How to Delete a Page in Word on Windows: Step by Step

To delete a page in Word on Windows, press Ctrl+G, enter \page in the Go To box, press Enter, close the dialog, then press Delete. For an empty page, first show formatting marks with Ctrl+Shift+8 so you can remove the page break or extra paragraph marks causing it. Save a copy before changing section breaks or complex layouts, since deleting content can change pagination and formatting elsewhere.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on a Windows computer, with the document open.
Permission to edit the document. If it is read-only or protected, you may need to save an editable copy or ask the document owner to unlock it.
For important documents, a saved backup or a duplicate copy. Removing a page can shift text, tables, page numbers, and section formatting.

Step-by-Step

Save the document and identify the page. If you know its page number, note it before editing. If you need to locate it, choose View > Navigation Pane and use the Pages tab to browse page thumbnails. You can also scroll through the document. Remember that page numbers are calculated from the current layout and can change after you remove content.
Delete a page that contains text or other content. Click anywhere in the page you want to remove, then press Ctrl+G to open the Find and Replace dialog on its Go To tab. In the field labeled Enter page number, type \page and press Enter. Word selects the content on the current page. Close the dialog without clicking elsewhere in the document, then press Delete. Review the pages around the deletion; their text will move up and the document may reflow.
Check what Word selected before deleting. If you are unsure, look at the highlighted text after closing the dialog. The selection should cover the material on the intended page, not a passage you want to keep. If the selection is wrong, click elsewhere or press an arrow key to cancel it, then repeat the steps from a point on the correct page. Save with Ctrl+S after confirming the result.
Show formatting marks when the page is blank. A visually empty page usually contains a break or paragraph mark that Word still treats as content. Press Ctrl+Shift+8, or choose Home > Show/Hide ¶. Paragraph marks appear as ¶, and page or section breaks are labeled. These marks do not print. Turning them on makes it easier to find the exact item creating the page.
Remove a manual page break. If the blank page contains a line labeled Page Break, click just before that line and press Delete, or click just after it and press Backspace. Check the next page afterward: its content should move up. Do not delete a nearby paragraph mark unless you intend to merge paragraphs or change their formatting.
Remove extra paragraph marks. If the blank page consists of one or more ¶ marks, select the extra marks and press Delete or Backspace. Keep an eye on the paragraph above them, because deleting paragraph marks can join text or transfer formatting. If the page appears after a table at the end of a document, Word may require a final paragraph mark. In that case, select that final mark and set its font size to 1 point using the font-size box on the Home tab rather than trying to remove it.
Handle a section break carefully. If the blank page contains a Section Break (Next Page), deleting it may remove the page, but it can also make the surrounding sections share page setup, headers, footers, or numbering. Save a copy first. If the next section should begin on the same page, consider changing the break instead: click in the section that follows it, open Layout > Page Setup using the small dialog launcher in the Page Setup group, choose the Layout tab, and set Section start to Continuous. Confirm that the layout still looks right.
Turn off formatting marks and review the document. Press Ctrl+Shift+8 again or click Home > Show/Hide ¶. Check the page before and after the removal, then scroll through the document to catch changes to headings, tables, footers, and page numbering. If the result is not right, press Ctrl+Z immediately to undo the last change, or reopen the saved copy.

Common Mistakes

Deleting the wrong page. Page numbers may not match what you see if the document has a title page, section-specific numbering, or different numbering formats. Locate the content visually before using Go To, and verify the selection before pressing Delete.
Assuming a blank page is empty. Hidden paragraph marks, a page break, or a section break can force Word to create a page. Show formatting marks and remove the cause rather than repeatedly pressing Backspace at the top of the page.
Removing a section break without checking the layout. Section breaks can control orientation, margins, columns, headers, footers, and page numbering. Deleting one can affect pages beyond the blank page, so use a backup and inspect the surrounding sections.
Deleting text when you mean to remove a page. Word does not treat a page as a separate object. Removing its contents changes the document flow; it does not reserve a blank space or guarantee the later pages keep their original numbers.
Pressing Backspace repeatedly. This may remove a heading, merge paragraphs, or erase a break that was serving a purpose. Use formatting marks to identify the specific cause and undo promptly if the document changes unexpectedly.

