Formatting Issues

How to Remove a Faint Gray Underline from a Word in Microsoft Word

Partner Editor Oct 12, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is trying to remove a persistent faint gray underline from a single word in a document that standard formatting tools cannot clear.

How to Remove a Faint Gray Underline from One Word in Microsoft Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Editing a text document and encountering an unremovable line under a specific word.
Observed behavior: A light gray line remains beneath a single word even after using the 'Clear Formatting' feature and attempting to remove borders.

Before you start

Ensure that your display monitor is clean and that you toggle 'Show/Hide ¶' (Ctrl+Shift+8) to reveal any hidden formatting marks before proceeding.

Solution 1Recommended

Check for and Remove Text-Level Borders

Use this solution to ensure the gray line isn't a text border, which is frequently bypassed by standard clear-formatting commands.

In Microsoft Word, borders can be applied to entire paragraphs or just individual text characters. A faint gray line is often a bottom border applied strictly at the text level.

Select the Affected Word

Carefully highlight the single word with the gray underline, ensuring you do not select the spaces before or after it.

Open the Borders Menu

Navigate to the 'Home' tab on the ribbon. In the 'Paragraph' group, click the small dropdown arrow next to the 'Borders' icon.

Select No Border

Click on 'No Border' from the dropdown list to clear any text-level lines attached to the selection.

Pro Tip: If you go to 'Borders and Shading' at the bottom of the dropdown menu, make sure the 'Apply to' field is set to 'Text' rather than 'Paragraph' when removing the border.

Solution 2

Strip Formatting via 'Keep Text Only'

Use this method if the line is caused by deeply embedded or corrupted XML tags associated with the text.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't the 'Clear Formatting' button remove the gray line?

The 'Clear Formatting' command resets font styles and sizes but frequently misses text-level borders, shading, or advanced XML tags left over from tracked changes or copied web content.

Can hidden text cause a gray underline in Word?

Yes. If hidden text formatting is applied and you have formatting marks toggled on, Word may display a faint dotted underline to indicate that the text is marked as hidden.

What if the gray underline is actually a proofing mark?

Microsoft Word typically uses wavy red, blue, or green lines for spelling and grammar errors. A straight faint gray line is more likely a border artifact, a smart tag, or an accessibility indicator.

Document & File Issues