How to Delete the Last Empty Page in Microsoft Word

To delete a last empty page in Word, go to the end of the document, turn on formatting marks with Ctrl+Shift+8 in Windows or Command+8 on Mac, and remove the extra paragraph mark or page break you find. If the page follows a table, Word may require you to shrink the final paragraph mark instead. Save a copy first if the document has complex section formatting.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac, preferably the desktop app for the full set of layout controls.
A document you can edit. If it is read-only, protected, or open in a preview, first make an editable copy or ask the document owner for permission.

Step-by-Step

Go to the end of the document. Click in the document and press Ctrl+End on Windows. On Mac, scroll to the final page or use Word’s end-of-document shortcut if it is available on your keyboard; shortcut behavior can vary with the keyboard layout. Check that you are at the actual end of the document, not just the end of a text box, table cell, or selected section. If the blank page is not the final page, these steps still help, but inspect the page immediately before and after the unwanted page.
Show formatting marks. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+8; on Mac, press Command+8. You can also select the paragraph mark button, ¶, on the Home tab. The marks are editing aids and do not print. They reveal paragraph marks, page breaks, section breaks, and empty paragraphs that normal page view hides. Do not worry if the document suddenly looks crowded; you can hide the marks again when you finish.
Look for extra paragraph marks on the blank page. If you see one or more ¶ symbols, click just before the first mark on the empty page and press Backspace, or click after a mark and press Delete. Remove only the extra marks. A paragraph mark contains formatting for the paragraph before it, so deleting one at a time makes it easier to notice if text or spacing changes. Stop when the blank page disappears or when only a required final mark remains.
Remove a manual page break if one is visible. Word displays a manual break as a labeled line reading Page Break. Click immediately before that line and press Delete, or immediately after it and press Backspace. The following text may move up to the previous page, which is normally the intended result. If the page break was deliberate, deleting it may change pagination; undo with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac, then adjust the content or use a different layout choice.
Check for a section break before deleting it. A line labeled Section Break (Next Page), Section Break (Odd Page), or Section Break (Even Page) can force a new page. Deleting a section break can also merge the sections and change headers, footers, page numbering, margins, or orientation. If you do not need the section boundary, place the cursor just before the break and delete it, then inspect those settings. If you need the section’s formatting, change its start type instead: place the cursor in the section that begins after the break, open the Layout tab’s Page Setup dialog launcher, choose the Layout tab in the dialog, and set Section start to Continuous where appropriate. The exact choice depends on whether that section must begin on a new page.
Fix a blank page caused by the final table. Word requires a paragraph mark after a table at the end of a document, and that mark can spill onto a new page when the table fills the previous one. You usually cannot remove this required mark. Click the final ¶ after the table and set its font size to 1 pt from Home > Font Size. If needed, open the Paragraph dialog from the launcher in the Home tab’s Paragraph group, set spacing before and after to 0 pt, and set line spacing to Exactly 1 pt. The tiny mark should take up less space and may fit on the page with the table. Avoid selecting the table itself when changing the paragraph mark’s font.
Check the result and hide the marks. Confirm the extra page is gone and the text, table, headers, and page numbering still look right. Press Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or Command+8 on Mac again, or click ¶ on the Home tab, to hide formatting marks. Save the document, then reopen or export a PDF if the page count matters; pagination can change slightly between Word, printers, and file formats.

Common Mistakes

Deleting a section break without checking its effect. A section break can control a landscape page, different margins, a new header, or page numbering. Removing it may make the blank page disappear while unexpectedly changing pages elsewhere. Identify the break type first and, when the section’s formatting matters, change the section start setting rather than removing the boundary.

Using Backspace repeatedly without watching the page. At the end of a document, Backspace can remove paragraph marks that format the preceding text or table. Work one mark at a time, and use Undo promptly if text joins, spacing changes, or formatting shifts in an unexpected way.

