How to Remove a Black Line or Block Covering Text in Word
Question details
The user needs to remove a black line or solid block that is obscuring or completely covering text in a Word document.
- Product
- Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Reading or editing a Word document where certain text is unreadable because it is hidden behind black blocks or thick black lines.
- Observed behavior
- Text is covered by a black area, which could be caused by unwanted character shading, paragraph borders, markup, shapes, or unsupported legacy redaction formatting.
Enable nonprinting characters by pressing Ctrl+* (or clicking the paragraph symbol in the Home tab) to help identify hidden formatting, borders, or markup.
Clear Character Formatting Using Shortcuts
Use a simple keyboard shortcut to strip away unwanted character formatting, such as text shading, that might be causing the black block.
Highlight the area of the document where the text is covered by the black line or block.
Press Ctrl + Spacebar on your keyboard. This clears all manual character formatting and resets the text to the document's default style, instantly removing unwanted shading.
Copy and Paste as Plain Text
If clearing the formatting directly does not work, copying and pasting the text without its original formatting can reveal the hidden words.
Inspect and Remove Borders or Shapes
The black line might be a paragraph border or a drawn shape placed over the text.
Easily Manage Text Formatting with WPS Writer
WPS Writer offers an intuitive interface to handle paragraph formatting, borders, and shading seamlessly. Easily clear formatting issues and maintain perfect compatibility with Microsoft Word documents without dealing with legacy redaction bugs.
- 1. Open your document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open the document containing the black lines or blocks.
- 2. Select the obscured text: Highlight the section of the text that is covered by the black formatting.
- 3. Clear formatting: Navigate to the Home tab and click the 'Clear Formatting' (eraser) icon. This instantly strips away the unwanted shading and reveals your text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did a black block suddenly appear over my text?
It is often caused by accidentally applying text shading, paragraph borders, drawing shapes, or opening a document that used legacy redaction features from older Word versions that are no longer supported.
Does the 'Keep Text Only' paste option remove paragraph borders?
Yes, pasting as plain text strips all formatting, including paragraph borders, character shading, and floating shapes, leaving only the unformatted raw text.
How do I remove a legacy redaction block that acts like an image?
If the black block is a shape or legacy redaction object, you can usually click on the edge of the block to select it. Once it is selected, press the Delete key on your keyboard to remove the shape and reveal the text underneath.
