To add a page border in Word, go to the Design tab and select Page Borders. Pick a setting, line style, color, and width (or an Art border), then select OK. To remove a border, open the same box and choose None.
These steps follow Microsoft’s Add a border to a page article and work in Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2016 through 2024, and Word 2010. Use the Word desktop app, since Word for the web can’t add the section breaks needed for a border on one page.
In this article:
- Add a page border
- Choose the border style
- Put a border on just one page
- Change or remove a page border
- Page borders in Word 2010
- Adjust the border position
- FAQs
How to Add a Page Border in Word
- Select the Design tab.
- Select Page Borders on the far right.
- In the Borders and Shading box, choose a border type under Setting, such as Box or Shadow.
- Choose a Style, Color and Width. For a decorative border, pick one from the Art list instead.
- Check the Preview box, then select OK.
A border appears around every page in the section you chose.
How to Choose the Border Style
- Setting: the overall border type, on the left of the box. Choose None to have no border.
- Style: the line pattern, such as solid, dotted or double lines.
- Color and Width: select the arrows under each to pick a color and thickness.
- Art: Microsoft calls this a clip-art border. Select the arrow under Art and choose a border graphic.
- Apply to: choose the whole document, this section, or this section’s first page only.
For a simple frame, a solid line in one color usually looks best. The Art list only offers Word’s built-in border graphics, so you can’t use your own picture as a border. If you only want top and bottom lines, click the left and right sides in the Preview diagram to turn them off.
How to Put a Border on Just One Page
Microsoft notes that page borders are applied by section, not individual pages.
- First page only: in the Page Borders box, set Apply to to This section – First page only. Microsoft says this also works for the first page of your document.
- A page in the middle: first put that page in its own section with section breaks before and after it (Layout > Breaks > Next Page), then click on that page and set Apply to to This section. Microsoft’s section-break guide shows this command. An ordinary page break starts a new page without establishing a separate section.
If that page also needs a different orientation, see how to make only one page landscape in Word, which uses the same section-break approach.
A section can span more than one page, so This section only borders one page while that section stays one page long. If later edits push text onto the next page, check the border again.
How to Change or Remove a Page Border
- Go to Design > Page Borders.
- To change it, pick a new setting, style, color, width or Art.
- To remove it, use Apply to to choose the pages, then select None under Setting.
- Select OK.
To remove just one side, such as all but the top border, click that side in the Preview diagram.
How to Add or Remove Page Borders in Word 2010
Microsoft’s remove-a-border article includes the older layout: on the Page Layout tab, in the Page Background group, select Page Borders. The Borders and Shading box works the same way, and choosing None under Setting removes the border.
How to Adjust the Border Position
Select Options in the Page Borders box and adjust the margin settings to change where the border appears on the page, then select OK twice. If the border sits too close to your text, check your page margins too. See how to set 1-inch margins in Word.
If an edge disappears on paper, the printer’s minimum printable margin may be the cause. Open Design > Page Borders > Options and look at Measure from: compare Edge of page with Text in the preview. Move the border farther inside the printable area and, if needed, adjust the page margin under Layout > Margins > Custom Margins. Minimum margins vary by printer, so check your printer maker’s specs. Microsoft’s page-border printing guide explains the checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Page Borders in Word?
On the Design tab in current versions. In Word 2010, it is on the Page Layout tab in the Page Background group.
Why does my border show on every page?
Apply to is set to Whole document or This section. Choose This section – First page only, or put the page in its own section.
Can I add a border around a picture instead?
Picture borders and effects are separate from page borders. See how to add a drop shadow to a picture in Word.
For more help, see our Word page and layout guides.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
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