Formatting Issues

How to Remove a Black Line After a Page Break in Microsoft Word

Steve K Oct 7, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to remove a persistent dark horizontal line that appears when inserting a page break or starting a new paragraph.

How to Remove a Black Line After a Page Break in Microsoft Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Formatting a document and trying to delete an auto-generated horizontal line near a page break.
Observed behavior: A dark horizontal line appears, and applying the 'No Border' option sometimes shifts the line to the previous paragraph instead of removing it entirely.

Before you start

Enable the 'Show/Hide ¶' feature in the Home tab to display paragraph marks and hidden formatting symbols, which will help you identify exactly where the border or page break is applied.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Paragraph Borders

This is the most common and effective method to remove horizontal lines caused by Word's auto-formatting.

Often, what appears to be a line drawn on the page is actually a bottom border applied to the paragraph directly above the page break. If applying 'No Border' just moves the line, the border formatting is likely spreading to adjacent paragraphs.

Select the text

Highlight the paragraph immediately above the black line and the paragraph immediately below it.

Open the Borders menu

Navigate to the 'Home' tab on the ribbon and find the 'Paragraph' group. Click the small dropdown arrow next to the 'Borders' icon.

Apply No Border

Select 'No Border' from the dropdown list. The horizontal black line should now disappear entirely.

Selection Tip: Selecting multiple paragraphs at once ensures that any inherited border formatting is cleared simultaneously, preventing the line from just jumping to the next line.

Solution 2

Modify Paragraph Styles

Use this solution if the black line keeps reappearing every time you create a new paragraph or insert a page break.

Solution 3

Clear Formatting and Re-insert Page Break

Use this method if the line is attached to a manual page break that contains corrupted or stubborn formatting.

Effortless Document Formatting

Remove Unwanted Lines Easily with WPS Writer

WPS Office provides a seamless, highly compatible word processing experience. If you struggle with stubborn formatting issues in your documents, WPS Writer offers intuitive tools to clear unwanted borders and page break lines in seconds.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing the unwanted horizontal line.
2. Select the surrounding text: Highlight the paragraphs directly above and below the black line.
3. Remove the border: Go to the Home tab, click the Borders dropdown icon, and select 'No Border' to clear the line instantly.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) formatsIntuitive paragraph formatting and border controlsClean, user-friendly interface that prevents unexpected auto-formattingFree and lightweight Office alternative for everyday document editing

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word automatically create a black horizontal line?

This happens due to Word's AutoFormat feature. When you type three or more hyphens, underscores, or equal signs and press Enter, Word automatically converts them into a solid paragraph border across the page.

How can I stop Word from automatically creating horizontal lines?

You can disable this feature by going to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options. Click on the 'AutoFormat As You Type' tab, and uncheck the box for 'Border lines' under the 'Apply as you type' section.

Why does clicking 'No Border' just move the line to the previous paragraph?

If you only select one paragraph when applying 'No Border', Word removes the border from that specific paragraph, but adjacent paragraphs may still have inherited the border formatting. Selecting all paragraphs around the line before applying 'No Border' resolves this issue.

Document & File Issues