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How to Remove the Line That Appears When Pressing Enter in Word
Question details
The user needs to remove the continuous lines and paragraph symbols that appear automatically around text whenever the Enter key is pressed in a document.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Mac
- Scenario
- Formatting and editing a document while experiencing distracting visual elements around text.
- Observed behavior
- A visible boundary line and a paragraph mark (pilcrow) appear every time the Enter key is pressed, creating a framed new paragraph on the screen.
Before changing your view preferences, note that paragraph marks and text boundaries do not print; they are merely visual guides to help you structure your document. Check if you are using a Mac or Windows computer, as the settings menus differ slightly.
Disable Text Boundaries in Word for Mac Preferences
Turn off the Text Boundaries view setting on your Mac to stop lines from framing your paragraphs when you press Enter.
This is the primary solution for Mac users. Disabling this setting removes the distracting dotted or solid boxes around your text while preserving your document's actual formatting.
Launch Microsoft Word on your Mac. In the top Apple menu bar, click on 'Word' and select 'Preferences' from the drop-down menu.
In the Word Preferences dialog box, locate the 'Authoring and Proofing Tools' section and click on the 'View' icon.
Look for the 'Show in Document' section and uncheck the box next to 'Text boundaries'. Close the preferences window to instantly apply the changes to your document.
Disable Text Boundaries in Word for Windows
If you are using a Windows PC, you can disable text boundaries through the Advanced Options menu in Word.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do paragraph marks (pilcrows) appear in my document?
Paragraph marks are non-printing formatting symbols that show exactly where a paragraph ends. They are automatically generated when you press the Enter key. You can easily toggle their visibility using the Show/Hide button (¶) on the Home tab.
Will the text boundary lines show up if I print my document?
No, text boundaries and paragraph marks are strictly visual guides meant to help you edit your document on the screen. They will never be visible on the final printed page or if you export the document as a PDF.
How do I quickly hide formatting marks using a keyboard shortcut?
In Microsoft Word for Windows, you can toggle formatting marks by pressing Ctrl + Shift + 8 (or Ctrl + *). On a Mac, use the keyboard shortcut Command + 8 to instantly show or hide these non-printing characters.
Can I change how the Enter key behaves in my word processor?
By default, pressing Enter creates a completely new paragraph. If you want to move text to the next line without starting a new paragraph (creating a soft line break), press Shift + Enter instead.
