Formatting Issues

How to Remove Endnote Separator Lines in Microsoft Word

Olivia Miller Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to remove the horizontal lines that automatically appear above or below endnotes in a document.

How to Remove Endnote Separator Lines in Microsoft Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Formatting a document and attempting to clean up the endnote section by deleting the default horizontal separators.
Observed behavior: Horizontal lines appear near the endnotes and cannot be selected or deleted like standard page borders, headers, or footers in the normal Print Layout view.

Before you start

Before modifying hidden formatting elements like endnote separators, it is recommended to save a backup copy of your document to prevent any accidental layout changes to long texts.

Solution 1Recommended

Remove Endnote Separators via Draft View

This is the standard method to access and delete the hidden endnote separator and continuation separator lines that Word automatically inserts.

Microsoft Word places endnote and footnote separators in a specialized layer that cannot be clicked or edited directly in the standard Print Layout view. You must switch to Draft view to reveal these hidden elements.

Switch to Draft View

Open your document in Microsoft Word, navigate to the 'View' tab on the top ribbon, and click on 'Draft' in the Views group.

Access the Notes Pane

Go to the 'References' tab on the ribbon and click on 'Show Notes' located in the Footnotes group. A notes pane will appear at the bottom of your screen.

Select the Endnote Separator

In the notes pane at the bottom, click the drop-down menu and select 'Endnote Separator'. The horizontal line will appear in the text area of the pane.

Delete the Line

Highlight the separator line in the pane and press the 'Delete' or 'Backspace' key on your keyboard to remove it.

Remove Continuation Separators

Click the drop-down menu again and select 'Endnote Continuation Separator'. If a line is present, highlight and delete it as well.

Return to Print Layout

Navigate back to the 'View' tab and click 'Print Layout' to exit Draft view and see the applied changes in your document.

Remove Endnote Separators via Draft View

Persistent Lines: If the horizontal lines still appear after deleting the separators, check your document's section layout and paragraph borders, as standard borders or page layout settings can sometimes mimic endnote lines.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Edit Word Documents Seamlessly with WPS Office

Struggling with hidden formatting settings and complex views in Microsoft Word? Try WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight, and user-friendly alternative that supports all your Word documents, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free editing experience.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free WPS Office suite on your device.
2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing .docx files directly without any formatting loss.
3. Edit and Format: Enjoy editing your documents, managing endnotes, and adjusting layouts using an intuitive interface.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) and other Office formatsSeamless migration with a familiar, easy-to-navigate user interfaceLightweight software with fast document loading and savingFree to download and use for your daily document formatting needs

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I click or select the endnote line in Print Layout view?

Microsoft Word places endnote and footnote separators in a distinct formatting layer separate from standard document text. Because of this, they are unclickable in Print Layout view and can only be modified by opening the specific Show Notes pane within Draft view.

What is an Endnote Continuation Separator in Word?

If your endnotes are particularly long and span across multiple pages, Word automatically inserts a continuation separator on the subsequent pages to indicate that the notes are continuing. Like standard separators, these can be deleted from the drop-down menu in the Show Notes pane.

How do I restore the default endnote separator line if I deleted it by mistake?

To get the default separator line back, switch your document to Draft view, go to References > Show Notes, select 'Endnote Separator' from the drop-down menu, and click the 'Reset' button located in the pane.

Document & File Issues