How Do You Put A Border On Resume In Word?

What's going on here?

You're trying to create a crisp, professional-looking border around your resume to make it stand out from the page. In Word, borders aren't applied to paragraphs or text blocks—they're added through the Page Borders menu. This puts a frame around your entire document, not just sections of it. Since Word 2016, the process has been identical on both Windows and Mac, though older versions like Word 2010 handle things differently.

Here's exactly how to do it

1. Open your resume file in Word (use 2016 or later for best results).
2. Look up at the ribbon menu and click the Design tab.
3. Find and click Page Borders in the Page Background group (it's on the far right).
4. In the Borders and Shading window, under Setting, pick one of these:
   • Box if you want a simple frame around everything
   • Shadow for a subtle shadow effect
   • 3-D if you're going for a raised, dimensional look
5. Now choose your line style—solid, dashed, dotted, or whatever catches your eye.
6. Pick a color and width (1.5pt solid black is usually the most professional choice).
7. Double-check that Apply to says Whole document—this is crucial.
8. Hit Options if you need to tweak the margins (10pt from the edge is typical). Make your changes, then click OK.
9. Click OK one more time to finalize your border.

When the border doesn't show up

• Using an older Word version? For 2010/2013, look under Page Layout > Page Borders instead. Word 2007 users should go to Page Layout > Page Background > Page Borders.
• Accidentally added a paragraph border? Highlight the text, then go to Home > Paragraph > Borders > No Border to remove it.
• Your Normal style has a border? Open the Styles pane (Home tab), right-click Normal, choose Modify, then Format > Border > None.

How to keep this from becoming a problem later

Follow these tips to avoid border headaches in future documents:

• Start with a resume template from Word's built-in collection (File > New > Resume). These templates already have proper margins and spacing set up.
• Don't go overboard with borders—most hiring managers prefer clean resumes. A single black line at the top or bottom works better than a full decorative border.
• Create a template file with your preferred border settings. When you need a new resume, just duplicate this file instead of starting from scratch.
• If you open an old resume file, check compatibility mode (File > Info > Convert) and update it to the modern format to prevent formatting issues.

For the most professional look, stick to subtle borders—1pt solid lines in gray or black usually work best. Skip the bright colors and fancy styles, since they can cause printing problems or get mangled by applicant tracking systems.