How to Delete a Page in Word at the End of a Document

To delete an unwanted page at the end of a Word document, turn on formatting marks, go to the end, and remove the extra paragraph marks or page break causing it. If the final page contains text you no longer need, select and delete that content. Before changing a section break or a document with important formatting, save a copy so you can restore the layout if needed.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, or Word for Mac. The ribbon labels are similar, though keyboard shortcuts differ.
The document you want to edit. If it is important or shared, save a separate copy before making layout changes.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and check that you are at the end. Click in the document, then press Ctrl+End on Windows. In Word for Mac, press Command+End; on some compact keyboards, you may need Fn+Command+Right Arrow. You can also scroll to the bottom. If the last page contains text, confirm that it is content you intend to remove before deleting it.
Show formatting marks. On Windows, choose Home > Show/Hide ¶, or press Ctrl+Shift+8. On Mac, choose Home > Show/Hide ¶, or press Command+8. The marks are editing aids and will not print. You may see paragraph symbols (¶), a Page Break label, or a Section Break label. These reveal what is creating the final page.
Look at the page before the blank one as well as the last page. A blank final page may be caused by a mark or break at the bottom of the preceding page. With formatting marks visible, inspect the end of the document and note whether the last page has text, empty paragraph marks, a manual page break, a section break, or a table at the end. The right fix depends on what you find.
Remove extra paragraph marks. If the last page contains only one or more empty paragraph marks, drag across those marks or click just before the first extra mark and hold Shift while clicking after the last one. Press Backspace on Windows or Delete on Mac to remove the selection. Another option is to place the cursor after an extra paragraph mark and press Backspace. Work from the end toward the preceding page, one mark at a time, and stop when the unwanted page disappears. Avoid deleting marks that separate paragraphs you want to keep.
Delete a manual page break if one is present. A manual break appears as a line labeled Page Break when formatting marks are shown. Click immediately before that label and press Delete, or click immediately after it and press Backspace. Check the document afterward: text that was below the break will move up, which is usually the intended result, but it may change where following content falls across pages.
Handle a section break with care. A Section Break (Next Page), Odd Page, or Even Page can deliberately start a section on a new page. Deleting it may remove the blank page, but it can also change headers, footers, page numbering, margins, columns, or orientation because section formatting can be tied to the break. If you need to preserve the separate section, put the cursor in the section after the break and choose Layout > Page Setup dialog launcher > Layout. Set Section start to Continuous, then check the layout. The dialog launcher is the small arrow in the Page Setup group. If a section break is genuinely unnecessary, select the break itself and delete it, then review the formatting of both sections.
Check for a required paragraph after a table. Word keeps a final paragraph mark after a table at the end of a document. If that mark spills onto a new page, Word may not let you remove it. Click the paragraph mark after the table and select it, then set its font size to 1 pt on the Home tab. If the page remains, open the Paragraph dialog and set spacing before and after to 0 pt and line spacing to Exactly 1 pt. Do not delete the table or shrink its contents unless you mean to change the table itself.
Review the result and hide the marks. Scroll through the end of the document to make sure the last intended text, table, headers, and page numbering remain intact. Press Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or Command+8 on Mac, or click Home > Show/Hide ¶ again, to hide the formatting marks. Save the document after confirming the page is gone.

Common Mistakes

Deleting a section break without checking its effect. This can change the layout of the pages before the break, not just remove the blank page. If you need different headers, orientation, or numbering in the next section, try changing the section start to Continuous and inspect the result before deleting anything.
Removing every paragraph mark near the end. Paragraph marks store paragraph formatting and separate text. Delete only the extra marks responsible for the unwanted page. If you remove one that belongs to text you want to keep, undo immediately with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac.
Assuming a blank-looking page has no content. A page can contain a break, a tiny paragraph, or a table-related mark that is not obvious with formatting marks hidden. Turn them on before editing so you can identify the cause.
Using repeated Backspace without watching the page. Backspace can remove a break and then continue deleting text or formatting if you keep pressing it. Make one change at a time and check the page after each change.
Trying to delete the final mark after a table. That final paragraph is required by Word. Shrink its formatting instead of repeatedly pressing Backspace or changing the table unintentionally.

Tips

Save a working copy before adjusting section breaks, page setup, or a complex table. Word’s Undo is useful, but a separate copy gives you a straightforward way to restore the original layout.
Use the status bar or scroll bar to confirm that the unwanted page is the final page, especially in a long document with multiple sections. A page that appears blank may contain a header, footer, or an object anchored to a paragraph.
If you are unsure which mark is responsible, remove or adjust one item at a time. This makes it easier to identify the change that fixed the page and undo only that change if the layout shifts unexpectedly.
After editing a document with different page numbering or headers, inspect the last few pages in Print Layout. A change that looks fine in the text area can still affect section-specific headers, footers, or page numbering.

Troubleshooting

The blank page is still there after deleting empty paragraphs. Turn on formatting marks again and inspect the preceding page for a Page Break or Section Break. Also check whether the final paragraph mark follows a table. Remove a manual page break, review a section break carefully, or reduce the trailing table paragraph to 1 pt as described above.

Deleting the break changes earlier pages. Undo the change right away with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac. A section break may control the formatting of both sections. Instead of deleting it, set the following section’s start to Continuous through Layout > Page Setup dialog launcher > Layout > Section start, then inspect margins, headers, footers, and numbering. If the sections require different page layouts, a blank page may be intentional; check the section’s start type before changing it.

The page disappears but text or formatting moves unexpectedly. Undo, then identify the exact mark before trying again. Removing a paragraph mark can merge paragraphs and apply the remaining paragraph’s formatting; removing a section break can carry formatting into the prior section. Make smaller edits and review the document after each one.

The page looks blank in the document but appears when printed or saved as PDF. Check Print Layout and inspect the final page, including headers and footers, floating objects, and the paragraph after any table. A printer or page-size setting can also affect pagination. Confirm the paper size under Layout > Size and use Print Preview to see whether the extra page is part of the document’s layout.

The ribbon or shortcut does not match. Make sure you are using Word, not another editor that opens the file. On Windows, the Show/Hide shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+8; on Mac, it is Command+8. If a shortcut is intercepted by your keyboard or system, use Home > Show/Hide ¶ instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word add a blank page at the end?

Common causes include extra paragraph marks, a manual page break, a section set to start on a new or odd-numbered page, or the required paragraph after a table. Show formatting marks to see which cause applies.

Can I delete the last page without affecting the rest of the document?

Usually, if it is caused by extra empty paragraphs or a manual page break. Section breaks can control formatting across pages, so review the layout and use Undo if headers, numbering, or page setup change.

Why can’t I delete the paragraph mark after my table?

Word requires a paragraph after a table that ends the document. Select that mark and reduce its font size to 1 pt; if needed, set its paragraph spacing to zero and line spacing to Exactly 1 pt.

How do I remove a page that has text on it?

Select only the text and objects on that final page and delete them, then check for leftover paragraph marks or breaks. If the content is part of a section or table, review the layout before removing its break or structure.

Do the formatting marks show up in print?

No. Paragraph symbols and break labels are editing marks. Hide them with Home > Show/Hide ¶ when you are finished; they do not print as part of the document.

Will these steps work in Word for Mac?

Yes. The same general approach applies in Word for Mac: show formatting marks, identify the cause, and remove or adjust it. Use Command+8 to toggle marks and Command+Z to undo; the Windows shortcuts use Ctrl instead.

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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