Delete a Page in Word: Steps for Blank or Full Pages

To delete a page in Microsoft Word, select its contents and press Delete, or remove the paragraph mark or break that is creating an unwanted blank page. Save your document first if the layout matters: removing a page can shift later content and change pagination. These steps are for Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows; Mac differences are noted where useful.

What You’ll Need

A Word document open in the desktop app, with editing permission.
A few minutes to check the surrounding pages after deletion.
Optional: a saved copy if you are editing a long or carefully formatted document.

Step-by-Step

Save the document and identify the page. Press Ctrl+S on Windows, or Command+S on Mac. Note the page number and whether it contains text, a table, images, or only blank space. If you need a safety copy, choose File > Save As and save a separate version before making layout changes. Page numbers can change after you delete content, so use the page’s current position rather than relying on a number you noted earlier.
Show formatting marks if the page is blank. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+8, or select Home > Paragraph > Show/Hide ¶. On Mac, press Command+8 or use the Show/Hide button on the Home tab. Word displays paragraph marks, page breaks, and section breaks that are normally hidden. These marks do not print. Showing them is especially useful when a blank page appears at the end or between two sections.
Delete a page that contains content using Go To. Click anywhere in the page you want to remove. Press Ctrl+G on Windows, or use Option+Command+G on Mac to open Go To. In the page-number field, type \page and press Enter. Close the Go To dialog; Word should select the contents of the current page. Check that the highlight does not include material you want to keep, then press Delete or Backspace. Review the pages around it because text, images, and page numbers may move as the document reflows.
Remove only part of a page if you need to keep some of it. If the page has a heading or paragraph that belongs in the document, do not delete the whole page selection. Instead, drag to select the unwanted text, or click at the start of it, hold Shift, and click at the end. Press Delete, then check whether the remaining content flows onto the previous or next page. For images or other objects, select the object’s border and press Delete; be careful not to select a nearby text box or table by mistake.
Remove a manual page break. With formatting marks visible, look for a line labelled Page Break. Click just before the break and press Delete, or click just after it and press Backspace. The text after the break should move up into the available space. If the page still exists, check for another break or for paragraph settings that force the next text onto a new page. Do not delete nearby paragraph marks unless you intend to join or remove those paragraphs.
Fix a blank page at the end of the document. Press Ctrl+End on Windows or Command+End on Mac to go to the document’s end. With formatting marks on, inspect the final paragraph mark and any break immediately before it. Delete an extra page break or empty paragraphs if they are responsible. Word requires a final paragraph mark, so it may not let you remove that last mark. If the document ends with a table and the required mark spills onto a new page, select that mark and set its font size to 1 point; also reduce its paragraph spacing if needed. This usually brings it onto the page with the table.
Handle section breaks carefully. A Section Break (Next Page), Odd Page, or Even Page can create an apparently empty page. Deleting a section break can also change headers, footers, margins, columns, or page numbering because Word combines section formatting. If you want to keep the formatting, consider changing the section’s start type instead: on Windows, open Layout > Page Setup using the small dialog launcher, choose the Layout tab, and select an appropriate Section start option, such as Continuous. Check the pages on both sides afterward. The dialog labels and placement can differ slightly on Mac.
Check the result and save again. Turn formatting marks off if you prefer a clean view, then inspect the page before and after the deletion. Confirm that headings, tables, images, headers, footers, and page numbering still look right. Press Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac when you are satisfied. If the wrong content disappeared, use Undo immediately with Ctrl+Z or Command+Z, then try again with a narrower selection.

Common Mistakes

Deleting the final paragraph mark without checking what it does. Word needs a final paragraph mark, and a document ending in a table can push that mark onto a new page. Trying to erase it repeatedly will not solve the layout problem. Reduce its font size or spacing instead, and verify that the table remains intact.

Removing a section break as if it were an ordinary page break. A section break stores layout settings. Deleting it may make the preceding section’s margins, header, footer, columns, or numbering apply to the following pages. If the blank page comes from an Odd Page or Even Page section start, changing the section start setting may be safer than deleting the break.

