How to Remove the Box Around Text in Word

Those pesky boxes around text in Word documents can be more than just a minor annoyance. They can mess with your layout, distract from your content, and frankly, make your document look less professional than you'd like. So, what can you do about them? Let's walk through the process step by step to help you get rid of those boxes once and for all.

Understanding Why the Box is There

First things first, let's talk about why these boxes appear. In Word, text boxes are often used to separate a section of text, emphasize it, or make it stand out in a document. Sometimes, though, they can appear seemingly out of nowhere. Perhaps due to a document you received from someone else or a formatting mishap you encountered while editing.

Text boxes can be intentional, like when you're creating a flyer or a newsletter. But when they're unwanted, they can disrupt the flow of your document. Knowing why and how they got there can be the first step toward effectively removing them.

Interestingly enough, text boxes might also be a result of pasting content from another source, like a web page or a PDF, where the formatting doesn't seamlessly convert into Word. Whatever the reason, understanding that these boxes are simply a formatting feature will make the removal process a lot less daunting.

Removing the Box: The Basics

Alright, let's get down to the nitty-gritty of removing these boxes. If you're dealing with a straightforward text box, removing it can be quite simple. Here's a quick rundown:

• Click inside the box you want to remove. This should activate the text box and bring up additional formatting options.
• Once the text box is active, look for the border of the box. You'll notice small squares or circles on the corners and sides, known as resizing handles.
• Click on the border to select the entire box, not just the text within it.
• Press the Delete key on your keyboard. If the box is successfully selected, this should remove the entire text box from your document.

Poof! The box should disappear, leaving you with plain text that you can format as you wish. If this doesn't work, don't worry, we have more tricks up our sleeves.

Converting Text Box to Plain Text

Sometimes, you may want to keep the text but lose the box. The good news is you can convert the text box into plain text without losing any content. Here's how:

• Click inside the text box to activate it.
• Select the text within the box. You can do this by clicking and dragging your cursor across the text, or by pressing Ctrl+A (or Command+A on a Mac) to select all text inside the box.
• Press Ctrl+C (or Command+C on a Mac) to copy the text.
• Click outside the text box where you want the text to appear.
• Press Ctrl+V (or Command+V on a Mac) to paste the text as plain text.

Now, you've got the text out of the box and integrated into your document seamlessly. Isn't that a relief?

Removing Boxes Created by Borders

Sometimes, what looks like a text box might actually be a border. This is common when you've applied paragraph or page borders that surround your text. Let's tackle how to remove these:

• Select the text or the paragraph with the border.
• Navigate to the Home tab on the Ribbon.
• In the Paragraph group, click the Borders button (it looks like a square with a dotted line).
• From the dropdown menu, select No Border.

Once you do that, any border surrounding your text should disappear, leaving your text clean and box-free. It's a simple fix, yet it can make a huge difference in your document's appearance.

Using Word's Format Painter

What if you have multiple text boxes scattered throughout your document? Manually removing each one might seem tiresome. Here's where Word's Format Painter comes in handy:

• Select text that doesn't have a text box or the formatting you prefer.
• Click on the Format Painter button on the Ribbon (it looks like a paintbrush).
• With the Format Painter active, click on the text inside the box or the text box border you want to change.

This tool copies the format from one part of your document to another, making it a breeze to remove unwanted formatting from multiple areas. It's like a magic wand for document cleanup!

Dealing with Embedded Objects

Sometimes, the text box might actually be an embedded object, such as a chart or an image with captions. Removing these can be slightly trickier:

• Click on the object to select it.
• If it's an image, you may see Picture Tools appear in the Ribbon. Click on it.
• If it's a chart, look for Chart Tools.
• Once you've identified the object type, you can either delete it if it's unnecessary or adjust its settings to remove unwanted borders or boxes.

Objects can often be embedded with formatting that makes them appear boxed, so adjusting these settings can help strip away the unwanted borders.

Automating the Process with Macros

If you regularly need to remove boxes from text in your documents, setting up a macro can save you a lot of time. A macro is a script that automates repetitive tasks. Here's a simple way to create one:

• Go to the View tab and click on Macros, then Record Macro.
• Name your macro and assign it to a button or keyboard shortcut for easy access.
• Perform the actions you want the macro to automate (like removing the text box).
• Stop the macro recording when you're done.

Now, whenever you encounter unwanted boxes, you can run the macro to remove them quickly. This is particularly useful for large documents where manual removal would be tedious.

When All Else Fails, Start Fresh

If you've tried removing boxes but the document still looks off, it might be time to start fresh. Copy the text into a new document without any formatting:

• Select all text using Ctrl+A (or Command+A on a Mac).
• Copy the text using Ctrl+C (or Command+C on a Mac).
• Open a new Word document and use Ctrl+V (or Command+V) to paste the text. Ensure Keep Text Only is selected in paste options to remove formatting.

This method strips away all formatting, including unwanted boxes, and allows you to apply new formatting as needed. It's like giving your document a fresh start.

How Spell Can Help

While Word has many built-in tools to help you with formatting, Spell offers an even faster way to handle document editing. With Spell, you can generate and refine documents seamlessly, minimizing time spent on mundane tasks like format fixing.

Suppose you're dealing with a document filled with unwanted boxes. Spell allows you to quickly reformat and clean up your text without the hassle of manual adjustments. Plus, you can collaborate with your team in real-time, ensuring everyone is on the same page without the dreaded formatting issues.

Final Thoughts

Removing the box around text in Word can be straightforward once you know the right steps. Whether you're dealing with text boxes, borders, or embedded objects, there are many ways to achieve a clean, professional look. For an even more efficient approach, consider using Spell. It streamlines the process, helping you create polished documents in no time. Happy editing!