How to Delete a Blank Page in Word? [Step-By-Step]
Deleting a blank page in Word becomes simple once you understand the underlying cause. Extra paragraph marks, page breaks, section breaks, tables, and layout settings are the most common reasons behind unwanted pages. By enabling paragraph marks and carefully removing unnecessary formatting, you can clean up your document without affecting its content.
In this guide, you will learn how to delete a blank page in Word step by step, using simple and effective methods.
So let’s make your doc clean by deleting the blank and unwanted pages!
How to Delete a Blank Page in Word?
To delete a blank page in Word, place your cursor at the end of the content before the blank page, enable paragraph marks, identify extra empty paragraphs or page breaks, and remove them using the Backspace or Delete key. In some cases, adjusting section breaks, page layout settings, or table spacing helps remove stubborn blank pages.
Step 1: Turn On Paragraph Marks in Word
The first and most important step is to reveal hidden formatting. Word hides paragraph marks and page breaks by default, which makes it difficult to see why a blank page exists.
To do this, open your document and go to the Home tab. Look for the Paragraph section and click on the symbol that looks like a reversed P. Once enabled, you will see paragraph marks, line breaks, and page breaks throughout your document.
On the blank page, these marks often reveal extra empty paragraphs or a page break that is forcing Word to create an extra page.
Step 2: Delete Extra Paragraph Marks
In many cases, the blank page contains nothing but extra paragraph marks. These appear as empty lines with visible paragraph symbols.
Place your cursor at the beginning of the blank page. Press the Backspace key repeatedly until the page disappears. Alternatively, you can select the paragraph marks using your mouse and press the Delete key.
Be careful not to remove paragraph marks that separate important sections of your document. If the blank page disappears, you can move on to the next section.
Step 3: Remove Manual Page Breaks
Sometimes Word inserts a manual page break that pushes content to a new page. This often happens when copying and pasting content from other documents or templates.
With paragraph marks visible, look for text that says Page Break on the blank page or just before it. Click on the page break to select it and press the Delete key.
Once the page break is removed, Word automatically adjusts the content, and the blank page should disappear.
Step 4: Check for Section Breaks
A section break can also cause a blank page, especially if it is set to start on a new page. Section breaks are commonly used in documents with different headers, footers, or page orientations.
Look for text labeled Section Break Next Page or Section Break Odd Page. If the blank page appears because of this break, select it carefully and press Delete.
If you need to keep the section formatting, consider changing the section break type instead of deleting it. Go to the Layout tab, open Page Setup, and change the section start to Continuous.
Step 5: Adjust Spacing After a Table
A common issue occurs when a blank page appears after a table at the end of a document. Word always adds a paragraph mark after a table, and sometimes this mark moves to a new page.
Click just after the table and select the paragraph mark. Reduce its font size to one point or change its spacing settings. You can also set the paragraph spacing to zero.
This method keeps the table intact while removing the unwanted blank page.
Step 6: Check Page Layout and Margins
Large margins or incorrect page size settings can push content onto an extra page. This is more common in documents with custom layouts.
Go to the Layout tab and check the Margins and Page Size options. Try switching to normal margins and ensure the page size matches your printer or document standard.
Once adjusted, check if the blank page is still visible. Often, correcting layout settings automatically removes extra pages.
Step 7: Use the Navigation Pane to Find Blank Pages
The Navigation Pane allows you to see a thumbnail view of all pages in your document.
Enable it from the View tab by selecting Navigation Pane. Click on the Pages section to view all pages. If you see a blank page, click on it and place your cursor there.
From here, delete any visible paragraph marks or breaks causing the issue.
Step 8: Delete a Blank Page at the End of the Document
Blank pages at the end of a document are the most common problem. Scroll to the very bottom and place your cursor at the last visible character.
Press Backspace until the blank page disappears. If nothing happens, check for section breaks or spacing issues as explained earlier.
Saving and reopening the document sometimes refreshes the layout and confirms that the page has been removed.
Faqs
Why can I not delete a blank page in Word?
You may not be able to delete a blank page because it contains hidden formatting such as section breaks, page breaks, or a required paragraph mark after a table. Turning on paragraph marks usually reveals the cause.
How do I delete a blank page in Word on Windows and Mac?
The steps are the same on both platforms. Enable paragraph marks, locate extra breaks or empty paragraphs, and delete them. The interface may look slightly different, but the functionality is identical.
Can a blank page affect printing or PDF export?
Yes, a blank page often appears when printing or exporting a document to PDF. Removing it ensures your document looks professional and saves paper and ink.
Does deleting a blank page remove content?
If done carefully, deleting a blank page does not remove content. Always check visible paragraph marks before deleting to avoid accidental loss of important text.
What if the blank page still does not disappear?
If none of the methods work, copy your content into a new document without copying the final paragraph mark. This often removes stubborn formatting issues.