You may need different margins for one page in a Word document, such as a title page with wider margins or a table that needs more horizontal space. Word applies margins to the entire section by default, not to individual pages. This article explains how to use section breaks to change margins for a single page without affecting the rest of your document.
Key Takeaways: Adjusting Margins for One Page Only
- Insert a Next Page Section Break before and after the target page: Isolates the page into its own section so margin changes apply only to that section.
- Layout > Margins > Custom Margins: Opens the Page Setup dialog where you can set precise top, bottom, left, and right margins for the isolated section.
- Apply to: This Section: The dropdown in the Page Setup dialog must be set to This section so the new margins affect only the page between the two section breaks.
Why Margins Apply to the Entire Section by Default
Word divides a document into sections. A section is a part of the document that can have its own page layout settings, including margins, orientation, and headers. When you open a new blank document, it contains one section. Changing the margin in the Layout tab or Page Setup dialog changes the margin for every page in that section. To change margins for a single page, you must create a new section that contains only that page. You do this by inserting section breaks before and after the page you want to modify.
Steps to Change Margins for a Single Page
Follow these steps to isolate one page and apply custom margins to it. The process works the same in Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016 on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- Show formatting marks
On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the Show/Hide button (the paragraph symbol). This displays hidden formatting symbols such as section breaks, page breaks, and spaces. Seeing these marks helps you place section breaks accurately. - Place the cursor at the end of the page before the target page
Click at the very end of the last paragraph on the page that comes immediately before the page you want to modify. If the target page is page 3, place the cursor at the end of page 2. - Insert a Next Page Section Break
Go to the Layout tab. In the Page Setup group, click Breaks. Under Section Breaks, select Next Page. This inserts a section break and starts a new section on the next page. The target page is now the first page of a new section. - Place the cursor at the end of the target page
Scroll to the bottom of the page you want to adjust. Click at the end of the last paragraph on that page. - Insert another Next Page Section Break
On the Layout tab, click Breaks again and select Next Page under Section Breaks. This creates a second section break, ending the section that contains only the target page. The pages after this break return to the original section and its margins. - Click anywhere on the target page
Place the cursor anywhere on the page between the two section breaks. This ensures you are modifying the correct section. - Open the Page Setup dialog
On the Layout tab, click the dialog launcher (the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Page Setup group). Alternatively, click Margins and then Custom Margins at the bottom of the dropdown menu. - Set the custom margins
In the Page Setup dialog, enter the desired margin values in the Top, Bottom, Left, and Right boxes. In the Apply to dropdown, select This section. Do not select Whole document or This point forward. Click OK. The margins change only for the page in the isolated section.
If the Margin Change Affects Other Pages
If the new margins apply to pages beyond the target page, the section breaks are not placed correctly. Open the Show/Hide marks again and verify that a Next Page section break exists immediately before the target page and another immediately after it. Delete any extra section breaks. The target page must be the only page between the two breaks.
Word applies the margin change to the whole document
This occurs when the Apply to dropdown is set to Whole document instead of This section. Open the Page Setup dialog again, confirm the cursor is on the target page, and change Apply to to This section.
The section break creates a blank page
A Next Page section break always starts the new section at the top of the next page. If the target page already contains content, the break does not add a blank page. If you insert the break in the middle of a page with no content after it, a blank page may appear. To avoid this, ensure the break is placed at the end of the last paragraph on the preceding page.
Section Break Types and Their Effects on Margins
Word offers four types of section breaks. The Next Page break is the correct choice for isolating a single page. The Continuous break starts a new section on the same page, which is useful for changing the number of columns but not for changing margins. The Even Page and Odd Page breaks start the new section on the next even or odd numbered page and can cause unintended page breaks when used for margin changes.
| Section Break | Behavior | Use for Margin Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Next Page | Starts new section at the top of the next page | Yes |
| Continuous | Starts new section on the same page | No |
| Even Page | Starts new section on the next even-numbered page | No |
| Odd Page | Starts new section on the next odd-numbered page | No |
When to Use This Method
Use this section break technique when you need different margins for a title page, a page with a wide table or image, a page containing a pull quote, or a page that requires a different orientation. The same method works for changing orientation or paper size for a single page. After setting custom margins, you can still edit the content on that page normally. The rest of the document retains its original margins.
How to Remove the Custom Margins and Restore Defaults
To revert the page to the document’s default margins, delete the two section breaks. Turn on Show/Hide marks. Select the section break before the target page and press Delete. Then select the section break after the target page and press Delete. The page rejoins the surrounding section and inherits that section’s margins.
Conclusion
You can now adjust margins for a single page in Word using Next Page section breaks. Insert one break before the page and one after it, then apply custom margins to the isolated section. Use the Apply to: This section setting in the Page Setup dialog to limit the change. To remove the custom margins, delete the two section breaks. This technique also works for changing page orientation or paper size for a single page.