How to Delete a Continuous Page Break in Word

To delete a continuous page break in Word, show formatting marks, find the line labeled Section Break (Continuous), click immediately before it, and press Delete. Word calls this a continuous section break, not a page break. Removing it joins the sections, so check the page layout afterward; margins, columns, headers, or other section settings may change.

What You’ll Need

The Word document open in the desktop version of Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365, with permission to edit it.
A moment to check the layout before and after the break. If the document is important, save a separate copy first using File > Save As.
Access to formatting marks, which are available on the Home tab. You do not need to install anything or select the surrounding text.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and find the affected area. If you know which page or paragraph has the unwanted gap or layout change, scroll there. Otherwise, look for a change such as text switching from multiple columns to one, a different page orientation, or a header or footer changing unexpectedly. A continuous section break can sit between paragraphs without starting a new page, so the pages may look uninterrupted.
Turn on formatting marks. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select Home > Paragraph > Show/Hide ¶. The pilcrow button displays paragraph marks and other nonprinting characters, including section breaks. On Windows, Ctrl+Shift+8 toggles these marks. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Mac, use the Show/Hide button on the Home tab; Command+8 is the keyboard toggle. The marks are for editing and will not print.
Identify the exact break. Look for the words Section Break (Continuous) in the document. Depending on the surrounding content and view, Word displays the label across a dotted or dashed line. Confirm that it says “Continuous.” A Page Break or a Section Break (Next Page) is a different marker and may have a different effect when removed. If you see only paragraph symbols, enlarge the document view or scroll through the area slowly.
Save a checkpoint if the layout matters. If the document uses different columns, margins, page orientation, headers, footers, or page numbering near the break, save a copy before editing. You can use File > Save As and give the copy a new name. This is useful because deleting a section break can change formatting across a section, even though it does not normally delete the text around it.
Place the insertion point immediately before the break. Click just to the left of the Section Break (Continuous) marker. Avoid dragging across the line or highlighting the paragraph above or below it. If the insertion point is difficult to position with the mouse, click near the marker and use the left or right arrow keys until the cursor is directly beside it. The goal is to remove the break character alone, not any words or paragraph marks.
Delete the break. With the cursor immediately before the marker, press Delete once. Alternatively, place the cursor immediately after the marker and press Backspace once. The label should disappear. If a word, paragraph, or larger section disappears, immediately press Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac to undo, then try again with the cursor positioned closer to the marker.
Check the joined section and save. Review the paragraphs on both sides of the former break. Confirm that the text is present and that the page layout, columns, margins, orientation, headers, footers, and page numbering still look right. If the result is acceptable, save with Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac. You can turn Show/Hide off from the Home tab when you finish; hiding the marks does not restore or remove any breaks.

When Word combines two sections, the combined section generally takes its section formatting from the section that followed the deleted break. That is why the edit can affect more than the line where the marker appeared. If the layout changes in a way you do not want, undo the deletion rather than trying to repair several settings without a reference copy.

Common Mistakes

Deleting a page break instead of a continuous section break. A page break moves following text to a new page. A continuous section break starts a new section without necessarily starting a new page. Make sure the displayed marker has the word “Continuous” before removing it.
Removing the wrong kind of section break. A break labeled Next Page, Odd Page, or Even Page controls where the next section begins. Deleting one may change pagination substantially. If the document needs the section boundary for layout, consider changing the section settings instead of removing the break.
Selecting nearby content along with the marker. It can be easy to select a paragraph mark or text when dragging with a mouse. Use a single Delete or Backspace from beside the marker, then check that no text has vanished. Undo right away if the selection was larger than intended.
Assuming the change is only local. A continuous break may separate sections with different columns, page setup, headers, footers, or numbering. Deleting it can make the two sides use the same section formatting. Check the affected pages, not just the spot where you edited.
Thinking Show/Hide changes the document. The ¶ button only displays or hides nonprinting marks. It does not add, remove, or print a break. If the label is visible, it is a useful editing indicator, not text that will appear on paper.