Tips

Use Go To for a page with substantial content. The \page selection is quicker and more precise than dragging across several screens of text. Always check the highlight before deleting, especially in documents with tables or mixed layouts.
Use the Navigation Pane to orient yourself. Open View > Navigation Pane, then choose Pages to see thumbnails. This helps you distinguish the page you want from a page that has moved after an earlier edit.
Keep formatting marks visible while diagnosing. They reveal breaks and paragraph marks that are otherwise invisible. You can leave them on while editing; they are editing aids and will not appear on a printed page or in a PDF.
Make one change at a time. Remove one break or group of extra marks, then check the page layout. If several breaks are deleted at once, it can be difficult to tell which change affected headers, orientation, or pagination.
Use the Mac shortcut only if working on a Mac. In Word for Mac, use Command+G instead of Ctrl+G to open Go To. The Windows steps and ribbon locations above are for Word on Windows; some dialog details can differ between platforms.

Troubleshooting

The page is still there after deleting its contents. Turn on formatting marks and inspect the bottom of the preceding page and the blank page itself. A manual page break, a section break, or extra paragraph marks may remain. Remove the specific break or extra marks, then check whether the page disappears. If it is the last page after a table, keep the required final paragraph mark and reduce its font to 1 point instead.

Word selected the wrong content with \page. Make sure the cursor was on the page you intended before opening Go To. Cancel the selection, click inside the target page, and repeat. If page numbering is confusing, use the Navigation Pane thumbnails to identify the page visually rather than relying only on the displayed number. Avoid clicking in the document after selecting the page and before pressing Delete, because that replaces the selection.

Deleting a section break changed headers or page orientation. Press Ctrl+Z right away if the change was unintended. If you already made other edits, reopen the backup copy to restore the layout. To remove a forced new page while keeping sections, try changing the following section’s start setting to Continuous through the Page Setup dialog. Then compare headers, footers, orientation, margins, and numbering across the affected pages.

The final blank page will not go away. Turn on formatting marks and check whether a table ends immediately before the last paragraph mark. Word must retain that final mark. Select it, set the font size to 1 point, and check whether the extra page disappears. If it remains, inspect paragraph spacing or page margins: select the final paragraph, open the Paragraph dialog from the Home tab, and check spacing before and after. Avoid changing document-wide margins unless you want that adjustment on every affected page.

The document is protected or the selection cannot be edited. Check whether Word shows a Protected View or read-only message. Use Enable Editing only if you trust the file. If editing is restricted, choose File > Info > Protect Document to review available protection options, or ask the owner for an editable version. Do not try to bypass a password or access restriction you are not authorized to change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a page without deleting its text?
No. Word lays out pages dynamically rather than treating each page as an independent object. To remove a page, you remove or move the content or break that creates it. If you need the text, cut it and paste it elsewhere before removing the page.

What is the fastest way to delete one page in Word?
Click on the page, press Ctrl+G, enter \page, press Enter, close the dialog, and press Delete. Check the selection and the resulting layout before saving.

How do I delete a blank page at the end of a Word document?
Turn on formatting marks with Ctrl+Shift+8, then remove a page break or extra paragraph marks. If the page follows a table, keep Word’s final paragraph mark and set its font size to 1 point.

Why does deleting a page change my page numbers?
Word recalculates page numbers when content is removed, and later content moves up. Sections may also use separate numbering settings. Check the page-number format in the relevant section if the numbering does not follow the sequence you expect.

Will deleting a section break delete my header or footer?
It can change how the surrounding sections use headers and footers, along with other layout settings. Save a copy first and inspect the affected pages. If you only need to avoid a new page, changing the section start to Continuous may preserve the section boundary.

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

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