The fastest way to add a box in Word
Open your document and go to the Insert tab at the top. Click Shapes, then select Rectangle from the dropdown menu. Your cursor will change to a crosshair. Click and drag on your page to draw the box to the size you want — hold down the Shift key while dragging if you need a perfect square instead of a rectangle.
Once you release the mouse, the box appears on your page with selection handles (small squares) around its edges. The box is now ready to format or move. If you need to reposition it, click and drag from the center of the box. If you need to resize it, drag any of the corner or edge handles.
Word places the box in front of your text by default, which means text will hide behind it. If you want text to wrap around the box instead, right-click the box, select Wrap Text, and choose your preferred layout — usually Square works best for most documents.
Key Takeaways
- Insert a box by going to Insert > Shapes > Rectangle, then click and drag on your page to draw it.
- Change the box color, outline, and thickness by right-clicking it and selecting Format Shape.
- Add text inside a box by double-clicking it and typing — the text will stay inside even if you move the box.
- Control how text in your document flows around the box using the Wrap Text option, found by right-clicking the box.
- Stack multiple boxes or arrange them precisely by using the Arrange options in the right-click menu.
Changing the box color and outline
Right-click the box you just created and select Format Shape (in Word 365) or Format Shape (in older versions). A panel will open on the right side of your screen with formatting options.
To change the fill color, click the Fill option and choose Solid Fill. A color picker will appear — click any color from the palette, or select More Colors to access a wider range. If you want no fill at all (just an outline), select No Fill instead.
To change the outline, click Line in the same panel. You can pick a color, adjust the thickness (measured in points — start with 2 or 3 for a visible outline), and choose whether the line is solid, dashed, or dotted. If you do not want an outline at all, select No Line.
Adding and formatting text inside a box
Double-click the box to enter text-editing mode. Your cursor will appear inside, and you can type normally. The text will stay within the box boundaries and move with it if you reposition the box later.
To format the text — change the font, size, color, or alignment — select the text first by triple-clicking to select all of it, or click and drag to select part of it. Then use the formatting tools in the Home tab at the top: font dropdown, font size, bold, italic, text color, and alignment buttons all work the same way as they do for regular document text.
If the text does not fit inside the box, you can make the box larger by dragging its handles, or you can reduce the font size. Word will not automatically shrink text to fit — you control the sizing. Click outside the box when you are done editing the text.
Controlling how document text wraps around boxes
By default, boxes sit on top of your document text and hide whatever is behind them. If you want your document text to flow around the box instead, right-click the box and select Wrap Text.
Choose Square if you want text to wrap around all sides of the box in a rectangular pattern. Choose Tight if the box has an irregular shape and you want text to follow its outline more closely. Choose Through if you want text to flow through the box itself (rarely useful). Choose Top and Bottom if you want text above and below the box but not beside it.
Once you select a wrap option, you can also adjust the spacing between the box and the text. Right-click the box again, select Wrap Text, then More Layout Options to set exact distances in inches or centimeters.
Arranging multiple boxes and locking them in place
If you have several boxes in your document, you may want to align them neatly or group them together so they move as one unit. Select the first box, then hold Shift and click each additional box you want to select. All selected boxes will show selection handles.
Right-click any of the selected boxes and choose Arrange. You will see options to Align boxes to the left, center, right, top, middle, or bottom. You can also choose Distribute to space them evenly. If you want the boxes to stay together permanently, select Group — now they act as a single object.
To prevent accidental movement or editing, right-click a box and select Lock Drawing Mode (or in some versions, look for a lock icon in the Format Shape panel). This prevents the box from being moved or resized until you unlock it again.
Using predefined box styles and templates
Word includes preset box styles that combine color, outline, and shadow effects. After you draw a rectangle, look for the Shape Styles group in the toolbar (it appears when the box is selected). Click any of the preset styles to explore it when ready.
You can also right-click the box and select Change Shape to swap it for a different shape — rounded rectangle, diamond, circle, or dozens of other options. The text inside will stay put, and any formatting you applied will carry over.
If you find yourself creating the same type of box repeatedly, you can save time by creating one box exactly how you want it, then copying and pasting it throughout your document. The copy will have the same formatting, size, and text properties as the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a box around existing text in my document?
Yes. Select the text you want to box, go to Home > Borders, and choose Borders and Shading. Select Box from the Style options, pick a line style and color, and click OK. This creates a border around the text without using a separate shape object.
Why is my box hiding behind my text?
The box is set to wrap text with the "Behind Text" option. Right-click the box, select Wrap Text, and choose Square or another option that places the box in front. If you want it behind text intentionally, leave it as is.
How do I delete a box?
Click the box once to select it (you should see the selection handles), then press Delete. Do not double-click first — that puts you in text-editing mode, and Delete will only remove text inside the box, not the box itself.
Can I make a box with rounded corners?
Yes. After drawing a rectangle, right-click it and select Change Shape, then choose Rounded Rectangle. You can also adjust how rounded the corners are by dragging the small yellow circle handle that appears on the shape.
What is the difference between a box shape and a text box?
A shape (rectangle) is primarily visual — it is meant to draw attention or organize content. A text box is designed to hold text and can be placed anywhere on the page independently. For most documents, a rectangle shape with text inside works fine. Use a dedicated text box only if you need text to float freely outside the normal document flow.