Tips

Use Undo as a quick safety net. If the page layout shifts or text disappears, undo immediately before making other edits. Then save a copy or note the original section settings before attempting another change.
Compare the two sections before deleting. Click in a paragraph on each side of the break and inspect relevant layout settings, such as Layout > Columns or Layout > Orientation. If the settings differ intentionally, removing the break is likely to remove a distinction the document relies on.
Check headers and footers separately. Double-click a header or footer near the break to inspect it. Sections can have different headers and footers, including different first-page headers or page numbering. If those differences are deliberate, keep the section break or plan how to recreate the desired arrangement after joining the sections.
Keep formatting marks on while troubleshooting. Paragraph symbols and break labels make it easier to distinguish a blank paragraph from a break. Turn them off only after you have confirmed the edit, rather than guessing from extra white space on the page.
Use a copy for complex documents. Long reports, forms, and documents with many section-specific settings can be difficult to restore by memory. A separate copy lets you compare the original and edited versions if the merged section does not behave as expected.

Troubleshooting

I cannot find a “Section Break (Continuous)” label. Turn on Show/Hide from Home > Paragraph > Show/Hide ¶ and inspect the suspected location again. Make sure you are in the document body rather than a header, footer, text box, or another separate editing area. If the marker says Page Break or has a different section-break type, it is not the continuous break described here. If you are using Word for the web and cannot manage the break as needed, open the file in the desktop Word app, where the full section-layout controls are available.

Pressing Delete removes text or a paragraph. Undo immediately. Turn on formatting marks and reposition the cursor so it is directly before the break label; then press Delete once. If that is awkward, click directly after the label and press Backspace once. Do not select the whole line unless you can clearly see that the selection contains only the break.

The page layout changes after the break is removed. Undo to restore the original boundary. Compare the section settings on either side, including margins, paper orientation, columns, headers and footers, and page numbering. If you still want a single section, decide which settings should apply to the combined area, then remove the break and apply those settings deliberately. If the two areas must keep different layouts, the section break is doing necessary work and should usually remain.

The break seems to return or the document behaves oddly. Check whether Track Changes is on. In Word, edits may be recorded rather than immediately accepted; review the change in the Review tab and accept or reject it according to the document’s review process. Also check that you are editing the current saved copy and not reopening an older version. Avoid repeatedly deleting adjacent paragraph marks, because that can alter spacing or merge paragraphs without solving the section-break issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a continuous page break the same as a continuous section break?
In Word’s terminology, the relevant marker is a Section Break (Continuous). It begins a new section at the current position rather than forcing the following text to a new page. “Continuous page break” is a common informal description, but it is not the label Word uses.

Will deleting a continuous section break delete my text?
Deleting the break itself does not normally delete the words around it; it joins the two sections. However, a mistaken selection can remove nearby text, so check the result and use Undo if content disappears. The layout can also change because the merged section uses one set of section formatting.

Why did my columns or margins change after I deleted it?
The break was separating sections with different settings. When you remove it, Word combines those sections, so the combined area cannot retain two conflicting section layouts. Undo if the difference was intentional, or choose the settings you want for the joined section after making a backup.

Can I remove the break without showing formatting marks?
It is possible to position the cursor by feel, but showing marks makes the exact break visible and reduces the chance of deleting text or a paragraph mark. Use Home > Paragraph > Show/Hide ¶ on Windows, or the Show/Hide button on the Mac Home tab, then turn the marks off when finished.

Does deleting the break affect printing?
The formatting marks themselves do not print. Removing the section break can affect printed layout if it changes margins, columns, orientation, headers, footers, or pagination. Review the document in Print Preview after editing if the printed appearance matters.

Should I delete a continuous section break if it is at the end of a page?
Only if the section boundary is not needed. A continuous break can sit at the end of a page because of the surrounding text or layout, even though its purpose is not to start a new page. Check the section settings on both sides before removing it; if the pages need different formatting, keep the break.

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

More in How-to basics

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

Spotted an error in this guide? Let us know.