Trying to delete the required paragraph after a table. Word keeps a final paragraph after a table. If that mark is the only thing on the last page, reduce its font and paragraph spacing instead of trying to erase it. Deleting or resizing content in the table is not the first fix and can damage the document’s information.

Assuming every blank page is truly empty. A page can contain a manual break, an empty paragraph with large spacing, a floating object anchor, or a section break that does not appear until formatting marks are on. Check the page with marks visible before changing layout settings.

Tips

Make a copy before changing section breaks in a document with multiple headers, footers, or page orientations. A quick duplicate gives you a safe way to compare the original if several pages reflow.

Use Print Layout while diagnosing pagination. It shows page boundaries and is easier for spotting a genuine extra page than Draft view. The formatting marks still help in either view, and they do not appear in print.

If deleting a paragraph makes the previous paragraph look different, the deleted mark may have carried its formatting. Undo, then inspect paragraph spacing and page-break options before trying again. If the page appears only after printing or saving as PDF, check the printer paper size and margins as well as Word’s on-screen layout.

On Mac, the commands are similar: use the Home tab’s paragraph mark button or Command+8 to show marks, and use the Layout tab for page setup controls. Depending on the Word for Mac version and window width, some controls may appear in a dialog or a condensed ribbon menu. If a control is not visible, widen the window or open the relevant dialog rather than guessing at a setting.

Troubleshooting

The page remains after you delete the visible paragraph marks. Look again for a labeled page or section break, and check that your cursor was on the final page rather than in the preceding page’s content. If the page follows a table, leave its required final paragraph mark in place and shrink it as described above. Also inspect the preceding paragraph’s spacing: select that paragraph and open the Paragraph dialog to check for unusually large spacing after it.

The section break is not visible, but Word still adds a page. The section may start on an odd or even page. With formatting marks on, inspect for an Odd Page or Even Page break. If you need the section, change its start type in the Page Setup dialog as described in the steps. Note that changing an odd-page section to a continuous section can alter the intended layout, so check the pages around the change.

Text moves or formatting changes when you remove a break. Press Undo immediately. A section break stores the formatting of the section before it, so removing it can transfer settings. Consider keeping the break and changing the section start type, or ask the document’s author which page setup is intended. For a manual page break, check whether the next paragraph has Page break before enabled: select that paragraph, open the Paragraph dialog, and inspect Line and Page Breaks.

The final page appears only in a PDF or printout. In Word, compare the document in Print Layout and review print preview. Confirm the paper size and printer settings match the document’s intended page size; a different paper size can push a paragraph onto another page. A table close to the bottom margin may also need a small reduction in row height or cell spacing, but adjust it only after checking the final paragraph mark and page setup.

You are using Word for the web and cannot find a control. The web app may not expose every detailed section or paragraph setting. Open the file in the desktop Word app using the editing or open-in-desktop option, make the change there, and save it. If the file is shared, make sure you have editing permission before attempting to change the layout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word add a blank page at the end?
Usually, an extra paragraph mark, manual page break, or section break is forcing content onto another page. A final table can also leave a required paragraph mark that does not fit on the page with the table.

Can I delete the paragraph mark after a table?
No. Word requires a paragraph after a table at the end of a document. Reduce that mark to 1 pt and remove its extra paragraph spacing so it can fit on the preceding page.

Will deleting a section break change my headers or page numbers?
It can. Removing a section break may merge section formatting, affecting headers, footers, orientation, margins, and numbering. Save a copy first or change the section start type while keeping the section boundary.

How do I show hidden page breaks in Word?
Turn on formatting marks with Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or Command+8 on Mac, or click ¶ on the Home tab. Manual and section breaks appear as labeled lines.

Can I remove the page in Word for the web?
You can delete visible extra paragraphs or breaks if the web app allows editing, but detailed section and paragraph settings may be limited. Open the document in desktop Word for the full layout controls.

Why does the blank page come back after I save?
Pagination may be recalculated when Word applies a printer’s paper size, margins, or fonts, or when the document is reopened on another device. Check the page setup and final paragraph mark, and compare the same file in Print Layout or print preview.

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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