Paragraph marks in Word are the little ¶ symbols that show where each paragraph ends. They help when you are formatting a document, but they clutter the page when you want a clean editing view.
Start with the quickest toggle, then fix the display setting if Word keeps showing them.
Use the Show Hide button first
Open the document in Word and go to Home. Select Show/Hide ¶ to hide paragraph marks.
The same button shows them again later when you need formatting marks back on screen. This works in Word desktop for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016 on supported Windows and Mac versions.
If the marks stay visible, open Word's display settings next because Paragraph marks or Show all formatting marks is turned on there.
Clear the Windows display setting
In Word for Windows, open File, choose Options, then select Display.
Under Always show these formatting marks on the screen, clear Paragraph marks. Clear Show all formatting marks too if it is selected.
Select OK. Word stops forcing paragraph marks on in Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016 for Windows.
Change the Mac view preference
Use Word's Mac preference when the ribbon button does not keep the marks hidden.
- 1.Open Word on your Mac.
- 2.Go to Word and select Preferences.
- 3.Select View.
- 4.Under Show Non-Printing Characters, clear Paragraph marks.
- 5.Clear the all-formatting-marks option too if it is selected.
Try the keyboard shortcut
This method applies when you want a fast on-off switch while editing. It controls the same nonprinting-character view, so the shortcut works after the forced display setting is turned off.
On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+8.
Use the 8 key on the main keyboard row, not the numeric keypad.
On Mac, press Command+8.
Press the shortcut again later to show paragraph marks.
Fix Command 8 on a Mac
Open the Apple menu.
Choose System Settings.
Click Keyboard in the sidebar.
Click Keyboard Shortcuts.
Select the category using the same shortcut, such as Mission Control or Spotlight, then change or disable that shortcut.
Return to Word and press Command+8.
This restores the Word shortcut; it does not turn off paragraph marks by itself.
Find the command with Search or Tell Me
In Microsoft 365 desktop apps, select the Search or Tell me box at the top of Word. In current Microsoft 365 desktop apps on Windows, press Alt+Q to open it.
Type Show/Hide or formatting marks. Select Show/Hide ¶ once to toggle the marks. If paragraph marks are still on screen, selecting it again only turns them back on — clear Paragraph marks and Show all formatting marks under Display in Word for Windows, or the matching Show Non-Printing Characters selections in Word for Mac.
Tell Me entry points also exist across Office Online, Office for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android, but the reliable paragraph-mark control is the Word desktop command.
Add the button to the Quick Access Toolbar
Go to Home, right-click Show/Hide ¶, then select Add to Quick Access Toolbar.
After that, select Show/Hide ¶ on the Quick Access Toolbar whenever you need paragraph marks on or off. This adds a shortcut to the existing command, not a separate document setting.
If the toolbar button does not hide the marks, clear Paragraph marks and Show all formatting marks in Word's options or preferences.
Use desktop Word for web and mobile limits
This matters when you are editing in Word for the web, Word for iPhone, Word for iPad, or Word for Android. Microsoft supports the current paragraph-mark controls in Word desktop on Windows and macOS.
In Word for the web, select Home > More options (...) and then Show/Hide ¶ under Paragraph. The menu lists its shortcut, Ctrl+Shift+8. No current Microsoft-supported Show/Hide ¶ control exists for the Word mobile apps.
Open the document in Word desktop on Windows or Mac.
Use Home and Show/Hide ¶, or use the matching Windows or Mac display setting above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do paragraph marks keep showing in Word?
They keep showing because Show/Hide is turned on, Paragraph marks is enabled in Word's display settings, or Show all formatting marks is selected.
Will paragraph marks print in my Word document?
Paragraph marks are nonprinting formatting characters. They show the document structure on screen while you edit.
What is the shortcut to hide paragraph marks in Word?
On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+8 using the main keyboard row. On Mac, press Command+8.
Can I turn off paragraph marks in Word for the web?
Yes. In Word for the web, select Home > More options (...) and then Show/Hide ¶ under Paragraph to turn the marks on or off. The menu lists its shortcut, Ctrl+Shift+8.