How to Delete a Page in Word After a Section Break

To delete a page in Word that appears because of a section break, first show formatting marks with Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or Command+8 on Mac, then identify the break and either remove it or change its type. Save a copy before editing: deleting a section break can change the layout, headers, footers, or numbering of the sections around it.

A page in Word is not usually a separate object you can remove. It disappears when you remove its content, remove the break that is forcing it onto a page, or adjust the layout that is creating it. The safest fix depends on whether the page is truly unwanted or whether the break preserves formatting you still need.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac, with the document open.
Permission to edit the document. If it is protected, you may need the owner or password to unlock editing.
A saved copy of the document, especially if the sections use different headers, footers, margins, page orientation, or numbering.

Step-by-Step

Save a working copy. Choose File > Save As and save a second copy with a clear name. This gives you a way to restore the original layout if deleting or changing a break affects more than the unwanted page. If the document is stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, version history may also help, but do not rely on it instead of saving a copy.
Show the formatting marks. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+8, or select Home > Paragraph > Show/Hide ¶. On Mac, press Command+8, or use the Show/Hide control on the Home tab. Word displays paragraph marks and labels such as Page Break, Section Break (Next Page), Section Break (Odd Page), and Section Break (Continuous). These marks are normally not printed; they make the cause of the extra page visible.
Locate what is creating the page. Scroll to the unwanted page and inspect the marks at its beginning and end, as well as the end of the preceding page. A Section Break (Next Page) starts a new section on a new page. An Odd Page or Even Page break may add a blank page so the next section starts on the required side of a printed sheet. A Page Break starts a new page but does not create a new section. Several empty paragraph marks, a large table, or a combination of these can also push content onto a page.
Decide whether the section formatting must stay separate. Before deleting a section break, compare the sections on each side. Check whether they have different page orientation, margins, columns, headers, footers, page borders, or page-number settings. If the page is blank because an Odd Page or Even Page break is intentional, the document may be designed for duplex printing or chapter starts. In that case, changing the break type is usually safer than removing the section boundary altogether.
Remove content if the page contains only unwanted text or empty paragraphs. Click on the page, turn on the formatting marks, and select only the text or extra paragraph marks that should go. Press Delete on Windows or Mac. If you want to select a page’s contents using Go To, press Ctrl+G on Windows, type \page in the page-number box, press Enter, and close the dialog; press Delete only after checking the selection. On Mac, use Option+Command+G for Go To if that shortcut is available in your Word setup, enter \page, then inspect the selection before deleting. This selects page content, but it can include a section break in some layouts, so take care not to remove a needed boundary.
Delete a section break only when you are ready to merge the sections. Click just before the section-break label and press Delete, or click just after it and press Backspace. If selecting the break is easier, drag across the break label and delete it. The text on either side will join into one section, so Word may apply one section’s layout settings to the merged material. Immediately check the pages before and after the edit, including headers, footers, orientation, margins, and page numbers. Use Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac right away if the result is not what you intended.
Change the break type when you need to keep a section but remove the forced blank page. Click in the section that begins after the unwanted blank page. On Windows, open Layout and click the small dialog launcher in the Page Setup group. In the Page Setup dialog, open the Layout tab and choose a suitable option from Section start, such as Continuous or New page; confirm that Apply to is set to This section, then select OK. On Mac, open the Layout tab and use the Page Setup dialog to find the section-start setting; names or dialog placement can vary slightly by Word version. If the current setting is Odd page or Even page, New page is often appropriate when you no longer need a particular printed-side start. Continuous may keep the section on the same page, but it can affect the flow when sections use different columns or page layouts.
Check the result and hide the marks again. Review the page before the edit, the page after it, and the full document around the changed section. Confirm that the document no longer has the unwanted page and that all required section formatting remains. Toggle Show/Hide off with Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or Command+8 on Mac. Save the document when you are satisfied.

Common Mistakes

Deleting the wrong break. A page break and a section break can both look like a line across the page, but they do different jobs. A page break only moves text to a new page. A section break can control layout and headers as well. Read the label shown by formatting marks before removing anything.

Removing a section boundary without checking the layout. Deleting a section break merges the neighboring sections. That can change orientation, margins, columns, headers, footers, or page numbering. The document may still look fine on the page where you made the change, while later pages inherit an unwanted layout. Check every page in and after the merged area.

Using Backspace without seeing what is selected. If the cursor is next to a break, Backspace can remove the break, a paragraph mark, or text depending on its position. Turn on formatting marks and click precisely before or after the labeled break. Undo immediately if the page layout changes unexpectedly.

Deleting the whole page selection automatically. Go To with \page is convenient, but the selection may include a break or other material that controls the next section. Inspect the highlighted area before pressing Delete, particularly when the page is blank or at a section boundary.

