Office for Mac Issues

How to Turn Off Squares or Paragraph Marks in Word for Mac

Bushra Parveen Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to hide small squares or paragraph marks that appear in the document when pressing Return in Microsoft Word for Mac.

How to Remove Squares or Paragraph Marks in Word for Mac

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Editing and formatting a document where unwanted nonprinting characters appear on screen.
Observed behavior: Small squares or formatting marks display in the document margin or at the end of lines, often caused by Outline view or specific pagination settings.

Before you start

Before altering your document settings, ensure your document is fully open and not protected or locked, as restricted editing can cause formatting menus to appear greyed out.

Solution 1Recommended

Switch Document View from Outline to Print Layout

Outline view often displays small squares next to paragraphs to denote heading levels. Switching to a standard view will hide them.

If you are viewing your document in Outline mode, Word automatically places small squares next to paragraphs to help you organize content structure. Changing back to Print Layout is the fastest way to resolve this.

Open the View Menu

Click on the 'View' tab located in the top Word ribbon.

Select Print Layout

Click on 'Print Layout' (or another standard viewing mode like Web Layout) to exit Outline view.

Verify Changes

Check your document to confirm that the squares have disappeared from your document margins.

Switch Document View from Outline to Print Layout

View Reset: Print Layout is the default view in Word and accurately represents how your document will look when printed.

Solution 2

Disable Nonprinting Formatting Symbols

Standard paragraph marks (¶) and other hidden symbols can be toggled off directly from the Home ribbon.

Solution 3

Adjust Paragraph Pagination Settings

If a small black square appears at the beginning of a paragraph, it is usually an indicator of active pagination options like 'Keep with next'.

Seamless Word Processing

Easily Manage Document Formatting with WPS Writer

WPS Office offers a clean, user-friendly interface for macOS, making it simple to toggle paragraph marks and customize your document views without hassle.

1. Open your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your Word document.
2. Access the Home Tab: Navigate to the Home tab on the top ribbon.
3. Toggle Paragraph Marks: Click the 'Show/Hide Editing Marks' icon to instantly show or hide paragraph squares and symbols.
4. Adjust View Modes: Go to the View tab to effortlessly switch between Print, Web, or Outline layouts to suit your workflow.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsIntuitive ribbon interface to easily manage formatting marksLightweight and optimized for macOS performanceFree and robust alternative for everyday document editing

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are formatting options greyed out in Word for Mac?

This usually happens if no document is actively open, the document is in Read-Only mode, or it has been protected with editing restrictions. Verify the document permissions to restore access.

What does the small black square in the left margin mean?

In Word, a small black square in the left margin indicates that a special line or page break formatting rule, such as 'Keep with next' or 'Page break before,' is applied to that paragraph.

Will these formatting squares print?

No, formatting marks like paragraph symbols and outline squares are nonprinting characters. They only appear on your screen to help with document layout and editing, and will not appear on the physical printed page.

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