Document Editing Problems

How to Remove Red Vertical Lines from Pleading Paper in Word

Partner Editor Sep 27, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user needs to remove red vertical lines appearing in the left margin of a pleading paper document.

How to Remove Red Vertical Lines from Pleading Paper in Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Reviewing or finalizing a 28-page stipulation and agreement formatted as legal pleading paper.
Observed behavior: Red vertical lines appear in the left margin, which are likely markup indicators for tracked changes rather than standard pleading paper borders.

Before you start

Before attempting to remove the lines, confirm whether they are part of the legal pleading paper's page borders (usually black double lines) or markup indicators for tracked changes (usually red lines indicating recent edits).

Solution 1Recommended

Accept or Reject Tracked Changes

Resolving the tracked changes permanently removes the red markup lines from the left margin while keeping the final text.

Microsoft Word displays a red vertical line in the margin to indicate where changes have been made when the Track Changes feature is active. To remove these lines permanently, you need to review and resolve the edits.

Open the Review Tab

Open your pleading paper document in Word and navigate to the 'Review' tab on the top ribbon.

Locate the Changes Group

Find the 'Changes' group within the Review ribbon, which contains the 'Accept' and 'Reject' buttons.

Resolve the Changes

Click the drop-down arrow under 'Accept' and choose 'Accept All Changes' to finalize the document. Alternatively, review them one by one. Once all changes are resolved, the red vertical lines will disappear.

Document Finalized: Accepting all changes integrates the edits into the document permanently and removes all revision markup.

Solution 2

Hide Tracked Changes (No Markup)

If you want to keep the revision history intact but hide the red lines for printing or clean reading, you can change the display settings.

Solution 3

Turn Off Track Changes

Prevent future edits from generating new red vertical lines by disabling the Track Changes feature.

Effortlessly Manage Legal Documents with WPS Writer

WPS Office provides a highly compatible and intuitive word processor that makes managing tracked changes in complex legal documents simple. You can easily accept, reject, or hide revision marks to ensure your pleading papers look flawless.

1. Open your Document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your .docx pleading paper.
2. Access the Review Tab: Click on 'Review' in the top ribbon to access tracking and markup tools.
3. Clear the Red Lines: Click 'Accept' > 'Accept All Changes' to permanently remove the markup lines, or switch the view drop-down to 'Final' to simply hide them.

Seamlessly compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) pleading paper formatsIntuitive Review tab to easily manage and clear tracked changesLightweight, fast, and completely free to useBuilt-in PDF converter for sharing secure final versions of legal agreements

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do standard pleading papers have vertical lines, and how are they different from red markup lines?

Standard pleading paper typically features a double vertical black line on the left and a single vertical line on the right to meet court formatting rules. Red vertical lines, however, are Microsoft Word's way of indicating that text or formatting has been modified while 'Track Changes' was turned on.

Can I print my document without showing the red tracked changes lines?

Yes. Before printing, go to the 'Review' tab and change the markup display to 'No Markup'. Alternatively, when in the Print menu, go to Settings, click on 'Print All Pages', and uncheck 'Print Markup' at the bottom of the list.

How do I remove the actual black pleading lines if I no longer want the document formatted for court?

Black pleading lines are usually anchored in the document's Header/Footer or set as Page Borders. Double-click the very top of the page to open the Header area, select the vertical line, and press Delete. If they are page borders, go to the Design tab, click 'Page Borders', and select 'None'.

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