Office for Mac Issues

How to Remove All Frames from a Word for Mac Document

Steve K Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to find a way to bulk remove all frames from a Word document on Mac, as deleting them individually is too slow and sometimes they reappear.

How to Remove All Frames from a Word for Mac Document

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Editing a highly formatted document with multiple frames where deleting each frame one by one is inefficient and time-consuming.
Observed behavior: Word for Mac does not have a built-in standard command to delete all frames at once, requiring workarounds like VBA macros to achieve bulk removal.

Before you start

Before attempting to bulk-remove frames using macros, always make a backup copy of your document, as deleting frames can occasionally remove or alter the text contained within them.

Solution 1Recommended

Use a VBA Macro to Bulk Remove Frames

Since Word for Mac lacks a native button to delete all frames simultaneously, running a custom VBA macro is the most effective way to clear them.

VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) allows you to automate repetitive tasks in Word. Using a specific script, you can command Word to loop through the document and delete every frame it finds.

Enable the Developer Tab

Open Word, go to 'Word' > 'Preferences' in the top menu bar, select 'Ribbon & Toolbar', and check the box next to 'Developer' in the main tabs list.

Open the Visual Basic Editor

Click the 'Developer' tab on the ribbon and select 'Visual Basic' to open the macro editor.

Insert a New Module

In the Visual Basic window, click 'Insert' > 'Module' from the top menu to create a blank script window.

Run the Removal Code

Type the following code into the module: `Sub RemoveAllFrames()` `Dim frm As Frame` `For Each frm In ActiveDocument.Frames` `frm.Delete` `Next frm` `End Sub` Click the 'Run' button (the green play icon) to execute the macro and remove all frames.

Content Warning: Depending on how the frames were originally created, running this macro might delete the text inside them. Always verify your backup document after running the script.

Solution 2

Clear All Formatting as a Workaround

If you do not want to use macros and only care about the raw text, clearing all document formatting will strip out the frames.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove a single frame in Word for Mac?

To delete just one frame, right-click the border of the frame, select 'Format Frame' from the context menu, and click the 'Remove Frame' button. The text inside the frame will normally integrate back into the main document.

Why do frames keep reappearing when I paste text?

Frames often carry over when you copy text from websites, PDFs, or other highly formatted sources. To prevent frames from being imported, use the 'Paste and Match Formatting' or 'Keep Text Only' option when pasting content into your document.

Will removing a frame delete the text inside it?

Using the standard 'Remove Frame' feature usually retains the text and merges it into your regular document flow. However, bulk removing via macros might cause layout shifts or content deletion depending on how the document was structured, which is why creating a backup first is crucial.

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