How to Remove a Text Box From a Word Document

Remove a text box in Microsoft Word by first selecting its border.

In Microsoft Word, text boxes allow you to type and position text anywhere in a document. Insert a new text box using the "Insert" tab in Microsoft Word 2007 and Word 2010 or the "Insert" menu in Word 2003. You can also link text boxes together so that text flows from one to the next. When removing a text box, make sure that you delete the box and not the text.

Instructions

1. Open a document in Microsoft Word.

2. Locate a text box that you want to remove from the document.

3. Point the cursor over the border of the text box until the cursor turns into a crossed arrow.

4. Click the border to select it.

5. Press "Delete" to delete it.

6. Press "Ctrl" while clicking the borders of multiple text boxes, and then press "Delete" if you want to delete several boxes at once.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure that the pointer is on the border of the text box, not inside the box. If you press "Delete" while your cursor is inside the box, you will delete the text instead of the text box.

• If you don't want to lose the text in the text box, highlight the text, and press "Ctrl + C" before deleting the box. This will copy the text onto Word's clipboard so that you can place it elsewhere.

• If the text box is linked to other text boxes, the text will flow into the other linked text boxes after you press "Delete."

References

• Microsoft Word 2010 Help: Add, Copy, or Delete a Text Box
• Microsoft Word 2007 Help: Add or Delete a Text Box
• Microsoft Word 2003 Help: Delete a Linked Text Box Without Deleting Text