How to set border & shading in MS Word

In Microsoft Word, you can add borders and shading to paragraphs, text, tables, and other elements to enhance their visual appearance and make them stand out. Here's how to set border and shading in MS Word:

Adding Borders:

1. Select the text, paragraph, table, or other element to which you want to add borders.

2. Go to the "Home" tab in the Ribbon.

3. In the "Paragraph" group (if you've selected a paragraph) or the "Font" group (if you've selected text), you'll find a "Borders" button. Click the small arrow next to the button to open the "Borders and Shading" dialog box.

4. In the dialog box, you can choose different border styles, colors, and widths for each side of the selected element. You can also select a preset style from the "Setting" section.

5. After customizing the border settings, click the "OK" button to apply the borders to the selected element.

Applying Shading (Background Color):

1. Select the text, paragraph, table cell, or other element to which you want to apply shading.

2. Go to the "Home" tab.

3. In the "Paragraph" group (if you've selected a paragraph) or the "Font" group (if you've selected text), you'll find a "Shading" button. Click the small arrow next to the button to open the "Borders and Shading" dialog box.

4. In the dialog box, you'll see options to choose a fill color for shading. You can select a color from the palette or use the "More Colors" option for additional choices.

5. After selecting the desired fill color, click the "OK" button to apply the shading to the selected element.

Applying Borders and Shading to Tables:

1. Select the table cell, row, column, or the entire table to which you want to apply borders and shading.

2. Go to the "Table Design" tab (this tab appears when you have a table selected).

3. In the "Table Styles" group, you'll find options to apply predefined table styles. Hover over the styles to see a preview, and click the one you want to apply.

4. To further customize borders and shading for the table, click the "Borders" or "Shading" buttons in the "Table Styles Options" group. This opens the "Borders and Shading" dialog box, where you can adjust the settings as described earlier.

5. After customizing the settings, click the "OK" button to apply the changes to the table.

Remember that the steps above might vary slightly depending on your version of Microsoft Word. By adding borders and shading, you can create visually appealing documents with improved readability and organization.