I recently installed Word 2013. When a new document opens, the paragraph marker is surrounded by a dotted line box. Every paragraph after that one has a box.

In working with pre-2013 documents, when I attempt to save them, I get a message that some features may be lost saving in the old format, citing in particular Quick Part customizations. Since the document has these customizations, I save it in the "new" format.

See the attached screen shot of a template with customizations, saved in the "new" format. BTW, I sent this document to a colleague, and she doesn't see the boxes that show in the screen shot. I've combed Options and haven't found a setting that seems to relate.

I'd sure appreciate help in getting rid of this distraction. PS: No problems in documents saved with compatibility checked.

Attached Images

Word 2013 Screen Display.jpg (146.0 KB, 30 views)

Any chance you can upload the document so I can open and take a look?

This is what you get in Word 2013 when you choose "Show text boundaries." In earlier versions of Word, that option showed you the margins and any other limits to the text, such as wrapping around an image. Now it puts a box around every line of text. To turn it off, go to Advanced options, Show document content, and uncheck the box for Show text boundaries.

I discovered that, after mistakenly assuming that Microsoft couldn't have done this to the Show text boundaries option. I used to work all the time with text boundaries showing to see the margins, but no more! To line up tables with the margins, I'll now have to use Show grid. Painful.

The explanation given by the Office team is that text boundaries were never intended to be used the way many of us did use them. What we see now is a result of the new layout engine of Word 2013, which explains why boundaries look the same in older file formats.

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional

Well, what an interesting response. We were using them wrong! IMO, the layout engine needs to go back to the garage to be fixed. Thanks for the response.

Apparently, Microsoft had no idea that people were actually using text boundaries. That probably also means that the option will never be fixed (from our perspective). I recommend that you post feedback on this at http://word.uservoice.com/ (the Office User Voice site).

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional

Thank you so much for that site's address. I have long longed for a place to "speak" to Microsoft. I am thrilled to have it.

I'm guessing from your comment that there has been rather a hue and cry from people who deal with documents extensively (I'm a software documentation writer and editor). Well, I won't hold out hope, but I'll throw my hat into the ring at word.uservoice.com.

I have a list of things that I'll add one at a time. I'm very grateful for a place to voice my Microsoft woes and wishes! No high hopes here, though, but thanks again.