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How to Insert and Style a Text Box in Word

Tap through each step to add a fully customizable text box to your document.

  1. Go to Insert > Text Box

    Open the "Insert" tab and click "Text Box," then choose a built-in style or "Draw Text Box" for a simple horizontal box.

  2. Draw it to the size you want

    Click and drag on the page to create a box in whatever dimensions suit your layout.

  3. Type your text

    Click inside the box and type freely β€” headings, callouts, quotes, or any short block of text.

  4. Style the border and fill color

    Under "Shape Format," adjust the outline color, line weight, and fill color to match your document.

  5. Position it anywhere

    A text box floats independently of the surrounding paragraph text, so you can drag it to any spot on the page without disturbing the rest of the layout.

When a text box beats a regular paragraph

Regular body text always flows top to bottom in a fixed column. A text box breaks free of that flow, making it the right tool for pull quotes, sidebars, labeled diagrams, or a highlighted callout that needs to sit beside β€” not inside β€” your main paragraphs.

Wrapping text around a box

By default a text box sits on its own layer, but right-clicking it and choosing "Wrap Text" lets you set options like "Square" or "Tight" so surrounding paragraph text flows around it instead of being covered or pushed aside. This is especially useful when combining a text box with an image or shape for a magazine-style layout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my text box cover the text underneath it?

By default, a new text box is often set to a wrapping style that layers it above the text. Right-click the box, choose "Wrap Text," and select "Square" or "Tight" so paragraph text reflows around it instead.

Can I remove the border and fill entirely?

Yes β€” with the text box selected, go to "Shape Format," set "Shape Outline" to "No Outline" and "Shape Fill" to "No Fill" to leave just the plain text floating on the page.