Assuming every blank page is caused by a section break. A blank page can result from an ordinary page break, extra empty paragraphs, a table at the end of the document, or a paragraph that Word has pushed forward. Look at the visible marks first so you fix the actual cause.

Tips

Keep formatting marks on while diagnosing. The marks reveal empty paragraphs and the exact break type. They do not print, so you can leave them visible while editing and hide them before presenting the document.
Prefer changing a break type over deleting a section boundary when possible. If a new section is needed for its header, footer, or page setup, changing an Odd Page start to New page can remove an unintended blank page while retaining the section. Choose Continuous only if the next section can continue on the same page without disrupting its layout.
Check headers and footers in context. Double-click the header or footer and look for Link to Previous. Sections can share or separate these areas, and removing a break can alter which section’s header or footer is used. Also check whether Different First Page or Different Odd & Even Pages is enabled.
Watch the page-number format. Open the footer or header and use Page Number > Format Page Numbers to see whether numbering is set to continue or restart in the section. If the numbering changes after an edit, restore the intended setting in the affected section.
Use Print Layout for a reliable visual check. Switch to View > Print Layout and inspect the surrounding pages. Draft or Web Layout may not make page boundaries and blank-page behavior as easy to assess.
Make one change at a time. Remove one break or adjust one section-start setting, then review the result. If several breaks are deleted at once, it is harder to tell which change altered the layout.

Troubleshooting

The blank page remains after deleting the section break. Turn on formatting marks again and look for another break, empty paragraphs, or a table near the page boundary. If you see Page Break, remove that only if the page break is unwanted. If the page contains several paragraph marks, delete the unnecessary marks one at a time. A document can contain more than one cause at the same location.

The next section moves to a different page after the change. This can be expected if the original break was an Odd Page or Even Page break. Click in the following section and set Section start to New page if you want it to begin on the next available page, regardless of whether that page is odd or even. If you want the section to follow immediately on the same page, try Continuous only after checking columns and other layout settings.

Headers, footers, or page numbers change. Undo the edit if possible, then restore the section break and change its start type rather than deleting it. If you have already saved, reopen your working copy. If you still want to merge the sections, set the desired header, footer, and page-number options in the resulting section, and check whether Link to Previous should be on or off.

The section-start control is unavailable or the setting seems to affect more pages. Click in the body text of the section whose start you want to change, not in a header or footer, and open Page Setup again. Verify Apply to is set to This section. If the section uses columns or a table, Word may need to keep certain content together; inspect the surrounding layout and consider New page instead of Continuous.

A final blank page will not go away after a table. Word requires a paragraph mark after a table, and that mark can be pushed onto a new page. Show formatting marks, select the final paragraph mark, and reduce its font size or paragraph spacing rather than deleting the required mark. For example, select the mark and set its font size to 1 point, then check whether the page disappears. If the document has strict formatting requirements, confirm that the change has not affected the table or surrounding text.

The page appears on screen but not in the print preview. Check File > Print to see whether the page is included in the actual output. If it is not, it may be a display or layout artifact. Do not remove a useful section break solely to change the on-screen view; first confirm the saved document and print preview show the problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a page in Word without affecting the rest of the document?
Often, yes, if the page contains only unwanted text or empty paragraphs. If a section break is responsible, removing it can affect the formatting of neighboring pages. Save a copy, inspect the break, and check the surrounding sections after editing.

What is the difference between a page break and a section break?
A page break moves following content to the next page. A section break starts a new section and can also control layout, headers, footers, and numbering. Removing a section break may merge sections; removing a page break does not merge sections.

Why does Word add a blank page after an Odd Page section break?
Word may insert a blank page so the next section begins on a right-hand, odd-numbered page when printed. If that start is no longer needed, change the section start to New page rather than deleting the section break if the section’s separate formatting must remain.

Will deleting a section break delete the text in the section?
No. Deleting the break joins the text before and after it into one section. However, the merged section may use different layout settings, so the text can reflow and appear on different pages.

How do I remove a blank page at the end of a Word document?
Show formatting marks and inspect the last page. Remove an unnecessary page or section break or extra empty paragraphs. If the page follows a table, Word’s required final paragraph mark may be the cause; reduce its font size or spacing instead of trying to delete it.

Do the steps differ in Word for Mac?
The editing principle is the same. Use Command+8 to show formatting marks and Command+Z to undo; the Windows Ctrl+Shift+8 and Ctrl+Z shortcuts are different. Ribbon labels and the location of Page Setup options can vary slightly between Mac releases, so use the Layout tab’s Page Setup controls and check the section-start setting there.

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