How To Put Divider Lines In Word

Dianna Russini

3 min read

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Mar 30, 2025

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How to Put Divider Lines in Word: A Comprehensive Guide

Adding divider lines to your Word documents can significantly improve readability and visual appeal. Whether you're creating a formal report, a casual newsletter, or anything in between, horizontal lines can break up large chunks of text, highlight important sections, and generally make your document more professional and easy to navigate. This guide will show you several methods for inserting divider lines in Microsoft Word, catering to different styles and preferences.

Using the Borders Feature

This is perhaps the most straightforward method for creating simple divider lines.

Steps:

1. Place your cursor: Position the cursor where you want the divider line to appear. This will determine the line's position within your document.
2. Insert a Table: Go to the "Insert" tab and select "Table." Create a 1x1 table (one row, one column).
3. Adjust Border: Select the table cell. Go to the "Design" tab (which appears when a table is selected). In the "Borders" section, choose a line style and color from the dropdown menu. You can choose a thick, thin, or double line, and select your preferred color. Click on the border options to apply it to only the bottom border of the cell, creating your horizontal line.
4. Adjust Size: You can adjust the height of the row to make the line thicker or thinner visually.

Pro Tip: For a truly seamless line, set the cell padding to zero. You can find this setting in the "Layout" tab (under "Table Tools") and adjusting the "Cell Margins" option.

Using the Shapes Feature

For more design flexibility, use the shapes feature. This allows for customized line thickness, styles, and colors.

Steps:

1. Navigate to Shapes: Go to the "Insert" tab and select "Shapes."
2. Select a Line: Choose a line shape from the options; a simple straight line is ideal for a divider.
3. Draw the Line: Click and drag your mouse across the page to create the line at your desired length and position.
4. Customize the Line: Select the line. You can change its color, thickness, and style (solid, dashed, dotted, etc.) using the formatting options that appear in the "Shape Format" tab.

Pro Tip: Experiment with different line styles to find what best complements your document's design. A subtle dashed line can sometimes be more aesthetically pleasing than a bold solid line.

Using WordArt (For Decorative Dividers)

If you need a more decorative divider, WordArt provides options beyond simple lines.

Steps:

1. Insert WordArt: Go to the "Insert" tab and click "WordArt." Choose a style you like.
2. Enter Text: Type a single character, such as a horizontal dash (-) or an underscore (_).
3. Format the Text: Use the "WordArt Styles" and "Shape Format" tabs to adjust the size, color, font, and other visual attributes to create a unique divider. Experiment with font sizes and styles to make the line thicker or thinner.

Pro Tip: For a truly unique divider, consider using symbols or special characters instead of a simple dash.

Choosing the Right Divider for Your Document

The best method for creating divider lines depends on your specific needs and the overall design of your document. For simple, clean dividers, the border method is efficient. For more visually striking or customized dividers, explore the shapes or WordArt options. Remember to maintain consistency in your divider style throughout your document for a cohesive and professional look.