Formatting Issues

How to Stop Microsoft Word from Creating Automatic Horizontal Lines

Chanuka Geekiyanage Oct 15, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user needs to remove an unwanted horizontal line that appears when typing and wants to disable the feature that automatically generates these lines.

How to Stop Microsoft Word from Creating Automatic Horizontal Lines

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Typing specific characters and pressing Enter, or applying a border command, inadvertently creates a persistent horizontal line across the page.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Word creates a horizontal paragraph border instead of standard text formatting, which cannot be deleted using the Backspace key.

Before you start

Before changing your settings, ensure that the line you are seeing is an automatic paragraph border and not a manually inserted shape or a page border.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable Automatic Border Lines in AutoFormat Settings

Modify your AutoCorrect options to prevent Word from converting typed characters (like hyphens or underscores) into horizontal lines in the future.

Microsoft Word has a built-in feature called AutoFormat As You Type, which automatically changes three consecutive hyphens or underscores into a bottom paragraph border. Turning this feature off will stop the unexpected lines from appearing.

Open Word Options

Click on the File tab in the top-left corner of the Word interface, then select Options at the bottom of the menu.

Navigate to Proofing Settings

In the Word Options dialog box, select Proofing from the left-hand navigation pane.

Open AutoCorrect Options

Click on the AutoCorrect Options button to open a new settings window.

Clear the Border Lines Checkbox

Go to the AutoFormat As You Type tab. Under the 'Apply as you type' section, uncheck the box labeled 'Border lines', then click OK to save your changes.

Disable Automatic Border Lines in AutoFormat Settings

Settings Applied: Word will no longer automatically create horizontal lines when you type consecutive hyphens, underscores, or equal signs.

Solution 2

Remove an Existing Automatic Horizontal Line

Use the Borders menu to clear the paragraph border that Word has already applied to your text.

Manage Formatting in WPS Office

Easily Remove and Prevent Unwanted Lines in WPS Writer

WPS Office offers a streamlined and intuitive word processing experience. If you want to remove unwanted horizontal lines and gain better control over your paragraph formatting without fighting unexpected AutoFormat changes, WPS Writer provides an easy-to-use interface.

1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing the unwanted horizontal line.
2. Select the Text: Place your cursor in the text just above the line, or press Ctrl + A to select the entire document.
3. Remove the Border: Go to the Home tab, click the drop-down arrow next to the Borders icon, and select 'No Border'.
4. Customize AutoFormat: To prevent future automatic lines, navigate to Menu > Options > Edit, and adjust the AutoFormat as you type settings to your preference.

Easily toggle paragraph borders on or off with a single click from the Home tab.Highly compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats, ensuring your document layout remains perfectly intact.Intuitive AutoCorrect and AutoFormat settings give you full control over how your text behaves as you type.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a horizontal line appear when I type three hyphens and press Enter?

This is caused by the 'AutoFormat As You Type' feature in Microsoft Word. When you type three hyphens, underscores, or equal signs and press Enter, the word processor automatically converts them into a bottom paragraph border to help you quickly format documents.

Why can't I delete the automatic horizontal line using the Backspace key?

The line is not actually a typed character or an image; it is a formatting style applied to the paragraph (a bottom border). Standard deletion keys only remove text, so you must remove the line by clearing the border formatting via the Home tab.

How do I remove a horizontal line if selecting 'No Border' doesn't work?

If 'No Border' fails, the line might be a manually drawn shape or a page border. Try clicking directly on the line to see if selection handles appear—if they do, press Delete. If not, go to the Design tab, click Page Borders, and ensure the setting is set to 'None'.

Document & File Issues