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These steps apply to Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016 on Windows and Mac. Word for the web has fewer controls for breaks and pagination.
Show formatting marks first
Formatting marks reveal the otherwise invisible content creating the blank page. They are not printed.
- Windows: Select Home > Show/Hide ¶, or press Ctrl+Shift+8.
- Mac: Select Home > Show/Hide ¶, or press ⌘+8.
To configure which non-printing characters appear, use File > Options > Display on Windows, or Word > Preferences > View > Show Non-Printing Characters on Mac.
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Look on the unwanted page for one of these items:
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Several ¶ symbols | Empty paragraphs | Select and delete the extra marks |
| A line labeled Page Break | Manual page break | Select the break and press Delete |
| Section Break (Next Page), Odd Page, or Even Page | Section formatting starts a new page | Delete the break or change it to Continuous |
| A single ¶, especially after a table | Word’s required final paragraph | Reduce its font size to 1 point |
| No obvious break, but content moves forward | Paragraph pagination settings | Review Keep with next, Keep lines together, and Page break before |
Delete extra empty paragraphs
With formatting marks on, select the unwanted ¶ symbols on the blank page and press Delete or Backspace. Each paragraph mark represents a real paragraph, even when it contains no text, and several empty paragraphs can push content onto another page.
Remove a manual page break
A manual page break appears as a horizontal line labeled Page Break when formatting marks are displayed.
- Click or double-click the Page Break line to select it.
- Press Delete.
Automatic page breaks are generated as text flows between pages. They cannot be selected and deleted; adjust paragraph pagination, spacing, margins, font size, or other layout settings instead.
Delete or change a section break
Section breaks labeled Next Page, Odd Page, or Even Page can produce an apparently blank page. To remove one:
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- Select the section break.
- Press Delete. You can also place the cursor immediately before the break and press Delete.
Be careful: deleting a section break joins the sections on either side. The resulting section takes its formatting from the section that followed the deleted break. Headers, footers, margins, page orientation, columns, and page numbering may change.
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If you need the section formatting but not its separate page, change the break type instead:
- Select the section break.
- Go to Layout > Breaks.
- Choose Continuous, then select OK.
For easier break selection, switch to View > Draft. Word for the web cannot delete or modify section breaks; open the file in the desktop Word application.
Fix a blank final page caused by the required paragraph
Word always keeps a final paragraph mark, which cannot be deleted. If the preceding content fills the page, this required paragraph can be pushed onto a new page, often when a document ends with a table.
- Show paragraph marks with Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or ⌘+8 on Mac.
- Select the final ¶ on the blank page.
- Click the Font Size box, type 01, and press Enter.
- Turn formatting marks off again.
The paragraph is now 1 point high and will usually fit at the bottom of the preceding page. If it still does not fit, go to Layout > Margins > Custom Margins and reduce the bottom margin slightly. Microsoft gives about 0.3 inches as an example; check print or submission requirements before changing margins.
Remove a blank page after a table
Word must retain a paragraph mark after every table. When the table reaches the bottom of the printable area, that paragraph can spill onto a new page.
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- Turn on formatting marks.
- Select the ¶ immediately after the table.
- Set its font size to 01 in the Font Size box.
- If necessary, reduce the bottom margin slightly through Layout > Margins > Custom Margins.
If the page remains, inspect the table for excess height, fixed row height, or content extending farther than expected. Reducing the table’s height may be preferable to changing the whole document’s margins.
Turn off “Page break before”
A paragraph can be configured to start on a new page even when there is no visible manual break. A square marker beside the paragraph mark may indicate this setting.
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- Right-click the empty or affected paragraph.
- Select Paragraph Settings.
- Open the Line and Page Breaks tab.
- Clear Page break before.
- Select OK.
Check the other paragraph pagination settings
If no page-break line is visible, select the paragraph that moved to the next page and inspect its pagination settings:
- Select the affected paragraph or paragraphs.
