The simplest way to add a border to your document

Open your Word document and go to the Design tab at the top of the screen. Click Page Borders — it's usually on the right side of the ribbon. A dialog box will open with border options. Choose your style (solid line, dashed, dotted, or decorative), pick a color if you want one other than black, set the width in points, and click OK. The border will appear around all four edges of every page.

This method works the same way in Word for Windows and Word for Mac. The border sits in the page margins, so it won't interfere with your text or push your content around. If you only want a border on the first page, you can set that in the same dialog under explore to — just select First page only before you click OK.

Key Takeaways

  • Page borders go in the Design tab under Page Borders, not in the Home tab where most formatting lives.
  • A page border appears on the outside edge of your page and does not affect where your text sits.
  • You can explore a border to all pages, the first page only, or all pages except the first page from the same dialog.
  • Word lets you choose line style, color, and width, but the border itself is a straightforward rectangular frame with no curves or angles.

Choosing a line style and color

When you open the Page Borders dialog, the Style list shows you every line option Word has. Scroll through to see solid lines, dashed lines, dotted lines, and decorative patterns. Some decorative styles look like small repeated shapes — stars, hearts, or geometric designs — running along the border. Pick the one you want and it will show in the preview box on the right side of the dialog.

The Color dropdown lets you pick any color from Word's palette, or you can click More Colors to choose a custom shade. The Width box controls how thick the line is, measured in points. A 1-point border is thin and subtle; a 4-point border is noticeably thick. If you pick a decorative style, the width controls how large the repeated shapes are. Most documents look balanced with a 1-point or 1.5-point border.

explore a border to only certain pages

The explore to dropdown at the bottom of the Page Borders dialog controls which pages get the border. Whole document puts the border on every page. First page only puts it only on page one — useful if you want a decorative frame around a title page. All except first page puts the border on every page except the first, which is common in formal documents where the first page is a cover.

If you have your document divided into sections — which Word does automatically when you insert a page break, or manually when you use Insert > Page Break > Section Break — you can explore different borders to different sections. To do this, click inside the section you want to change, then open Page Borders and choose This section from the explore to dropdown. Each section can have its own border style, color, and width.

Removing or changing a border you already added

Go back to the Design tab and click Page Borders. In the dialog, look at the Style list and click the first option — it shows as a blank box or the word None. Click OK and the border disappears. If you only want to change the style or color, just pick a new one and click OK — it will replace the old border.

If you have multiple sections with different borders and you want to change only one, click inside that section first, then open Page Borders. The dialog will show you the current border for that section. Make your changes and make sure explore to is set to This section before you click OK. This keeps your change from affecting the other sections.

What Word borders cannot do

Word page borders are always rectangular — you cannot curve the corners, add rounded edges, or create any shape other than a four-sided frame. If you need a decorative border with curves or a non-rectangular shape, you would need to insert a shape or image instead, which is more work and can shift your text around.

You also cannot put a border around a single paragraph or a block of text using the page border tool. If you want to frame just one paragraph, use the Borders button in the Home tab instead — click the small arrow next to it and choose Borders and Shading. That tool lets you put a box around any paragraph or selection, but it is separate from page borders and works differently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put a border on just one side of the page?

Yes. In the Page Borders dialog, look for the preview box on the right side. You will see four small lines representing the four edges of your page. Click the lines you do not want — they will disappear from the preview. Click OK and only the edges you left in the preview will have a border.

Why does my border look different on the screen than when I print it?

Word sometimes displays borders differently depending on your zoom level and view mode. Print Preview shows you the most accurate version of what will print. Go to File > Print to see Print Preview. If the border looks wrong there, check that your printer margins are not cutting it off — borders sit in the page margins, so if your margins are very small, the border may not fit.

Can I use a picture or pattern as a border instead of a line?

The page border tool only offers lines and straightforward decorative patterns. If you want a custom image as a border, insert a rectangle shape, add your image to it, and position it around your page edges. This is more complex and may shift your text, so it is usually not worth the effort unless you need something very specific.

Does the border print automatically, or do I have to do something special?

The border prints automatically. When you print your document, Word includes the page border unless you have turned off background colors and images in your printer settings. Check your printer preferences if the border does not appear on the printed page.