If you’re struggling with distracting lines in your Word document, you’re not alone. Many users wonder how to remove background lines in Word, especially when working with templates, tables, or documents copied from other sources. These lines may appear as gridlines, borders, or drawing guides and they can ruin the clean look of your page.
In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to identify and remove background lines in Word quickly and efficiently.
What Are Background Lines in Word?
Background lines in Word can appear in several forms:
- Gridlines: Non-printing lines used for layout alignment
- Table borders: Visible lines around or inside tables
- Paragraph borders: Lines added via the Borders tool
- Drawing guides or watermark lines
- Shading artifacts or background images
Each type of line requires a slightly different method to remove.
How to Remove Gridlines in Word
Gridlines often appear when you’re working with tables or aligning objects.
✏️ Steps to remove them:
- Click on the View tab
- Under Show, uncheck Gridlines
Gridlines are only for screen layout and don’t print, but removing them helps with document clarity.
How to Remove Table Borders
If your document contains unwanted table lines:
- Click inside the table
- Go to the Table Design or Layout tab
- Select Borders > No Border
You can also right-click the table, choose Borders and Shading, and set all borders to None.
🗒️ Tip: To delete the table entirely, select it and press Delete.
How to Remove Paragraph Borders
Sometimes, lines appear because paragraph borders were applied.
Here’s how to remove them:
- Highlight the affected text
- Go to the Home tab
- Click the Borders icon (in the Paragraph section)
- Choose No Border
This removes horizontal lines that were applied manually or copied from emails or web pages.
How to Remove Watermark Lines or Background Images
If you suspect the lines are part of a background or watermark:
- Go to Design > Watermark
- Choose Remove Watermark
- Alternatively, go to Design > Page Color > Fill Effects and clear any background image
This removes non-text elements behind your main content 🧽
How to Remove Drawing Lines or Shapes
Some background lines are inserted as Shapes or Lines via the Insert tab.
To remove them:
- Click on the line (you may need to click and drag to find it)
- Press Delete on your keyboard
🎯 Use the Selection Pane (found under Home > Select > Selection Pane) to locate hidden objects.
How to Reset Formatting Completely
Still seeing lines? You can clear all formatting:
- Select the affected text or entire document
- Go to Home > Clear All Formatting (eraser icon)
- Alternatively, press Ctrl + Spacebar to reset character formatting
⚠️ Be cautious: This will remove all styles, colors, fonts, and spacing.
FAQs: How to Remove Background Lines in Word
Why do background lines appear in my Word document?
They could be gridlines, table borders, paragraph borders, watermarks, or inserted shapes.
Are background lines printed?
Gridlines are not printed. Borders and shapes usually are unless removed.
How do I remove table lines in Word?
Click inside the table, go to Table Design > Borders, and select No Border.
Why does a horizontal line appear when I type dashes?
Word automatically inserts borders when you type three hyphens and press Enter. Use Undo or Borders > No Border to remove it.
How can I check if a line is a shape?
Try clicking near it. If it becomes selectable, it’s likely a drawing object. Use the Selection Pane to locate and delete it.
How do I remove background images or watermark lines?
Go to Design > Watermark and choose Remove Watermark.
Conclusion: Clean Up Your Document by Removing Background Lines in Word
Understanding how to remove background lines in Word can help you maintain a clean, distraction-free document. Whether it’s table borders, gridlines, or unwanted shapes, each type of line has a simple fix. With just a few clicks, your Word file will look polished and professional.
Complete List of Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
If you need help for Windows, you can find a whole list of all keyboard shortcuts here.
https://keyboard-shortcuts.org/
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