- Go to Home and select the Paragraph dialog box launcher, the small arrow in the Paragraph group.
- Open the Line and Page Breaks tab.
- Review the settings under Pagination.
| Setting | Effect | Possible fix |
|---|---|---|
| Widow/Orphan control | Prevents a single line from being stranded at the top or bottom of a page | Usually leave enabled; disable only if the layout requires it |
| Keep with next | Keeps the paragraph with the following paragraph | Clear it if a heading, caption, or empty paragraph is being pushed forward unnecessarily |
| Keep lines together | Stops one paragraph from splitting across pages | Clear it if the paragraph is being moved wholesale to the next page |
| Page break before | Forces a new page before the paragraph | Clear it when the new page is not intentional |
Do not clear every option automatically. Keep with next is often intentional for headings, and Keep lines together can be important for captions or structured content.
Delete the contents of an entire page
When a page contains text, graphics, or several empty paragraphs, use Word’s Go To command to select its contents.
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Windows
- Click anywhere on the unwanted page.
- Press Ctrl+G.
- In Enter page number, type \page.
- Press Enter, then select Close.
- Check that the intended page content is selected.
- Press Delete.
Mac
- Click anywhere on the unwanted page.
- Press Option+⌘+G.
- In Enter page number, type \page.
- Press Enter, then select Close.
- Confirm the selection and press Delete.
This selects the content displayed on the page; it does not remove a separate page object. If the blank page returns, inspect the underlying section break, final paragraph, or pagination setting instead.
Remove a blank page in Word for the web
Word for the web can delete empty paragraphs and manual page breaks, but it has fewer layout controls than desktop Word.
- To delete empty paragraphs, select the unwanted marks and press Backspace or Delete.
- To delete a manual break, select it and press Backspace or Delete.
- If the file is in Reading view, select Edit Document > Edit in Word for the web.
- For a section break or advanced pagination setting, select Open in Word and use desktop Word.
Why common fixes fail
- Pressing Backspace repeatedly: this removes ordinary empty paragraphs but cannot remove Word’s required final paragraph mark.
- Trying to delete an automatic page break: automatic breaks are generated by Word and must be controlled through layout or paragraph settings.
- Deleting every section break: this can change headers, footers, orientation, margins, columns, and page numbering.
- Looking for a Delete Page command: normal Word documents are controlled by flowing content, not independent page objects.
- Using the Navigation Pane alone: View > Navigation Pane > Pages helps locate a blank page, but the underlying content or formatting mark still has to be removed.
FAQ
How do I remove a blank page in Word quickly?
Press Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or ⌘+8 on Mac to show formatting marks. Then delete the extra paragraph marks or the visible Page Break causing the page.
Why is there a blank page after my table in Word?
Word must keep a paragraph mark after a table. If the table reaches the bottom of the printable area, that paragraph can move to a new page. Select the paragraph mark after the table and set its font size to 1 point.
Can I delete Word’s final paragraph mark?
No. Word requires a final paragraph mark. Select it and set its font size to 1 point so it can fit on the preceding page.
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What is the difference between a manual and automatic page break?
A manual page break is inserted by a user and appears as a Page Break line when formatting marks are visible; it can be deleted. An automatic page break is created by Word as content flows and must be adjusted through layout or paragraph settings.
Will deleting a section break change my document?
It can. Deleting a section break joins two sections, and the combined section uses the formatting from the section that followed the break. Headers, footers, margins, orientation, columns, and page numbering may change.
How do I remove a blank page in Word for the web?
Delete empty paragraphs or manual page breaks directly in Word for the web. Section breaks cannot be deleted or modified there, so select Open in Word to use the desktop application.
The Bottom Line
Turn on Show/Hide ¶ before trying random deletions. Remove ordinary empty paragraphs and manual page breaks, change an unnecessary section break to Continuous, or reduce Word’s required final paragraph to 1 point—especially when the blank page follows a table.
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