How to Insert a Horizontal Line in Google Docs

When writing a lengthy document, a newsletter, or a report, visual breaks are crucial. Staring at an endless wall of text is fatiguing for readers. While you could just press the Enter key a few times to create blank space, adding a crisp, horizontal line is a much more professional way to divide sections, separate chapters, or establish a footer.

Google Docs provides a built-in tool to instantly drop a perfectly straight, formatting-friendly line across your page.

In this guide, you will learn how to easily insert a horizontal line in Google Docs.

How to Insert a Basic Horizontal Line

1. Open your document in Google Docs.
2. Click on the page to place your blinking text cursor exactly where you want the line to appear. (Press Enter to create a new, blank line if necessary).
3. Click on the Insert tab located in the top menu bar.
4. In the drop-down menu, click on Horizontal line.

A thin, light-gray line will instantly appear, spanning the entire width of your document from the left margin to the right margin. This line acts just like a character of text; you can delete it by placing your cursor below it and pressing Backspace.

How to Create a Custom, Thicker Line

The default horizontal line is very subtle. If you want a thicker, darker, or colored line for better visual impact, you can use the Paragraph Borders tool instead.

1. Place your cursor where you want the line.
2. Click on Format in the top menu bar.
3. Hover your mouse over Paragraph & spacing, then click on Borders and shading in the sub-menu.
4. A dialog box will appear. Under the “Position” section at the top, click the icon for Bottom border (a square with a thick line on the bottom edge).
5. Below that, use the Border width dropdown to select how thick you want the line (e.g., 2.25 pt or 3 pt).
6. Use the Border color palette to choose a specific color for the line.
7. Click the blue Apply button.

A bold, customized line will now appear across your page. Because this line is technically a “border” attached to the paragraph above it, it will move dynamically if you add or remove text.