I can't delete an unwanted blank page in a Word 2013 document!

Anonymous
2013-03-24T03:07:14+00:00

I have a document in Word 2013 which is supposed to be one page. Word added a blank page after the first page. I can just print the first page by selecting page one as the only one to print in the printer setup page. However, I got the one wanted page and the one unwanted blank page when I printed out a test sample of the form type document. I printed out the chosen number of the wanted page after I noticed the blank page and reset the printer setup page for the first page only. However to make sure I don't, in the future, accidentally print out numerous unwanted blank pages with the previous stated, or other, wanted documents, I need to know how to remove unwanted blank pages. The stated wanted page ended with a table. I've taken that into consideration in seeking a remedy. I have looked all over the forums and in two books on Word; but, I can't find any remedy that will actually remove the unwanted blank page. I have tried show/hide, delete, backspace, control + end, and a bit of profanity etc. Nothing works. I converted it from a Word (.docx) document to a .pdf in Acrobat XI pro, and then was able to easily delete the unwanted blank page. But, then the fonts didn't look right. So, I would like to find a certain battle plan that will always destroy completely any unwanted blank pages in Word 2013 that I choose to get rid of...

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
Anonymous
2016-06-16T00:54:45+00:00

Hi everyone,

We updated and improved our articles about this issue on support.office.com, and wanted to let you know.

The updates include invaluable suggestions from MVP Suzanne S. Barnhill that many of you have found so helpful, along with great new information for getting past this frustrating problem quickly. Take a look!

Best,

-Erik

Was this answer helpful?

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2013-03-24T06:38:06+00:00

Without seeing the document it is impossible to know what the problem is, but the most likely explanation is that the previous page is full and the paragraph break at the end forces the page break. You can display and select that paragraph break and format it as 1 point and that may make sufficient space to remove the extra page - or you can add the Print Preview Edit Mode button to the QAT (Quick Access Toolbar) and click that. From the Print Preview ribbon click 'Shrink One Page'.

Was this answer helpful?

0 comments

151 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Stefan Blom 351.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2014-11-25T09:08:59+00:00

    I am having the same difficulty as the OP. I have tried every single solution suggested here and re-read the article that was posted by several different MVP members, to no avail. My situation has one added difficulty, perhaps, in that my very last page has two columns. Should this make a difference? It looks to me like my last page has one or two blank lines at the end of it! This is driving me a bit mad...

    First of all, display nonprinting marks (for example by clicking the ¶ button on the Home tab). If the last page ends with a section break, click immediately below the break and make sure that the "Section start" option in the Page Setup dialog box says "Continuous"; if that doesn't help, format the very last paragraph mark as 1 pt point size, with a line spacing of "Exactly" 1 pt and spacing before/after set to zero. You could also format the paragraph as hidden.

    To display the Page Setup dialog box, you can double-click the vertical ruler, or you can click the dialog launcher button in the Page Setup group on the Page Layout tab of the ribbon.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2014-11-25T11:04:10+00:00

    yup looked at this link.......... which went straight over my head!

    Basically I'm working with a MS cv template in Word 2007.  Everytime I alter the header/footer it duplicates this on page 3 although the doc is only 2 pages long!  I just cannot get rid of the 3rd page which does not contain any text apart from the header & footer.

    I also tried doing what you suggested in draft view but this did not even reveal the blank 3rd page, nor headers, nor footers.

    I am only an occasional user of Word but would appreciate a quick simple solution without starting from scratch with a new template.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments