Office 2010

Quick Lines in Word
 

If you type three or more dashes - - - in Word at the beginning of a line and hit Enter on your keyboard, you get a straight line all the way across the page.

If you get the line by mistake and really want the three dashes instead, just click the Backspace key and the line will revert to dashes.

If the line is at the bottom of the page and you cannot delete it, click here to learn how to deal with it.

Additional Line Options

The following keystrokes will give you other line options.

Three equal signs = and Enter yields a double line.

Three tildes ~ and Enter yields a wavy line

Three asterisks * and Enter yields a dotted line.

Three underscores _ and Enter yields a heavier straight line.

Three number signs # and Enter yields a triple line.

There are no spaces between the three symbols. I have shown spacing below for clearer viewing.

Of course you can always insert a Shape (Insert tab) to create lines.

If you cannot get the lines to work and you are starting at the left margin on a new line, try the following:

Go to File, Options, Proofing and click the AutoCorrect Options button.
Choose the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
Make sure there is a checkmark next to Border lines.
Click OK.

Line at the bottom of the page that you cannot delete:

This is also an AutoFormat item in which the computer automatically adds a border to the bottom of your paragraph.

 If you immediately hit Undo or Backspace, it should delete the line.

You can hit the spacebar once before hitting Enter to avoid it.

If it is too late to do either of these suggestions, click above the line. Go to the Home tab and click no borders on the borders button in the Paragraph group.

This item can be turned off by going to  File, Options, Proofing and click the AutoCorrect Options button.
Choose the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
Uncheck Border lines.
Click OK