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To change every page in a Word document, choose Layout > Size, then select Letter or A4. To change only part of the document, put that portion in its own section and change the paper size for that section. Either change can alter page breaks and text wrapping, so check the result in Print Preview before printing or sharing.

Choose whole-document or section-specific sizing

Use the document-wide option when all pages need the same paper format. Use section-specific sizing when, for example, one part must use a different format from the rest. Letter and A4 are not interchangeable merely because both are common paper sizes: select the format required by the intended printer, recipient, or submission.

Approach Scope What to do Platform note
Document-wide Every page Choose Layout > Size, then select Letter or A4. Menu labels and placement can vary by Word version and platform.
Section-specific One portion of the document Separate the portion with section breaks, then change the page size for the intended section in Page Setup. Word for the web cannot add section breaks; use the desktop application to create them.

Change the paper size for the entire document

  1. Open the document in Word.
  2. Go to Layout > Size.
  3. Select Letter or A4, according to the document’s intended print or submission requirements.
  4. Open Print Preview and review the pages, especially those with tables, images, or carefully positioned content.

Changing page dimensions can repaginate the document and alter where text wraps. If content shifts, adjust the affected layout and check Print Preview again rather than assuming the page-size change preserved the original appearance.

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Change the size for only part of a document

Microsoft describes section breaks as a way to change a document’s layout or formatting for one section. Create a section around the portion that needs a different size, then apply the change within that section.

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  1. Place the cursor where the differently sized portion should begin.
  2. On the Layout tab, choose Breaks, then select a section break. Choose Next Page if the new section should start on the following page. Choose Continuous if it should start at the cursor on the same page.
  3. Place the cursor in the new section and open the Page Setup controls. Select the required paper size for that section. The precise dialog path can differ between Word for Windows and Word for Mac.
  4. At the end of the portion, insert another section break so the following content is in a separate section. If the following section should continue with the original size, check its Page Setup setting as well.
  5. Review the changed section and the pages after it in Print Preview.

Microsoft notes that a section-specific layout change is made just past the section break. The break type determines where the new section begins: Next Page starts it on the next page, while Continuous starts it on the same page. Word’s section-break options also include Odd Page and Even Page; those can affect pagination.

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What to do if the layout or pagination changes

  • Text or tables move: The new page dimensions may have changed wrapping or pagination. Inspect the affected pages in Print Preview and adjust the layout where needed.
  • A blank page appears: Turn on formatting marks and inspect the section breaks around it. Next Page, Odd Page, and Even Page breaks can produce a blank page in some situations.
  • You are considering deleting a break: Check what formatting depends on it first. Microsoft warns that deleting a section break can change formatting, so do not remove one blindly.
  • You cannot create a section break in Word for the web: Open the document in the desktop application for that step. Microsoft documents orientation changes applied to selected text or from the cursor forward, but available controls and paths vary by platform; do not assume every web or desktop interface offers the same section-specific workflow.

Microsoft guidance

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