Remove an Extra Page After a Section Break in Word

To remove an extra page after a section break in Word, show formatting marks with Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or Command+8 on Mac, then locate the break causing the page. Delete that break if you do not need a separate section, or change the section’s start setting from Next Page, Odd Page, or Even Page to Continuous if the sections must remain separate.

Why a section break can create a blank page

A section break divides a document into parts so they can use different formatting. Sections can have their own margins, page orientation, columns, headers and footers, and page-number settings. A blank page often appears because the break tells Word where the next section must begin, not because the document contains an ordinary blank page that can be removed like a line of text.

The break type matters. A Next Page section break starts the next section on the following page. If the break is already at the end of a page, the next section begins on a new page as intended; if other content or a page break is involved, the result may look like an unwanted extra page. An Odd Page or Even Page break starts the next section on a page with the specified parity. Word may insert a blank page to make that happen. For example, an Odd Page break after page 4 starts the next section on page 5, while one after page 5 may require a blank page 6 so the section can start on page 7.

Those blank pages are sometimes deliberate in reports, books, or documents designed for double-sided printing. First decide whether the page is genuinely unwanted or is fulfilling the section’s page-start rule.

Find the break and identify what is on the page

Turn on formatting marks before changing anything. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, use Home > Paragraph > Show/Hide ¶, or press Ctrl+Shift+8. On Mac, use Home > Show/Hide ¶ or Command+8. The paragraph mark and break labels are editing aids; they do not print.

Look for a dotted or dashed line labeled Section Break (Next Page), Section Break (Odd Page), or Section Break (Even Page). Also check for a separate Page Break nearby. A manual page break and a section break are different: removing the manual page break may solve the issue while preserving the section’s formatting. If the blank page contains paragraph marks or other content instead of a section-break label, deleting the section break may not be the right fix.

Use the Navigation pane or scroll through the document to inspect the blank page and the pages immediately before and after it.
Check whether the next section begins on an odd or even page, especially in a document prepared for printing on both sides.
Look for a manual Page Break, extra empty paragraphs, or a large table near the end of the preceding page.

Delete the section break when you do not need two sections

If the two parts of the document should share the same section formatting, remove the break itself. With formatting marks visible, click immediately before the Section Break label and press Delete. Alternatively, click immediately after the break and press Backspace. On a Mac, use Delete (the key that deletes backward) after the break, or Fn+Delete to delete forward, depending on where the cursor is. Confirm that the break—not text or a paragraph mark you want to keep—is selected for removal.

Deleting a section break joins the surrounding content into one section. Word applies the resulting section’s settings to the combined section; this can change layout beyond the blank page. For example, a landscape page may become portrait, columns may disappear, or headers, footers, and page numbering may change. Save a copy first if the document has complex formatting. After deletion, review the pages around the former break and inspect headers, footers, margins, orientation, and numbering.

If only a manual Page Break is responsible, place the cursor at the start of the blank page and remove that page-break mark instead. Avoid repeatedly pressing Backspace at the top of a page without formatting marks: it is easy to delete the section break by mistake and merge sections.

Keep the sections but change where the next one starts

When the sections need different formatting but should not necessarily begin on a new page, change the section-start setting rather than deleting the break. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, click in the section that follows the break. Open the Layout tab, then the Page Setup dialog launcher (the small arrow in that group). In the dialog’s Layout tab, choose Continuous from Section start, then select OK.

On Mac, click in the following section and open Format > Document, then use the Layout settings to change Section start to Continuous. The exact controls can vary slightly by Word version. If you cannot find that setting, use Word’s desktop app rather than assuming a blank-page deletion will preserve the section.

A continuous section break keeps the sections separate while allowing the next section to continue on the same page where possible. It is useful for changes such as a different number of columns within a page. However, some layout changes cannot sensibly start mid-page. If the following section changes orientation or other page-level settings, Word may move content or adjust the layout. Review the result, and choose Next Page if a new page is actually needed.

Understand Odd Page and Even Page breaks

Odd Page and Even Page breaks are commonly used for book-style layouts where chapters should begin on a particular side of a printed spread. Odd-numbered pages are typically right-hand pages in standard left-to-right books. If the previous section ends on the wrong page number, Word inserts a blank page so the next section can begin on the requested parity.

If you are preparing an ordinary document for screen reading or single-sided printing, change the break to Next Page or Continuous when the parity rule is unnecessary. Do not just delete a generated blank page without checking the break type: the page may return when Word repaginates the document, or the next section may begin on the wrong side in a printed copy. Page numbering can also make the sequence confusing, so check the actual page numbers in the footer rather than relying only on their positions in the document window.

When the blank page is not caused by the section break

Formatting marks can reveal other common causes. If the blank page contains a Page Break label, remove that manual break if it is not needed. If it contains several paragraph marks (¶), select the unwanted empty paragraphs and delete them. A large paragraph spacing value or a paragraph setting that forces a page break can also push content onto another page.

A table at the end of a document is a special case. Word keeps a paragraph mark after a table, and that final mark cannot simply be deleted. If the table fills the page and the required paragraph mark spills onto a new page, select the mark and reduce its font size, for example to 1 point; also check paragraph spacing. This may bring it back onto the table’s page. Do not remove the table or its contents just to eliminate the mark.

Another clue is that the supposed blank page may only appear in Print Layout or print preview because the document’s content is being repaginated. If the page changes after you edit text, adjust margins, or switch printers, check the surrounding paragraphs and page setup rather than assuming the section break is the sole cause.

Prevent formatting surprises after the fix

After removing or changing a break, inspect both the page before it and the first page after it. A section break can carry a change in formatting that is easy to overlook when the document is viewed at a reduced zoom. In particular, check whether the first page after the break has the intended orientation and margins, and whether its header and footer are linked as intended.

Use Print Layout and, where relevant, Print Preview to confirm the page count and the printed result.
Check page numbers for an unexpected restart, continuation, or change in numbering style.
Review first-page headers and footers, including any Different First Page setting.
Save, close, and reopen the document if you need to confirm that the layout remains as expected after repagination.

On Windows, Ctrl+Z undoes a recent deletion or formatting change; on Mac, use Command+Z. Undo promptly if the sections merge in an unwanted way, then try changing the section-start type instead. Word for the web may not expose every desktop section-layout control, so open the document in the desktop app when you need to edit the section’s start setting or diagnose complex pagination.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove a blank page after a section break without changing formatting?
Keep the section break and change the following section’s start type to Continuous if that layout is appropriate. Deleting the break merges the sections and can change formatting. Check page orientation, headers, footers, and numbering after any change.

Why does Word keep bringing the blank page back?
The break may be set to Odd Page or Even Page, in which case Word adds a page to satisfy the requested page parity. A manual page break, a required paragraph after a table, or repagination can also make a page reappear. Turn on formatting marks to identify the cause.

Can I delete a section break but keep the next section’s formatting?
Not reliably by deleting the break alone. Removing it joins the sections, and Word uses the formatting of the resulting section. If the sections need different headers, margins, orientation, or other settings, retain the break and change its start type instead.

What is the shortcut to show section breaks in Word?
Press Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or Command+8 on Mac. You can also use the Show/Hide ¶ control on the Home tab. The marks are visible while editing but do not appear in print.

Should I use Next Page or Continuous for a section break?
Use Next Page when the new section should begin on a fresh page, and Continuous when it should follow on the same page where possible. Odd Page and Even Page are for layouts that require a section to begin on a page with a particular number parity.

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

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