How can I remove the blank page after section break?

Anonymous
2010-09-01T15:46:18+00:00

Don't want blank page between different sections in draft document ("next page" section breaks). Tried hiding and tried changing paragraph symbol font size to 1. Still getting blank page. UGH!

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Stefan Blom 353K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2010-09-01T18:04:14+00:00

Under certain circumstances, the section break, or actually the blank paragraph containing the section break, may cause an extra page (this might happen below a table, for example). Formatting it as 1 pt font size, exact line spacing 1 pt, zero spacing before/after should fix it. You may also want to format it as hidden text. In fact, you can create a paragraph style with those characteristics and apply it to the empty paragraph in question.

Was this answer helpful?

100+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2012-08-18T08:09:57+00:00

Don't want blank page between different sections in draft document ("next page" section breaks). Tried hiding and tried changing paragraph symbol font size to 1. Still getting blank page. UGH!

Was this answer helpful?

100+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Stefan Blom 353K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2010-12-31T18:46:25+00:00

The workaround you have found is documented in the article at http://word.mvps.org/faqs/formatting/WorkWithSections.htm.

Was this answer helpful?

4 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

51 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2016-08-06T17:00:22+00:00

    It deleted my header on the first page.  I havent been able to figure out how to have a header on the first page and not have a second blank page.  Internet search has revealed no fix.  :(

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-05-24T05:34:07+00:00

    The page you want to print may have its 'format page number' set to an even integer (when the page should be an odd page) or vice versa. If so, Word will insert a blank page either side to give you what it thinks is the right outcome.  The cure is to change the format page number from even to odd (or vice versa).

    To do this (in Word for Mac 2016), click into the header or footer of the page concerned, where the page number is or would be.  Then click on the page number icon in the ribbon (under 'header and footer') and choose 'format page numbers' .

    In my case I had put a picture on a page by itself with section breaks (i.e. section break: next page) on both sides of it.  The section breaks allowed me to remove the page number from the illustrated page, while leaving page numbers either side.  

    But even though I had removed the page number, Word still 'knew' that the page concerned 'should' be an even page, and inserted blank pages to achieve this outcome--and without showing this in 'print layout' view.  I have now changed the format page number box to '1' (an odd number). Problem solved. 

    And thank you Microsoft for wasting four or five hours of my time while I found the solution. Instead of changing my document, why didn't you just warn me that the pagination was going to be wrong if I wanted to use it which I didn't?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments