Word Show or Hide Formatting Marks

In Microsoft Word, show or hide formatting marks by selecting the paragraph symbol (¶) on the Home tab, in the Paragraph group. The button toggles marks such as spaces, paragraph breaks, tabs, and manual line breaks on screen; it does not print them or change the document’s text.

What formatting marks show

Formatting marks—also called nonprinting characters or formatting symbols—make the structure of a document visible while you edit. They help explain why text wraps, why spacing looks uneven, or why a paragraph seems to behave differently from the one above it.

Spaces: Word displays a small dot between words for each ordinary space.
Paragraph marks (¶): Each one marks the end of a paragraph. It also holds paragraph-level formatting, such as alignment and spacing.
Tab characters: A right-pointing arrow indicates a tab, which moves text to a tab stop.
Manual line breaks: A bent arrow indicates a line break inserted within a paragraph, commonly with Shift+Enter.
Page and section breaks: Labels or boundary lines identify breaks that control pagination or divide a document into sections.

Exact symbols and their appearance can vary slightly between Word versions and platforms. These indicators are editing aids, not characters that normally appear in a printed or exported document.

How to turn marks on or off

In Word for Windows or Mac, open the Home tab and look in the Paragraph group for the ¶ Show/Hide button. Select it once to display formatting marks and select it again to hide them. Depending on the window size, the ribbon may rearrange the group or show the command in a compact layout.

Open the document in Word.
Select Home.
In Paragraph, select ¶ Show/Hide.
Repeat the action when you want to return to the usual view.

On Windows, the keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+8. On Mac, use Command+8. These shortcuts toggle the display; they do not insert a paragraph mark. If a shortcut does not work, use the ribbon button, since keyboard settings and app versions can affect shortcuts.

Word for the web may offer fewer display controls than the desktop application, and the available ribbon commands can change. If you cannot find the button, check the Home tab or open the document in the desktop app for the full set of editing options.

Why marks may remain visible

The Show/Hide button is a quick view toggle, but Word also has settings that can keep particular marks visible. For example, a setting may be enabled to always display paragraph marks or spaces. In that case, switching the ribbon button off may not hide every symbol.

In the desktop app, open Word’s options or preferences and find the display settings for formatting marks. On Windows, the route is generally File > Options > Display; on Mac, look under Word > Preferences or Settings, then the view or display options. Names and layout vary by release. Clear any individual “always show” selections, or choose the option to show all formatting marks only when needed. These preferences affect what you see, not the document’s underlying content.

When showing marks is useful

Turn marks on when a document’s layout is confusing, especially before deleting spaces or breaks. They reveal whether an apparent blank line is an empty paragraph, extra paragraph spacing, or a page break. That distinction matters: deleting a paragraph mark can join two paragraphs and transfer formatting, while deleting a page break can pull later text onto the preceding page.

Uneven gaps: Dots can reveal repeated spaces used to align text. Tabs or a table are usually more reliable for layout.
Unexpected wrapping: A bent arrow can show that a manual line break is forcing text onto a new line without starting a new paragraph.
Headers and page layout: Break indicators can help locate section boundaries that control headers, footers, page numbering, or orientation.
Editing copied text: Visible marks can expose extra paragraph returns or tabs brought in from another document.

Formatting marks versus formatting changes

Show/Hide marks are not the same as Track Changes. Formatting marks reveal invisible characters and document structure; Track Changes records edits and can show insertions, deletions, or formatting revisions for review. Turning off Show/Hide will not accept, reject, or erase tracked changes.

They are also different from text formatting. A paragraph mark can carry the paragraph’s formatting, but the ¶ symbol itself is only a screen indicator. Hiding it does not remove the paragraph, and showing it does not add a new one. Similarly, visible dots between words represent spaces that are already in the document; they are not extra punctuation being added by the toggle.

Common problems and fixes

If the marks do not disappear, first click the ¶ button again and check whether individual marks are set to display permanently in Word’s options. If only some types remain visible, inspect those display preferences rather than deleting characters from the document.

If you see symbols that look unfamiliar, select one carefully and consider the context before changing it. A tab, nonbreaking space, manual line break, and paragraph mark can all affect layout differently. Turning on marks is a diagnostic step, not a command to remove every visible symbol. Save a copy before making broad structural edits to an important document.

If marks appear on a printed page or in a PDF, check print settings and preview the output. Standard formatting indicators are intended for the editing view, but an unusual document, add-in, or export workflow can affect what appears. Confirm with Print Preview or a test export before distributing the file.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the shortcut to show formatting marks in Word?
Use Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or Command+8 on Mac. The shortcut toggles the display; it does not type a paragraph symbol.

How do I remove the paragraph symbols in Word?
Select the ¶ Show/Hide button on the Home tab, or use the shortcut for your platform. This hides the indicators without deleting paragraph breaks.

Will formatting marks print?
Ordinary Show/Hide indicators are for editing and normally do not print. Check Print Preview if you are concerned about a particular document or output method.

Why can I still see paragraph marks after turning Show/Hide off?
A display preference may be set to always show specific marks. Check Word’s options or preferences for formatting-mark display settings and clear the relevant selections.

Do formatting marks change my document?
No. Toggling their visibility changes the editing view only. Editing or deleting the characters they represent does change the document.

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