Formatting Issues

How to Remove Unwanted Bullet Points or Formatting Marks in Word

WPS Editor Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to identify and remove unexpected circular marks or unwanted bullet points appearing in a Word document, such as a resume.

How to Remove Unwanted Bullet Points or Formatting Marks in Word

Product: Word
Device & OS: Windows and Mac
Scenario: Editing a text-heavy document like a resume where unwanted circular symbols or bullets are cluttering the page layout.
Observed behavior: Circular marks or bullet points are visible in the document text, which may either be actual list formatting or non-printing characters indicating spaces and paragraph breaks.

Before you start

Before making changes, check whether the symbols are actual bullet points that will print, or simply non-printing formatting marks used to indicate spaces and paragraph breaks.

Solution 1Recommended

Hide Non-Printing Formatting Marks

Use this method if the circular marks are just space indicators or paragraph symbols. Hiding them will clear up your document view without altering the actual text.

Often, unexpected circles between words are just non-printing space marks. These characters help you see the formatting structure but will not appear when the document is printed or saved as a PDF.

Locate the Paragraph Button

Open your document, navigate to the Home tab on the top ribbon, and look for the paragraph mark button (¶) in the Paragraph group.

Toggle the Formatting Marks

Click the ¶ button to show or hide the non-printing characters. The circular space marks and paragraph symbols should instantly disappear.

Use Keyboard Shortcuts

Alternatively, you can quickly toggle these marks using keyboard shortcuts. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+8. On a Mac, press Command+8.

Printing Tip: Even if you leave these marks visible on your screen, they will never be printed on paper or shown in a final PDF export.

Solution 2

Remove Actual Bullet Formatting

If the marks are actual bullet points applied to your text, you will need to turn off the list formatting or reset the paragraph style.

Easily Manage Document Formatting with WPS Office

WPS Writer offers a highly intuitive interface for managing text formatting, hiding non-printing characters, and editing documents like resumes seamlessly. It provides full compatibility with Microsoft Word formats.

1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing the unwanted marks.
2. Toggle Formatting Marks: Navigate to the Home tab and click the Show/Hide Editing Marks icon (¶) to instantly hide unwanted space and paragraph symbols.
3. Adjust Bullet Styles: If the symbols are real bullet points, highlight the text and click the Bullets icon on the Home ribbon to clear the formatting.

One-click toggle for non-printing formatting marksFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsProfessional resume templates available nativelyLightweight and runs smoothly on Windows, Mac, and mobile

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I see dots between every word in my Word document?

These dots are non-printing characters representing spaces. They help with precise formatting. You can hide them by clicking the Show/Hide ¶ button on the Home tab or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+8.

Will formatting marks appear when I print my resume?

No, non-printing formatting marks (like space dots and paragraph symbols) only appear on your screen to help you edit. They will not show up on the printed page or in an exported PDF.

How do I clear all formatting from a paragraph?

Select the text and apply the Normal style by pressing Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows, or highlight the text and click the 'Clear Formatting' button (an 'A' with an eraser) on the Home tab.

Document & File Issues