The paragraph symbol (¶), technically known as a pilcrow, often appears unexpectedly in Microsoft Outlook, causing confusion for users who prefer a clean, distraction-free composing environment. While these marks are intended to assist with document formatting and layout alignment, they can be intrusive when they clutter your screen.

To remove the paragraph symbol in Outlook immediately, press Ctrl + Shift + * (the asterisk on the 8 key) on your keyboard. This keyboard shortcut toggles all formatting marks on and off. If this quick fix does not resolve the issue permanently, or if you are using a different version of Outlook like the New Outlook for Windows or Outlook for Mac, follow the detailed methods below to manage your display settings.

What is the Paragraph Symbol (¶) in Outlook?

The paragraph symbol is part of a suite of non-printing characters known as formatting marks. In addition to the pilcrow (¶), which represents a paragraph break, you might also see small dots representing spaces, arrows representing tab characters, and small squares representing object anchors.

These symbols serve a specific purpose: they help you understand the underlying structure of your email. For instance, if your text looks misaligned, these marks reveal whether you used the Tab key or multiple spacebars to create a gap. It is important to remember that these marks are non-printing characters. They are only visible to you while composing; your email recipients will not see them unless they also have the "Show Formatting Marks" setting enabled in their own email client.

Method 1: The Quick Ribbon Toggle for Classic Outlook

If you are using the traditional "Classic" version of Outlook (common in Office 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365 Enterprise), the fastest way to hide these symbols is through the Ribbon interface at the top of your message window.

  1. Open a New Email or reply to an existing conversation to bring up the composition window.
  2. Ensure you are in the Format Text tab on the top Ribbon menu. This tab contains the specific tools for text manipulation that are not always visible in the default "Message" tab.
  3. Locate the Paragraph group in the center of the Ribbon.
  4. Look for the icon that looks like a backward "P" (¶). If this button is highlighted or shaded, it means formatting marks are currently active.
  5. Click the ¶ icon once. The highlight will disappear, and the paragraph marks will vanish from your email body.

This method is a "toggle," meaning you can repeat these steps anytime you need to see your formatting for troubleshooting purposes.

Method 2: Disabling Paragraph Marks via Keyboard Shortcuts

For users who frequently switch between viewing and hiding formatting marks, keyboard shortcuts are the most efficient tool.

In Windows versions of Outlook, the universal shortcut is Ctrl + Shift + 8 (or **Ctrl + Shift + ***).

  • Note for laptop users: If your keyboard requires you to press a "Fn" key to access the top row of numbers, ensure you are pressing the key combination correctly.
  • Why it happens accidentally: Most users enable these marks by mistake while trying to type a bolded asterisk or performing other multi-key commands. If your paragraph symbols suddenly appeared mid-sentence, you likely "fat-fingered" this combination.

Method 3: Permanent Fix in Outlook Editor Options

If paragraph marks reappear every time you restart Outlook or open a new message, it means the setting is hardcoded into your Editor Options. This happens because Outlook uses Microsoft Word as its underlying engine for email composition, and specific display preferences can be locked in the global configuration.

To disable them permanently:

  1. Open Outlook and click on File in the top-left corner.
  2. Select Options from the bottom of the sidebar.
  3. In the Outlook Options window, navigate to the Mail tab on the left-hand menu.
  4. Look for the section labeled "Compose messages" and click the button titled Editor Options....
  5. In the new window that opens, select the Display tab on the left.
  6. Locate the section titled Always show these formatting marks on the screen.
  7. Uncheck Paragraph marks. You may also want to ensure that "Show all formatting marks" is unchecked at the bottom of this list.
  8. Click OK on the Editor Options window, and then click OK again on the main Outlook Options window to save your changes.

By following this path, you are telling the Outlook rendering engine that you never want these marks shown by default, regardless of whether you toggle them off in a single session.

Managing Paragraph Symbols in the New Outlook for Windows

Microsoft is transitioning users to the "New Outlook," which features a simplified interface similar to the web version. The settings for formatting marks in this version are located in a slightly different area.

  1. While in a message composition window, look at the top Ribbon.
  2. If you are using the Simplified Ribbon, you may not see the paragraph icon immediately. Click the three-dot ellipsis (...) on the far right of the Ribbon.
  3. Hover over or click on Formatting Marks (it might be under the "Formatting" or "Options" sub-menu depending on your build).
  4. Uncheck the option for Paragraph Marks.

Alternatively, you can access global settings:

  1. Click the Gear icon (Settings) in the top right of the main Outlook window.
  2. Go to Mail > Compose and reply.
  3. Scroll down to the bottom of the settings page to find formatting preferences, though in many "New Outlook" builds, this is strictly controlled within the message Ribbon itself.

How to Remove Paragraph Symbols in Outlook for Mac

Outlook for Mac has a distinct UI architecture. If you are a macOS user seeing the pilcrow symbol, use the following steps:

  1. Start a New Message.
  2. On the Message tab (or Format Text tab in some versions), look for the symbol.
  3. Click it to toggle the marks off.

