How do I remove black lines after paragraphs??

Question

I accidentally toggled a setting that makes these black, vertical lines appear after my paragraphs when I copy and paste documents into Word or Outlook. They don't look like the typical paragraph marks, and I can't get them to go away. I am able to backspace and remove them

Moved from Microsoft 365 and Office | Other

Answer 1

Dear @Heather Dinkins,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the unexpected black lines appearing after paragraphs when you copy and paste content into Word or Outlook.

I understand how disruptive formatting issues like this can be, especially when working with documents or email templates.

At present, in my test environment, copy-and-paste actions are functioning as expected, and I have not been able to reproduce the issue.

To assist you more effectively, could you please confirm:

1. Which version of Microsoft Word and Outlook you are currently using?
2. Could you please confirm whether this issue is occurring in the New Outlook?
3. Whether the issue occurs in Outlook on the web, the desktop application, or both?
4. Additionally, please let me know when you first noticed this behavior.

In the meantime, please help me review and check these steps to narrow down the problem: 

Method 1:

• Click the File tab > Select Options to open the Word Options dialog box.
• Click Display on the left pane > Under Always show these formatting marks on the screen > uncheck Paragraph marks.
• You may also clear the “Show all formatting marks” option if you prefer not to display all formatting symbols.
• Click OK to apply the changes.

Method 2: If it appears because “Show formatting marks” is on:

This symbol often appears when ¶ Show/Hide formatting marks is enabled.

1. Open Word
2. Go to Home tab
3. Click ¶ (Show/Hide) or press Ctrl + Shift + 8

Method 3: Repair Outlook and Office

1. Close Outlook and all Office apps
2. Open Setting > App > Installed apps 
3. Find Outlook for Window and right-click on it and select Advanced option. 
4. Choose Repair Option. 
5. Restart your computer after the repair is complete. 

Repair Office Application: You can refer to Repair an Office application - Microsoft Support and then check the result. 

Method 4. Un-install Outlook and Office then re-install it.

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.

Your understanding and co-operation are highly appreciated. Thank you for your precious time. I am looking forward to your response!

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