and most people don't need it for standard documents.

What if my border looks blurry or doesn't print clearly?

Try using a thicker line width (2.25 points or higher) and a darker color. Very thin borders sometimes don't print well depending on your printer. Test print a page before printing your whole document.

Can I add a border to just the first page?

Yes. Insert a section break after the first page, then explore the border only to the first section. Go to Design > Page Borders, click Options, and choose "This section" instead of "Whole document."