How to add or remove Line numbers in Microsoft Word document

In Word document, line numbers are used to quickly identify a certain paragraph or section.

Add Line number to the entire document

Follow the steps given below to add line number to the entire Word document –

Step 1: Open the Word document in which you want to add the Line number.

Step 2: Go to Home tab, click on the Select, and click on the Select All option from the drop-down menu under the Editing section or press Ctrl+A key from the keyboard.

Step 3: Go to the Page Layout tab on the Ribbon and click on the drop-down menu associated with the Line Number option in the Page Setup section.

How to add or remove Line numbers in Microsoft Word document

Step 4: Click on the Continuous option.

How to add or remove Line numbers in Microsoft Word document

The screenshot below shows that Line numbers are added to the Word document.

How to add or remove Line numbers in Microsoft Word document

Add Line number to a selected Text

Microsoft Word allows you to add Line number to the selected text.

Step 1: Open the Word document.

Step 2: Select or Highlight the text in which you want to add line numbers.

How to add or remove Line numbers in Microsoft Word document

Step 3: Click on the Page Layout tab on the Ribbon. A Ribbon will opens in which click on the Line Number in the Page Setup section. A Line number drop-down menu will appear in which click on the Line Numbering Option.

How to add or remove Line numbers in Microsoft Word document

Step 4: A Page Setup window will appear on the screen in which do the following:

  1. Select Continuous in the Section start field.
  2. Choose Selected text in the Apply to: field.
  3. Click on the Line Number button, as shown in the below screenshot.

How to add or remove Line numbers in Microsoft Word document

Step 5: A small Line Number dialog box will appear on the screen. Click on the Add line numbering checkbox, select the continuous radio button, and click on the OK button.

How to add or remove Line numbers in Microsoft Word document

Step 6: Click on the OK button at the bottom of the Page Setup window.

The screenshot below shows that Lines are added to the selected text.

How to add or remove Line numbers in Microsoft Word document

Remove Line Numbers

You can remove line numbers from the Word document using the below steps –

Step 1: Open the Word document.

Step 2: Highlight / select the particular paragraph or entire document from which you want to delete the Line number.

Step 3: Go to the Page Layout tab on the Ribbon and click on the Line numbers in the Page Setup section.

Step 4: A Line number drop-down menu will appear on the screen. Click on the None in the Line number drop-down menu.

How to add or remove Line numbers in Microsoft Word document

Note: Click on the Suppress for Current Paragraph to remove the line number from a single paragraph.

Now, you can see that Line numbers are removed form the Word document.