How to Delete a Line in Microsoft Word or Google Docs

The fastest way depends on which program you're using

In Microsoft Word, click anywhere on the line you want to remove, then press Ctrl+Shift+K (Windows) or Command+Shift+K (Mac). That deletes the entire line in one keystroke. If that doesn't work, select the whole line by triple-clicking it, then press Delete or Backspace.

In Google Docs, triple-click the line to select it entirely, then press Delete or Backspace. Google Docs doesn't have a single-keystroke shortcut for this, but the triple-click method is nearly as fast. You can also click at the start of the line, hold Shift, and click at the end to select it manually, then delete.

Both programs let you undo a deletion when ready with Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac), so you can experiment without worry. If you delete something by accident, undo it right away before you make other changes.

Key Takeaways

• In Word, use Ctrl+Shift+K (Windows) or Command+Shift+K (Mac) to delete an entire line without selecting it first.
• In Google Docs, triple-click the line to select it, then press Delete or Backspace.
• Both programs undo deletions with Ctrl+Z or Command+Z, so you can reverse a mistake when ready.
• A "line" means a paragraph in these programs — everything from one line break to the next, even if it wraps across multiple rows on your screen.

What counts as a "line" in Word and Google Docs

When you delete a line in either program, you're actually deleting a paragraph. A paragraph is everything from one line break (the point where you pressed Enter) to the next. If you have a sentence that wraps across three rows on your screen because your window is narrow, that's still one paragraph — one line to delete.

This matters because if you select part of a line and press Delete, you only remove the text you selected, not the line break itself. The cursor stays on the same line. To remove the line entirely, you have to include the line break, which is why triple-clicking (which selects the whole paragraph) or using the keyboard shortcut is faster than trying to select manually.

Selecting a line without using the keyboard shortcut

Triple-clicking is the most reliable method that works in both Word and Google Docs. Click once, twice, three times anywhere on the line you want to remove. After the third click, the entire paragraph highlights. Then press Delete or Backspace.

If triple-clicking doesn't select the whole line, your program may have a different setting. In that case, click at the very start of the line (before the first letter), hold Shift, and click at the very end (after the last letter or punctuation). This selects everything on that line. Then press Delete.

You can also click at the start of the line and drag to the end to select it manually, but this is slower and easier to mess up. The triple-click method is worth learning because it's faster and more consistent.

Removing multiple lines at once

If you need to delete several lines in a row, select all of them together before pressing Delete. Click at the start of the first line you want to remove, then hold Shift and click at the end of the last line. Everything between those two points highlights. Press Delete, and all the selected lines disappear.

Alternatively, triple-click the first line to select it, then hold Shift and triple-click the last line. This selects all the lines in between. Press Delete to remove them all.

If the lines are not next to each other, you can select them one at a time while holding Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac). Click to select the first line, then hold Ctrl or Command and click to select additional lines that are far apart. When you press Delete, all selected lines disappear at once.

Deleting a line without losing your formatting

When you delete a line, the line below it moves up and may inherit formatting from the line above. For example, if the line you deleted was bold and the next line was regular text, the next line might become bold after the deletion. This usually happens when the deleted line's formatting extends into the line break itself.

To avoid this, select just the text on the line (not the line break), then press Delete. The line break stays, so you have an empty line. Then delete the empty line separately if you don't want it. This two-step process gives you more control over what formatting moves where.

If the formatting does change unexpectedly, undo the deletion with Ctrl+Z or Command+Z, then try the two-step method instead. You can also use the Format Painter tool in Word to copy formatting from a nearby line and paste it onto the affected line.

Removing blank lines

Blank lines are paragraphs with nothing in them — just a line break. They take up space but contain no text. To remove a blank line, click anywhere on it and press Delete or Backspace. The blank line disappears and the line below moves up.

If you have many blank lines in a row, select all of them at once. Click on the first blank line, hold Shift, and click on the last blank line. Then press Delete. All the blank lines disappear together.

Word has a Find & Replace tool that can remove all blank lines at once if you have a lot of them. Press Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+H (Mac) to open Find & Replace. In the "Find" field, type ^p^p (which means two line breaks in a row). In the "Replace" field, type ^p (one line break). Click Replace All. This removes every instance of multiple blank lines and replaces it with a single line break. Google Docs does not have this feature.

Why you might want to keep a line instead of deleting it

Sometimes you think you want to delete a line, but you actually want to hide it or move it somewhere else. If the line contains information you might need later, consider cutting it instead of deleting it. Press Ctrl+X (Windows) or Command+X (Mac) to cut the line. It disappears from your document but stays in your clipboard — you can paste it back with Ctrl+V or Command+V if you change your mind.

You can also move a line to a different part of your document by cutting it and pasting it elsewhere. This is safer than deleting because you don't lose the information. If you're working on a document with other people, consider using Track Changes (in Word) or Suggesting mode (in Google Docs) so everyone can see what you removed and why.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a line without selecting it first?

Yes, in Word. Use Ctrl+Shift+K (Windows) or Command+Shift+K (Mac) with your cursor anywhere on the line. In Google Docs, you have to select the line first by triple-clicking it or dragging across it.

What's the difference between Delete and Backspace?

Delete removes text to the right of your cursor. Backspace removes text to the left. When you have a whole line selected, both do the same thing — they delete the selection. Use whichever feels natural to you.

If I delete a line, does it stay in my undo history forever?

No. Undo history clears when you close the document without saving. Once you save, you can't undo deletions from before the save. If you think you might need to recover a deleted line later, save a backup copy of your document first.

Can I delete a line from my phone or tablet?

Yes, but it's slower. In the Word or Google Docs app, tap the line to place your cursor there, then tap and hold to select it. Tap Select All or drag to select the whole line, then tap Delete. Triple-clicking works on some tablets but not all phones.

What if I accidentally delete the wrong line?

Press Ctrl+Z or Command+Z when ready to undo. As long as you haven't made other changes, the line comes back. If you've made other changes since the deletion, undo will reverse those too, so you may have to redo some work.