Assuming every blank page is truly empty. Hidden paragraph marks, a page break, a table row, or an object anchor may be taking up space. Turn on Show/Hide before deleting marks so you can see what is controlling the layout.

Using Go To without checking what is selected. The \page selection is useful for removing a whole page, but always inspect the highlighted content before pressing Delete. Page boundaries can shift as Word lays out the document, and a selection near a table or section boundary deserves extra care.

Pressing Backspace repeatedly at the top of a page. This can remove text or join paragraphs rather than remove the cause of the blank page. Identify the break or paragraph mark first, then delete only that item.

Tips

Use Print Layout view to inspect actual page boundaries. In Word, choose View > Print Layout if you are in another view.
For a quick visual check, open View > Navigation Pane and select the Pages tab. The thumbnails help you locate a page, but you still need to delete its content or the formatting mark that creates it.
If the page is mostly empty but has a paragraph at its top, select the paragraph and check Home > Paragraph settings for Page break before, Keep with next, or Keep lines together. Clearing an inappropriate setting can let the text move up. These settings are useful for headings, so change them only when they are causing the unwanted page.
When a large selection is difficult, use the status bar’s page count and the Navigation Pane to orient yourself, then use Go To or Show/Hide to make a precise edit.
After deleting a page in a document with a table of contents, right-click the table and choose Update Field, then update the entire table if its page numbers or headings have changed.
In Word for the web, basic text and blank-page edits are available, but some layout controls differ from the desktop app. If you cannot locate section settings or precisely manage a complex break, open the document in the Word desktop app.

Troubleshooting

The blank page remains after I delete the visible text. Turn on formatting marks and look for an extra paragraph mark, page break, section break, or a paragraph setting that forces a new page. If the page follows a table, the required final paragraph mark may be the cause; set it to 1 point rather than trying to remove it.

Deleting the break changes my headers or margins. Undo with Ctrl+Z or Command+Z. The break was likely preserving section-specific formatting. Restore it, then change the section start type if appropriate, or adjust the content above it so it no longer needs to force an extra page. Compare headers, footers, margins, and page numbering in both sections before saving.

The whole page did not get selected. Repeat Go To from inside the page, enter \page, press Enter, and close the dialog. If the content is split by a table, floating object, or section boundary, select the unwanted material directly in smaller pieces. Zooming out or switching to View > Draft can make text selection easier, but return to Print Layout to confirm the final appearance.

Text moved, but the page number did not update. Word’s page numbering is normally automatic, but a displayed page number may be inside a field or part of a section-specific setup. Click in the header or footer and inspect its numbering settings. For a table of contents or cross-reference, update the field or table after the layout change.

I deleted the wrong material. Press Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac right away. Avoid making several more edits first, because that makes it harder to return to the correct state. Then select a smaller area or remove only the specific break causing the extra page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a page without deleting its text?
A page is a layout result, not a separate object in most Word documents. To remove the page while keeping its text, change what is forcing that text onto the page, such as an extra page break, a section start, paragraph pagination settings, or oversized content.

What is the quickest way to delete a page with content?
Click in the page, press Ctrl+G on Windows or Option+Command+G on Mac, enter \page, press Enter, close the dialog, verify the selection, and press Delete. Check the surrounding pages afterward.

Why is there a blank page after a table?
Word requires a paragraph mark after a table. If the table reaches the bottom margin, that mark may move to another page. Select the mark and reduce it to 1 point, and reduce its spacing if necessary; do not remove the table to fix the blank page.

Does deleting a page remove its header or footer?
Usually, headers and footers belong to sections rather than individual pages. Deleting page content does not necessarily remove them. However, deleting a section break can combine section formatting, so inspect the headers, footers, and numbering after changing breaks.

Can I delete a page in Word for the web?
You can delete text and many ordinary page breaks in Word for the web. For a stubborn blank page, section-break changes, or complex layout work, use Open in Desktop App so you can access the full set of page and section controls.

Will deleting a page change my page numbers?
It can shift all later page numbers because the document repaginates. Automatic page numbers usually update to match. Check section-specific numbering and update any table of contents or cross-references that display page numbers.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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