How to Insert a Page Border in Microsoft Word

If you are designing a certificate of achievement, an invitation, or a title page for a formal report, a plain white document can look somewhat unprofessional. Adding a decorative page border is an excellent way to frame your content and give your document a polished, finished appearance. Microsoft Word includes a robust set of page border tools, ranging from simple, elegant black lines to complex, colorful art graphics.

How to Add a Basic Page Border

You can apply a border to a single page, a specific section, or an entire document from the main ribbon menu.

1. Open your document in Microsoft Word.
2. Click on the Design tab in the ribbon menu at the top of the screen.
3. Look to the far right side of the ribbon and click the Page Borders button (it looks like a square with a shadow).
4. The “Borders and Shading” dialog box will appear. Ensure you are on the Page Border tab.
5. Under the “Setting” column on the left, click Box to create a standard border around all four sides of the page.
6. In the middle “Style” section, scroll through the list to choose your preferred line type (solid, dashed, double-line, etc.).
7. Use the Color drop-down menu to select a specific color, and the Width drop-down to make the line thicker or thinner.
8. Click the OK button at the bottom of the window to apply the border.

How to Add a Decorative Art Border

If you are designing something more festive, like a holiday flyer or a children’s certificate, a standard solid line might be too boring. Word includes dozens of pre-installed graphical borders.

1. Open the Page Borders dialog box again (Design > Page Borders).
2. Look at the very bottom of the middle column for a drop-down menu labeled Art:.
3. Click this menu to reveal a massive list of decorative borders, including stars, trees, hearts, and geometric patterns.
4. Select an art style. You can adjust the size of the graphics using the Width drop-down just above it.
5. Click OK.

How to Apply the Border to a Specific Page

By default, Word applies your border to every single page in the document. If you only want the border to appear on your title page, you need to change the application settings.

1. In the Page Borders dialog box, look at the bottom right corner for the Apply to: drop-down menu.
2. Click the menu and select This section – First page only.
3. Click OK.

The decorative border will now exclusively frame page one, leaving the rest of your report’s pages completely clean.