If the symbol is not visible on the Ribbon:

  1. Go to the Outlook menu in the top macOS menu bar.
  2. Select Settings (or Preferences on older versions).
  3. Click on Composing.
  4. Look for the "Display" or "Formatting" section and ensure that "Show formatting marks" is disabled.

For users on the "New Outlook for Mac" interface, if the button is missing, click the three dots (...) in the message toolbar and look for the "Formatting Marks" toggle.

Why Do Paragraph Marks Keep Coming Back?

It is a common frustration: you turn the symbols off, but they return the next morning or when you reply to a specific person. There are three primary reasons for this persistent behavior.

1. Synchronization with Microsoft Word

Because Outlook and Word share the "Normal.dotm" template logic for text rendering, a change in Word's display settings can sometimes override Outlook's settings.

  • The Fix: Open Microsoft Word, go to File > Options > Display, and ensure "Paragraph marks" is unchecked there as well. Closing both applications and restarting them often syncs the "hidden" state across the entire Office suite.

2. Replying to Plain Text Emails

If you receive an email sent in "Plain Text" format (rather than HTML or Rich Text), Outlook may struggle with how it renders line breaks. In some legacy versions, replying to a plain text email triggers the display of formatting marks to help the user navigate the lack of visual styling.

  • The Fix: In your reply window, go to the Format Text tab and change the format from "Plain Text" to HTML. This often refreshes the UI and allows the paragraph marks to be hidden.

3. Third-Party Add-ins

Grammar checkers like Grammarly, or specialized email formatting tools (e.g., Kutools), sometimes force formatting marks to be "On" so their internal logic can accurately place suggestions or analyze sentence structure.

  • The Fix: Try disabling your add-ins one by one. Go to File > Options > Add-ins, select COM Add-ins from the "Manage" dropdown at the bottom, and click Go. Uncheck non-essential add-ins and restart Outlook to see if the symbols persist.

Advanced Troubleshooting: Using the Windows Registry

In rare enterprise environments, a corrupted user profile or a specific Group Policy (GPO) might prevent the "Editor Options" from saving correctly. If you are an advanced user or IT administrator, you can check the Registry.

  1. Close Outlook completely.
  2. Press Windows Key + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
  3. Navigate to the following path (the version number '16.0' may vary depending on your Office version): HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Options
  4. Look for a string value named ShowShowAll.
  5. If it exists, set the value to 0 to hide all formatting marks.
  6. Look for ShowParagraphs and set it to 0.

Warning: Incorrectly editing the Registry can cause system instability. Always back up your Registry keys before making changes.

How to Use VBA to Force Disable Paragraph Marks

If you are a power user who wants to ensure these marks never appear upon startup, you can use a simple VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) script within Outlook.

  1. Press Alt + F11 in Outlook to open the VBA Editor.
  2. In the left pane, expand Project1 > Microsoft Outlook Objects and double-click ThisOutlookSession.
  3. Paste a script that triggers the ActiveInspector to toggle the ShowFormattingMarks property to False upon opening a new mail item.
  4. Save and exit.

Note: This requires macros to be enabled in the Trust Center, which may be blocked by your organization's IT policy.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Outlook Paragraph Symbols

Will my email recipients see these paragraph marks?

No. Paragraph marks are a local display setting within your Outlook client. They are never transmitted as part of the email's HTML or plain text body. Your recipient will only see them if their own version of Outlook is configured to show them.

What is the difference between the paragraph mark and the "Show All" button?

The paragraph mark (¶) button usually toggles all formatting marks simultaneously. However, in the "Editor Options" menu, you can choose to show only paragraph marks while hiding space dots and tab arrows, or vice versa.

Does removing paragraph symbols delete my formatting?

No. Hiding the symbols merely changes the visual representation on your screen. Your line breaks, tabs, and spaces remain exactly where they were; they are simply invisible now.

Why is there a small square next to my text that won't go away?

That is an "Object Anchor" symbol. It appears when an image or shape is inserted into your email and is "anchored" to a specific paragraph. You can hide it using the same methods (Ctrl + Shift + *) or by unchecking "Object Anchors" in the Editor Options Display menu.

Summary

Getting rid of the paragraph symbol in Outlook is usually a matter of a single click or a quick keyboard shortcut. For most users, **Ctrl + Shift + *** is the immediate solution. For those facing persistent issues, adjusting the Editor Options under the Mail tab provides a permanent fix.

Whether you are using the Classic Desktop version, the New Outlook, or the macOS client, the logic remains the same: these are non-printing formatting marks that can be toggled via the Ribbon or the internal display settings. By understanding the link between Outlook and the Word rendering engine, you can ensure your email composition remains clean and professional.

If the symbols continue to appear despite all settings being disabled, check for active third-party add-ins or synchronized settings from Microsoft Word that might be overriding your preferences. Keeping your software updated to the latest version of Microsoft 365 can also resolve UI bugs related to formatting mark persistence.