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 No 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 No 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 No 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 No comments

51 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
  1. Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2014-12-02T18:45:30+00:00

    I had no difficulty doing this with your downloaded document. Here's what I did (in Word 2003):

    1. Display nonprinting characters.
    2. Switch to Normal view.
    3. Select the empty paragraph at the end of the document and press Ctrl+Spacebar to make it visible.
    4. With the insertion point in the next-to-last section (above the Continuous section break), go to Format | Columns and, without changing anything, click OK.
    5. Word will switch to Print Layout view; switch back to Normal view.
    6. Move the insertion point to the empty paragraph below the section break and press F4.
    7. Select and delete the section break.
    8. When you switch back to Print Layout view, you'll see that the last page is gone.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2014-12-02T14:41:35+00:00

    If somebody thinks you can easily solve this issue, please, look at this document https://www.dropbox.com/s/pruh7kezm4mx5kp/Morozov_Smorkalov_Fominykh_ICALT2014_preprint.doc?dl=0

    Try to remove the last empty page without breaking the two-columns formatting in the document. I am following this issue for several years. It has always been impossible.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments