How to add or remove the ruler in Word: a quick and complete guide

When we start tinkering with Word, the normal thing to do is focus on Write the content without worrying too much about formatting when designing your Word documents.In fact, even people who are proficient with the program often write the text first and then adjust margins, indents, tables, and other visual details. That's where a very simple but incredibly useful tool comes in: the Word ruler.

This rule, which can be horizontal and vertical depending on the view you useIt serves as a kind of measuring tape within the document itself. Thanks to it, you know exactly how far you are from the margins, where paragraph indents begin, how the columns of a table are distributed, or where the cursor stops when you press the Tab key. Let's take a closer look at how to add or remove the ruler in Word, how to configure it, and how to get the most out of it.

What is a ruler in Word and what is it used for?

In Word you have two different rules: one horizontal ruler at the top of the workspace and another vertical one on the left side that appears in certain views. Both show measurements (in centimeters, inches, or other units) that help you know the exact location of the content within the page.

The rule acts as visual reference for the formatIt shows you where the margins begin and end, where your paragraph indents are, the position of tab stops, and the width of table columns. This way, when you move a marker or drag a border, you immediately see the result on the text or objects.

The values ​​that appear in the rule are related to the margins, indents and tabs configured in the document. Margins define the white space around the text; indents control the distance between the paragraph and those margins; and tabs allow you to align text and numbers in specific positions along the line.

Thanks to the rule, it's much easier to achieve documents that are organized, consistent, and presentableWhether you're creating a simple letter, a long report, an academic paper, or a document with complex tables, formatting isn't essential for writing, but it's almost essential for making your document truly polished.

Versions of Word and other editors that use the ruler

The ruler is available in virtually all modern versions of Word: Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016Ruler tools are available on both Windows and Mac, as well as in Word for the web. You'll also find ruler tools or equivalents on platforms like Microsoft365.com and in Office mobile apps (such as the Office app for iPhone), although with some limitations in view.

Besides Word, other office suites integrate their own rules for formatting documents. For example, ONLYOFFICE Document Editor includes a horizontal and vertical ruler which works in a very similar way: it allows you to control margins, indents and tabs, and even adjust the width of table cells with drag and drop.

How to show or hide the ruler in Word

Turning the ruler on and off in Word is very easy. When you open a document, the ruler may already be visible or it may be turned off, depending on your settings. To control it, simply... use the ribbon.

In desktop versions of Word, the standard procedure for quickly put on or take off the ruler is this:

• Click on the tab Eyeglasses of the ribbon.
• Within the "Display" group or section (or similar), locate the option Ruler.
• Check the Rule box to show it or uncheck it if you want to hide it.

As soon as you check the box, The ruler will instantly appear over the editing area.If you uncheck it again, it will disappear just as quickly. On some screen resolutions, you may need to maximize the Word window to see the entire "Show" group.

How to activate the vertical ruler in Word

The horizontal ruler is the most visible, but Word can also show a vertical ruler on the left edge when you're in the right view. This rule helps you control margins. Headers and footers and the vertical arrangement of the content.

To activate the vertical ruler in Word for Windows, the typical process is as follows:

1. Go to File > Options.
2. In the left panel, enter the section You advanced.
3. Scroll down to the section Show or "Show options in this document".
4. Check the box Show vertical ruler in Print Layout view.
5. Click on Accept To save the changes.

Note that the vertical rule is primarily shown in the Print LayoutThis is because it's the view that represents the page as it will be printed. If you're in Read Mode or another view, it might not be visible even if the option is enabled.

Change the unit of measurement on the ruler

By default, Word usually displays the ruler in centimeters or inchesThis depends on your system's regional settings. However, you can easily change this unit if you find it more convenient to work in another way (for example, in millimeters or points).

To change the ruler's unit of measurement in desktop Word, follow these general steps:

1. Click on File > Options.
2. Access the section You advanced in the side menu.
3. Go down to the section Show (Display).
4. In the countryside Display measurements in units ofChoose your preferred unit (centimeters, inches, millimeters, points, picas, etc.).
5. Confirm with Accept to apply the new settings.

From that moment on, All ruler markings will now use the selected unitFor example, if you choose centimeters and the ruler shows the number 2, it means that the text or margin is exactly 2 cm from the edge of the page.

Rule-related display options (ONLYOFFICE and others)

In the case of the ONLYOFFICE Document Editor, the rule is usually enabled by default, but you can also show or hide it from its View tab. In addition to the rule, this editor offers several other features. Display options that influence how you work with the document:

For example, you can configure it to always show the top toolbarIf you disable that option, the command bar is hidden and you'll only see the tab names, giving you more space in the editing area when working on small screens.

You can also enable or disable the status barLocated at the bottom, this bar includes useful information such as the page number, word count, status messages ("All changes saved," "Connection lost," etc.), and quick access to change the proofing language, activate spell check, manage change tracking, or adjust the zoom.

Another interesting option is the left panelThis is where you'll find features like Find and Replace, the comments list, and the headings panel for navigating the document. Turning it on or off lets you adjust the available space depending on whether you're reviewing content or focused on writing.

Similarly, the right panel It displays the detailed settings of the selected object (images, tables, charts, etc.). This is very useful when you're editing the formatting of specific elements and want to have everything at hand without losing sight of the document.

How to use the ruler to set margins

Margins are the blank spaces that surround the content on each page and are key to the final result. a clean and balanced presentation, especially in the book layout in WordYou can define them from the page layout options, but the ruler allows you to adjust them visually and quickly.

In Word and similar editors, you can choose between predefined margins (such as Normal, Narrow, Moderate, Wide, etc.) or configure custom margins by entering values ​​for the top, bottom, left, and right sides. However, if you want see immediately How does the change affect the content? The rule is your ally.

To set or modify margins using the ruler:

• Locate the shaded or gray areas on the ruler, which indicate the area corresponding to the page margins.
• Place the mouse cursor over the boundary between the gray and white areas on the horizontal ruler to adjust the left and right margins.
• Click and gently drag in or out until the content is the way you want it.
• On the vertical ruler (when it's visible), you can do something similar to modify top and bottom margins, immediately seeing how the text is repositioned on the page.

This system is especially useful when you need fine-tune small details, such as gaining a little space so that a paragraph doesn't jump to another page or adjusting the document to specific layout requirements.

How to create indents with the ruler

Indentations allow for control of the distance between the text of a paragraph and the marginsThey are essential for improving readability, separating blocks of text, and giving structure to the document (for example, in numbered lists, citations, or bibliographies), and they facilitate clean format when you need it.

On the horizontal ruler, just on the left side, you will see markers shaped like triangles and a small rectangleEach one controls a different type of indentation, and understanding them will help you adjust the formatting very precisely.

To establish indents using the rule:

• Select the paragraphs you want to modify, so that Any change to the rule will only affect that selection..
• Use the First-line indent marker (top triangle) to move only the first line of the paragraph from the left margin.
• Use the French Indent marker (lower triangle) to move only the second line and the following ones, leaving the first one unindented.
• Drag the Left Indent marker (the small square below the triangles) to move the entire paragraph at once relative to the left margin.
• At the far right of the ruler, the Right Indent marker It allows you to move the text closer to or further from the right margin, controlling the width of the paragraph block.

By playing with these markers you can create classic formats such as first-line indentation in normal paragraphs, hanging indentation in bibliographic references, or special indentations in prominent quotations.

Special case: how to make French sangria

French sangria is a very typical style in lists of references, bibliographies and citationsIt is characterized by the first line of the paragraph being aligned with the margin, while the rest of the lines are shifted to the right, creating a visual effect that highlights the beginning of each entry.

To create a French indent using the ruler:

• Select the paragraph or set of paragraphs where you want to apply this formatting.
• On the horizontal ruler, locate the three indent markers located on the left margin.
• Leave the First-line indent marker (top triangle) in the margin or wherever you want the first line to start.
• Click on the lower triangular marker, which is the French Indent, and drag it to the right to the desired position.
• If you need to move the entire block without losing the proportion between the first and following lines, drag the Rectangular marker for left indent, which will simultaneously displace the other two.

This will ensure that author's name or main element It is perfectly visible at the beginning of each reference, while the rest of the information is neatly aligned under the hanging indent.

How to set tabs using the rule

A tabulation is the point where The cursor stops when you press the Tab keyIt is used to align text in virtual columns within the same paragraph, especially useful in data lists, document headings, simple tables of contents, or alignment of amounts and dates.

Word allows several types of tabs and you can manage them graphically through the horizontal ruler, giving you very precise control over the position and alignment of the text.

To configure tab stops In the rule, you can follow a flow like this:

1. At the far left of the horizontal ruler you'll see a small tab-type button. Click it to change tab style that you are going to place.
2. Choose from the main types of tabulation available:

• La left tab Align the text to the left at the tab stop, so that the content extends to the right as you type.
• La centered tab Place the text so that the tab stop is in the center of the line.
• La right tab Align the text so that the rightmost point is at the tab stop and the text is filled to the left.
• La decimal tabulation It serves for align numbers around the decimal point, ideal for lists of amounts; no matter the number of digits, the comma remains in the same vertical position.
• La bar tabulation It does not place text as such, but inserts a vertical line at the tab stop position, useful for visually separating columns of text.

Once you've selected the tab type, click at the bottom of the horizontal ruler, right where you want to set the stop. You'll be able to Drag it left or right to fine-tune its exact positionTo remove a tab stop, drag it off the ruler until it disappears.

Adjust the width of table cells and columns using the ruler

When working with tables, the ruler becomes a very practical tool for control column and cell widthThis allows you to better format the data, avoiding excessively narrow or disproportionate columns.

In Word and editors like ONLYOFFICE, you can adjust a cell in several different ways. If you want to modify only a specific cell, you can select that cell, place the mouse on its right border until the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow, and drag to the left or right to widen or narrow it.

If what you want is to change the width of all cells in a column at onceIt's more convenient to use the horizontal ruler's handles. When you select the table or column, you'll see column boundary indicators on the ruler. Move these handles to uniformly adjust the width of that column across the entire table.

By combining the ruler with the table design tools, you can achieve the following: Your tables will be perfectly aligned and much more readable., without needing to keep entering and exiting formatting dialog boxes.

Mastering the Word ruler (and those of other editors like ONLYOFFICE) Mark the difference between a simply written document and a really well-designed one: you control margins, adjust indents, align text with tabs and shape tables with precision, all visually and quickly, taking advantage of a tool that is as simple as it is versatile. Share this guide so others can learn how to add a ruler in Word.