How to Add a Bottom Border in Word: 3 Easy Methods

Adding a bottom border in Word is one of the cleanest ways to separate headings, finish off a title, or organise sections without resorting to underlined text. It takes seconds once you know where to look — and pairs neatly with how to add a page border in Microsoft Word when you want a fully framed layout.

In this guide, you’ll learn three reliable methods to apply a bottom border — using the Home tab, the Borders and Shading dialog, and a keyboard shortcut — plus how to fix the most common problems that stop the border from appearing properly.

Contents hide

1 Why Use a Bottom Border in Word

2 How to Add a Bottom Border in Word: Step-by-Step

3 Method 1: How to Add a Bottom Border in Word from the Home Tab

4 Method 2: How to Add a Bottom Border in Word Using Borders and Shading

5 Method 3: How to Add a Bottom Border in Word Using the Keyboard Shortcut

6 Which Method Should You Use?

7 Common Problems When Adding a Bottom Border in Word

Why Use a Bottom Border in Word

A bottom border improves layout and readability — it draws the eye to important text and creates clear visual separation between sections. It’s commonly used to:

Highlight headings, titles, or section openers
Separate logical sections of content cleanly
Create a professional document style — often used alongside how to add a page border in Microsoft Word for a fully framed layout
Replace basic underlining with a cleaner, more polished design

Watch the Video Tutorial

If you prefer to see this in action, the full video walkthrough is below, showing each method step by step.

How to Add a Bottom Border in Word: Step-by-Step

There are three ways to add a bottom border in Word. Use the Home tab when you want a quick visual click, Borders and Shading when you need a custom line style or thickness, and the keyboard shortcut when you want a full-width line in one keystroke.

Method 1: How to Add a Bottom Border in Word from the Home Tab

This is the fastest visual method — everything happens from the Home tab where you already format text.

Steps:

Select the text or place your cursor in the paragraph where you want the border
Go to the Home tab
In the Paragraph group, click the small dropdown arrow next to the Borders icon
Select Bottom Border from the menu

Microsoft Word Home tab showing Borders dropdown menu with Bottom Border option selected to add a bottom border in Word

👉 A line appears directly below the selected text or paragraph.

Method 2: How to Add a Bottom Border in Word Using Borders and Shading

If you want a thicker line, a coloured border, or a dotted style, Borders and Shading gives you full control over the look — useful when matching brand colours or document styling.

Steps:

Select the text or paragraph
On the Home tab, click the Borders dropdown arrow in the Paragraph group
Click Borders and Shading at the bottom of the menu

Microsoft Word Borders dropdown menu with Borders and Shading option highlighted for customising a bottom border

In the dialog box, choose Custom under Setting
Adjust the Style (solid, dotted, dashed, or double)
Pick a Color and increase the Width for a thicker line
In the Preview pane, click the bottom edge only to apply the border to that side
Click OK

Borders and Shading dialog box in Microsoft Word showing style, colour, and width settings used to customise a bottom border

👉 The customised bottom border applies immediately — only to the side you clicked in the preview.

Method 3: How to Add a Bottom Border in Word Using the Keyboard Shortcut

For a fast, full-width line beneath any paragraph, Word has a built-in autoformat shortcut — and for more line-creation tricks, see how to add lines in Microsoft Word.

Steps:

Place your cursor on the line directly below your text

Microsoft Word document showing cursor positioned below text ready for inserting a bottom border using a keyboard shortcut

Type three hyphens: ---
Press Enter

Microsoft Word document showing three hyphens typed below text to auto-create a full-width bottom border line

👉 Word automatically converts the hyphens into a full-width bottom border across the page.

Which Method Should You Use?

Every method produces a bottom border — pick the one that matches what you’re trying to achieve.

Method	Best For	Speed
Home tab dropdown	Quick, precise borders below a paragraph	Fast
Borders and Shading	Custom line style, thickness, and colour	Slower but flexible
Three hyphens + Enter	Instant full-width line beneath text	Fastest

Common Problems When Adding a Bottom Border in Word

If your border isn’t appearing the way you expect, one of these four issues is usually behind it.

The bottom border doesn’t appear after I click it

Your cursor isn’t in the right paragraph, or no text is selected. Click inside the paragraph first, then reapply the bottom border from the Home tab dropdown.

The border applied to the wrong paragraph

Word applies paragraph borders to whichever paragraph the cursor sits in. Click in the correct paragraph, then use Home → Borders dropdown → No Border on the wrong paragraph to clear it.

The three-hyphen shortcut isn’t creating a line

AutoFormat is switched off. Go to File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options → AutoFormat As You Type, then tick Border lines under Apply as you type.

I can’t delete the line created by the hyphen shortcut

It’s a paragraph border, not text. Click in the paragraph above the line, then go to Home → Borders dropdown → No Border to remove it.

Pro Tips

Use a bottom border under headings instead of underlining text — it sits below the descenders of letters like g, p, and y, giving a much cleaner result.
Keep borders thin (½ pt to 1 pt) for professional documents — anything thicker pulls attention away from the text and can look dated.
Combine a bottom border with consistent alignment for a tidy, professional finish — see how to align text in Microsoft Word for the full set of alignment controls.
If you use the same bordered heading style repeatedly, save it as a Quick Style so you can apply it in one click rather than reformatting every time.

FAQs

What is a bottom border in Word?

A bottom border in Word is a horizontal line that appears directly below a paragraph or selected text. It’s used to highlight headings, separate sections, or create a cleaner alternative to underlining.

What is the keyboard shortcut for a bottom border in Word?

Place your cursor on a new line, type three hyphens ---, and press Enter. Word’s AutoFormat feature automatically converts the hyphens into a full-width bottom border.

Can I change the thickness of a bottom border?

Yes. Open Home → Borders dropdown → Borders and Shading, then adjust the Width dropdown. Values range from ¼ pt up to 6 pt.

Why is my bottom border not showing?

The cursor isn’t in the right paragraph, or no text is selected. Click inside the correct paragraph and reapply the border. If the three-hyphen shortcut isn’t working, check that AutoFormat As You Type has Border lines enabled.

Is a bottom border better than underlining text?

In most cases, yes. A bottom border sits below the entire line of text, so descenders like g, p, and y aren’t cut through — it gives a much cleaner, more professional look than the underline button.

Can I change the colour of a bottom border in Word?

Yes. Open Borders and Shading from the Home tab, choose a Color from the dropdown, then click the bottom edge in the Preview pane and click OK.

How do I remove a bottom border in Word?

Click in the paragraph that has the border, go to Home → Borders dropdown, and select No Border. The border disappears immediately.

Does the three-hyphen shortcut work the same way in every version of Word?

Yes. Typing three hyphens and pressing Enter creates a full-width bottom border in Word 2016, 2019, 2021, Microsoft 365, and Word for Mac, provided AutoFormat As You Type is enabled.

Conclusion

Adding a bottom border in Word takes seconds once you know the right route — the Home tab dropdown for speed, Borders and Shading for full control over style and thickness, or the three-hyphen shortcut for an instant full-width line.

If you want to take this further, learn how to build complete horizontal lines using shapes and autoformat in how to draw a line in Microsoft Word — it pairs perfectly with the bottom border techniques covered here.