To remove a blank page in Microsoft Word, you can try the following methods:
Basic Methods to Remove a Blank Page
- Delete content on the blank page: Click anywhere on the blank page, select any visible or hidden content (including paragraph marks), and press the Delete or Backspace key
- Use the Navigation Pane:
- Go to the View tab.
- Check Navigation Pane to open a sidebar showing page thumbnails.
- Select the blank page thumbnail and press Delete or Backspace to remove it
- Delete section breaks: If the blank page is caused by a section break at the end of the document, place your cursor just before the section break and press Delete
Reveal and Remove Hidden Formatting
- Press Ctrl + Shift + 8 (or Command + 8 on Mac) to show paragraph marks and formatting symbols.
- Look for extra paragraph marks, page breaks, or manual breaks on the blank page. Delete these marks to remove the blank page
When a Non-Deletable Paragraph Mark Causes the Blank Page
Sometimes Word adds a non-deletable end paragraph mark that pushes content onto a new blank page. To fix this:
- Select the paragraph mark on the blank page.
- Reduce its font size to a very small number like 1 (instead of the default size). This makes the paragraph mark fit on the previous page, removing the blank page
Additional Tips
- Adjust the bottom margin to be smaller (e.g., 0.3 inches) via Layout > Margins > Custom Margins if the paragraph mark still causes a blank page
- Remove any "Page Break Before" setting on the paragraph by right-clicking it, choosing Paragraph Settings, and unchecking "Page Break Before"
By following these steps, you can effectively remove unwanted blank pages in Word documents and keep your document clean and professional-looking
