How to Insert and Remove Page Borders in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

This tutorial shows how to insert page borders in Microsoft Word. We will also look at how to remove page borders.

Page borders can be added to your entire document or specific sections within your document. In addition, you can choose to include or exclude the border from the first page of your document or section.

Do you want to add borders to specific paragraphs? Please see “How to Add Paragraph Borders in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac).”

Table of Contents

How to Insert Page Borders
How to Remove Page Borders

This tutorial’s companion video shows all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 150 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. These steps also apply to Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac (a.k.a., Word for Mac), Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, and Word 2013 (PC only).

How to Insert Page Borders

Important Note: If you want to add page borders to a specific section in your document, create the section break first. For more information, please see “How to Insert Section Breaks in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac).”

If your document has sections, place your cursor in the section in which you want to insert the page borders.
Select the Design tab in the ribbon.

Design tab in Word 365 — Figure 1. Design tab

Select the Page Borders button in the Page Background group.

Page Borders button in Word 365 — Figure 2. Page Borders button

Select Box, Shadow, 3-D, or Custom in the Borders and Shading dialog box.

Pro Tip: Word’s application of these options will depend on the other border options you choose in this dialog box. Therefore, you may need to experiment with a variety of options to achieve the desired results.

Setting options in the Borders and Shading dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 3. Box, Shadow, 3-D, and Custom options

Select a line style, color, and width.

Alternatively, select an art option such as apples, hearts, trees, or stars.

Style options in the Borders and Shading dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 4. Style, Color, Width, and Art options

(Optional) Select or deselect the top, bottom, left, or right buttons in the Preview section to toggle the border on or off on specific sides of the page.

Top, bottom, left, and right buttons in the Borders and Shading dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 5. Top, bottom, left, and right buttons

(Optional) Select Whole document, This section, This section—First page only, or This section—All except first page in the Apply to menu.

Pro Tip: Even if your document doesn’t have sections, you can select This section—First page only or This section—All except first page to include or exclude the border from the first page of the entire document.

"Apply to" menu in the Borders and Shading dialog in Word 365 — Figure 6. Apply to menu

(Optional) Select the Options button to adjust the border placement in relation to the edge of the page or text.

Options button in the Borders and Shading button in Word 365 — Figure 7. Options button

Select the OK button.

OK button in the Borders and Shading dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 8. OK button

Your new page border should now appear in your document.

Page border example in Word 365 — Figure 9. Page border example

How to Remove Page Borders

If your document has sections, place your cursor in the section in which you want to remove the page borders.
Select the Design tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
Select the Page Borders button in the Page Background group (see figure 2).
Select None in the Borders and Shading dialog box.

None option in the Borders and Shading dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 10. None option

Select Whole document or This section in the Apply to menu (see figure 6).
Select the OK button (see figure 8).

The page borders should now be removed from the document or section.

Related Resources

How to Insert PDFs into Microsoft Word Documents (PC & Mac)

How to Insert Headers and Footers on Specific Pages in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)