Unable to Apply Underline Styling to Numbered List Markers in InDesign

Forum|Forum|11 hours ago
April 7, 2026
3 replies
42 views

I want to add a colored block below the numbers in a paragraph style, so I thought of using an underline.
I tried it, but it didn't work.
Neither id2026 nor 2024 worked.
Did I do something wrong?

00220000.indd

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

You can get that effect using paragraph rules. This is dependent on a couple of things: consistent column width and no more than 99 entries per list.

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

Bill Silbert

Community Expert

Have you tried doing this using the Paragraph Borders and Shading option which can be found under the Paragraph Panel pull-down menu? The Shading section of this feature provides several options that would make what you’re looking for possible. If you’re unfamiliar with Paragraph Borders and Shading you can check out one of several videos available on the topic on YouTube.

M

Manan Joshi

Community Expert

Hi @Bill Silbert how will it be restricted only to the numbers? Pardon my ignorance I have not played much with these features

-Manan

Bill Silbert

Community Expert

With the Borders and Shading you can adjust the right indent in the same way as with Dave Creamer’s suggestion of paragraph rules:

However, in regards to Dave Creamer’s question, though, there would be an issue with multi-line entries. Paragraph Borders and Shading would only be effective with single line entries.

M

Manan Joshi

Community Expert

It seems some properties don’t apply to the numbers in the numbered list and underline is one of them

-Manan

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