How to Delete a Blank First Page in Microsoft Word

To delete a blank first page in Microsoft Word, show formatting marks, remove any empty paragraphs or page break causing it, then check for a section break if the page remains. These steps work in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows; the Mac shortcuts and a few dialog locations are noted below. Save a copy first if the document has complex formatting, because removing a section break can change the layout of nearby pages.

What You’ll Need

The Word document open in the desktop version of Microsoft Word. You need permission to edit it; a protected or read-only document may not allow changes.
A few minutes to inspect the beginning of the document. No add-ins or special tools are required.

Step-by-Step

Save a copy and turn on formatting marks. Use File > Save As to create a copy if you want to preserve the original. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+8, or select Home > Paragraph > Show/Hide ¶. On Mac, press Command+8 or select the Show/Hide ¶ button on the Home tab. Word will display paragraph marks, spaces, and break labels that normally do not print. These marks are useful for finding what is forcing the first page to stay. They are only visual guides; turning them on or off does not change the document or print the marks.
Inspect the blank page from top to bottom. Click near the top of page one and look for repeated paragraph marks (¶), a label such as Page Break, or a Section Break label. If you do not see the marks clearly, use the status bar or View tab to switch to Print Layout, then zoom in. You can also click at the end of the blank page and use the arrow keys to move through the content. Avoid selecting a large area by dragging, since it is easy to include text or formatting from the next page by mistake.
Remove extra empty paragraphs. If page one contains only paragraph marks, place the pointer beside the first unnecessary mark and select it, then press Delete. You can also click at the start of the first real text on page two and press Backspace to remove the paragraph mark immediately before it. Remove one mark at a time and check the page layout after each change. Keep paragraph marks that separate headings, body text, or other content; deleting a needed mark can merge paragraphs and transfer formatting from one paragraph to another.
Delete a manual page break if you find one. A manual break appears as a line labeled Page Break when formatting marks are visible. Click immediately before that label and press Delete, or click immediately after it and press Backspace. If the first actual text starts at the top of page two, you can often put the insertion point before its first character and press Backspace once. Check that the text still begins where intended. If the break was deliberately inserted to start a chapter or cover page, removing it may move that content onto page one, so decide whether that change is appropriate.
Check for a section break before deleting it. A Section Break (Next Page), Section Break (Odd Page), or Section Break (Even Page) can create a blank page. Deleting a section break may also combine the sections and change margins, headers, footers, page orientation, columns, or page numbering. If the blank page is caused by an Odd Page or Even Page section start, it may be intentional: Word inserts a blank page to make the next section begin on the required side. If you want the next section to start on the next available page instead, change its section start rather than deleting the break. On Windows, click inside the section after the break, open Layout, and use the Page Setup dialog launcher. On the Layout tab of that dialog, change Section start to New page or Continuous as appropriate. On Mac, use the Layout tab and open Page Setup to find the section layout options; names and dialog placement can vary slightly by Word release. Review headers and page numbering afterward.
Check paragraph pagination settings. If no visible break explains the page, click in the first paragraph on page two. Open the Paragraph dialog from Home > Paragraph using its dialog launcher, then select Line and Page Breaks. Check whether Page break before is selected; clear it if the paragraph should not start a new page. Also check Keep with next and Keep lines together. These settings are useful for keeping headings with their text, but when applied to a sequence of paragraphs they can push content onto later pages. Change only the setting that is causing the unwanted page, then confirm that headings and paragraphs still flow sensibly.
Confirm the result and hide the marks. Check the start of the document and the next few pages to make sure no text, header, footer, or numbering was lost. Press Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or Command+8 on Mac again to hide the formatting marks. Save the document. If you edited the original and the layout now looks wrong, use Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac immediately to undo the last change, then try a less disruptive fix.

Common Mistakes

Deleting the section break without checking its effect. A section break stores layout settings for the section before it. Removing it can make that section adopt settings from the following section, or vice versa. The result may be a different header, footer, page orientation, margin, or numbering style even though the blank page disappears. Before deleting one, note the break type and inspect section formatting. Changing an Odd Page or Even Page start to New page is often safer when the only problem is an unwanted parity blank.

