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!

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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.

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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!

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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.

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  1. Stefan Blom 353K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2015-02-02T11:02:55+00:00

    If the problem is that there is an extra blank page after the table, then you have to format the paragraph mark (¶) following the table as hidden. For more, see http://wordfaqs.mvps.org/BlankPage.htm.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-02-14T16:09:11+00:00

    I have to admit, I looked through a number of the responses here and everything was far too complicated for a non-professional like myself. But I realized a much more easier solution for those who just want a quick, simple solution to this problem. Suzanne's suggestions, though seemingly prudent, are a bit too complicated for the layman. Quite frankly, I didn't know what she was instructing me to do.

    But the user simply needs to look at the next page number and, if it is odd, the user needs to do an Next Page (Odd Page) break. If it is even, the user needs to do a Next Page (Even Page) break and the blank page will be omitted. I have to agree with some of the other users that it is maddening and, even though professionals might have figured this formatting issue out and seem to understand the mechanisms behind implementing it, it's a headache to the non-professional and developers should really consider making this clumsy mechanism more clean in the next update, as it's obviously been an issue for users for years.

    One can only dream.

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