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What Is the Bookmark Symbol in Word & How to Hide It
Question details
The user wants to understand the purpose of the bracket-like formatting symbols in their document and needs instructions on how to hide or remove them.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Windows, Mac
- Scenario
- Viewing, editing, or sharing a document that contains visible formatting marks.
- Observed behavior
- Bracket-like symbols appear around text or objects in the document, indicating the presence of hidden bookmarks used for navigation or cross-references.
Before deleting a bookmark, verify that it is not actively being used for document navigation, hyperlinks, or cross-references, as removing it may cause those links to break.
Hide or Remove Bookmarks in Word for Windows
Use the Advanced Options menu to hide the bookmark brackets from your screen without breaking the document's internal links, or safely delete them if they are no longer needed.
Bookmark indicators in Word are visually represented by large gray brackets [ ] enclosing text, or as an I-beam marker. They are designed for authoring convenience and will never appear on the final printed page.
Click on 'File' in the top-left corner of the ribbon, then select 'Options' at the very bottom of the menu.
In the Word Options dialog box, click on the 'Advanced' tab on the left-hand navigation pane.
Scroll down to the 'Show document content' section. Uncheck the box labeled 'Show bookmarks', then click 'OK' to apply your changes. The bracket symbols will disappear.
If you wish to remove the bookmark entirely instead of hiding it, go to the 'Insert' tab, click 'Bookmark' in the Links group, select the bookmark name from the list, and click 'Delete'.
Hide or Remove Bookmarks in Word for Mac
Adjust your Word Preferences on macOS to manage how non-printing characters and bookmark indicators are displayed in your document.
Manage Document Bookmarks Easily with WPS Writer
WPS Office provides a highly intuitive and user-friendly interface to manage, insert, or hide bookmarks in your documents. It offers seamless formatting and complete file compatibility with Microsoft Word files without the steep price tag.
- 1. Open Your Document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office, select Writer, and open the .docx file containing the bookmarks you want to manage.
- 2. Access the Options Menu: Click the 'Menu' button in the top left corner of the application and select 'Options' from the drop-down list.
- 3. Hide Bookmark Symbols: Navigate to the 'View' tab in the Options dialog. Find the 'Formatting marks' section, uncheck 'Bookmarks', and click 'OK' to instantly hide the brackets.
- 4. Manage and Delete Bookmarks: To delete a bookmark, go to the 'Insert' tab, click 'Bookmark', select the bookmark you want to remove, and click 'Delete'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do bookmarks look like grey brackets in Microsoft Word?
Microsoft Word displays bookmarks as grey brackets [ ] around text (or as a grey I-beam symbol) to help authors visually identify where a bookmark is placed during the editing process. These are considered non-printing formatting marks.
Will removing a bookmark delete the text inside the brackets?
No, deleting a bookmark only removes the hidden reference tag used by Word for navigation, hyperlinks, or cross-referencing. The actual text contained between the brackets will remain completely intact in your document.
What happens if I accidentally delete a bookmark used for a cross-reference?
If you delete a bookmark that is linked to a cross-reference or hyperlink, the link will no longer function. If you update the document's fields, the cross-reference may display an 'Error! Reference source not found' message.
Can I hide bookmark indicators using the standard Show/Hide Paragraph button?
No. While the Show/Hide ¶ button on the Home tab toggles most non-printing characters like spaces, tabs, and paragraph marks, bookmark visibility is controlled separately. You must go into File > Options > Advanced to hide bookmark brackets.