Deleting visible content along with the blank space. A paragraph mark may be attached to a heading, table, or other content that is not obvious at first glance. Select the specific break or empty paragraph rather than a whole page. If you use Backspace from the start of page two, press it once and immediately inspect the result before pressing again.

Assuming every blank page is caused by an empty paragraph. Page break before, Keep with next, an odd-page section start, or a table can affect pagination without looking like a simple run of empty lines. Show formatting marks first and check paragraph settings before making repeated deletions.

Forgetting that pagination changes after editing. Removing a break can pull text upward and shift every following page. Page numbers, captions, and references to page locations may need a quick review. A blank page that appears only in Print Preview can also be caused by the document’s layout rather than an extra printable character.

Tips

Use the arrow keys to move the insertion point across a break label, then use Delete or Backspace. This is usually more precise than selecting with the mouse.
Make one change at a time. If the page disappears, inspect the document before trying another deletion; otherwise it may be difficult to identify which change affected the layout.
If the blank page is at the beginning of a document with a cover, title page, or different first-page header, check Layout settings before removing a section break. The blank page may be part of the intended design.
Use Print Layout and Print Preview to confirm what will print. A page that looks empty on screen may contain a header, footer, or hidden mark, while a layout gap can look different in other views.
Keep a copy of the original when editing a long report or a document with multiple sections. This gives you a safe way to compare headers, footers, and page numbering if they change.

Troubleshooting

The page is still there after deleting paragraph marks. Turn formatting marks back on and look for a Page Break or Section Break label. If neither appears, select the first paragraph on page two, open its Paragraph dialog, and check Page break before and the keep options. Also inspect whether the section starts on an odd or even page. Word may be reserving a page to honor that setting.

Deleting the break changes the header, footer, or page numbers. Undo immediately with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac. Restore the break, then adjust the section start or copy the intended section settings before making another change. Sections can have separate first-page headers, different odd and even headers, and independent page-number formats, so verify each of these in the affected section.

The first page is not blank in Print Preview. Check for white or hidden text, a page number, a header, a footer, or an object positioned outside the main text area. Click in the blank-looking area if possible and inspect the selection. You can also check the header and footer by double-clicking near the top or bottom of the page. If the document is set to print a range, confirm that the selected print range is not adding an extra page.

The blank page appears after a table. Word requires a paragraph after a table at the end of a document. If that final paragraph is pushed onto a new page, select its paragraph mark and reduce its font size or paragraph spacing rather than deleting the required mark. If the page is at the beginning, check for a table or paragraph with page-break settings and inspect the content immediately before the table.

You cannot edit or delete anything. Look for a Protected View banner or a read-only notice. Select Enable Editing if you trust the file and Word offers that option. Otherwise, use File > Save As to make an editable copy, or ask the document owner to remove editing restrictions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is there a blank first page in Word?

Common causes include extra paragraph marks, a manual page break, a section break set to start on an odd or even page, or paragraph pagination settings such as Page break before. Showing formatting marks helps distinguish these causes.

Can I delete a blank page without changing the rest of the document?

Often, yes: removing a genuinely empty paragraph or an unintended manual page break is usually straightforward. Section breaks control layout, however, so changing or deleting one can affect headers, footers, margins, orientation, and page numbering. Review the pages around the change.

What does a Section Break (Odd Page) do?

It starts the following section on an odd-numbered page. If the next available page is even, Word leaves a blank page so the section can begin on an odd page. Change the section start to New page if that blank page is not needed for your layout.

How do I show paragraph marks in Word for Mac?

Press Command+8, or select the Show/Hide ¶ button on the Home tab. Press the shortcut or click the button again to hide the marks. These marks do not appear in printed output.

Will deleting the blank page change my page numbers?

It can. Removing a page shifts later content, and changing a section break can alter how page numbers are formatted or continued. After the edit, check the first pages of every affected section and confirm the numbering matches your intended layout.

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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