Word won't underline blank spaces

Thanks to all for all your efforts to help. I'm not sure what the problem is - WHY it changed with an update from MS. I do understand there are workarounds, MULTIPLE steps! I'm not typing where a table format can be used, or where I want to take multiple steps to draw a line. These lines are always different lengths, so to take so many steps is beyond reason.

Previously, I could be typing text , then just hold the shift key and press the line key (above the P) and make a black line as long as I wanted, at any point. As it is now, I have to constantly click on the Underline key, then select NONE or a line size. Then once I have my line, as soon as I start typing text, everything is underlined so I have to go back and do all those steps all over! If I make ONE of those as default, then I still have to undo when I need the other. These things always happen with updates.

Thanks for your efforts to help!

Hello LDR47

Thank you for choosing our Microsoft Community.

Based on your description, don't worry, we can work together to get closer to the answer.

From the Microsoft 365 and Office/Word category you posted, we know your problem is "Word 2016 does not underline blank spaces to fill in". If my understanding is wrong, please feel free to correct me. I know that sometimes glitches It can take a while to rule out, and the fact that the problem hasn't been resolved can be frustrating.

We can understand your mood, I tried to create a relevant test sample in Word 2016 for this situation, and the results are as follows:

• Right-click on the blank space >> select font >> select Underline Style >> It seems that it can be underlined when entering the content, everything is normal, the result is as shown in the screenshot below
• 
• Regarding what you said you don't want to underline all words, we suggest that you press and hold the Enter key when typing new content, change to the next line, and add a new underline according to your font settings. This will prevent other fonts from being underlined. Change. Or you can add an underline at the specified position by adding a shape, and enter your content in the underline, the steps are as follows:

1. Select Insert in the navigation bar >> Click Shapes >> Select the corresponding horizontal line >> As shown in the picture:
2. 
3. Back to the main document, the mouse becomes "+", hold down the "shift" key, then hold down the left mouse button, slide the mouse to the right to draw a straight line in the document
4. In the shape outline, set the line width and color of the line to black.
5. Go back to the main document and find that the operation of adding an underline in the WORD document and entering text on the underline has been completed. And the horizontal line will not extend with your word input, as shown in the figure:
6. 

Hope it helps, If there is any update, please feel free to contact us.

Chandy | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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Often the underline is not visible on screen because of tight line spacing. Sometimes it will appear in Print Preview, and usually it will print. This may be just a display issue. For other methods of creating lines in forms, see http://wordfaqs.ssbarnhill.com/LinesInForms.htm.

The best way to provide a line, above which the respondent is to provide their response, is to layout the document using a table with bottom borders applied to the relevant cells.

Thanks for the quick reply. There are times when I can use, and have, a table. Often what I’m trying to do is ask a short question and then I need to have a line after that question on the same line. When I type using the underline that is above the hyphen mark, it just comes out clear, there’s no black color line unless I go back to the underline icon button and select an line option. The Underline icon key now is set as a default at “none” - I had never seen that “none” until this started and I can’t undo it. And once I have typed my line, press enter and go to the next line to start typing a new sentence, everything in that next line is underlined! This just started, and now I have to go to that underline icon button every time I want to do something to turn it on or turn it off. It’s extremely frustrating because I have a deadline to get the survey out and I’m really pressed for time. This is in Word 2016, snd prior to this it has always worked the way I needed it too without a problem.