When you use a Continuous section break in a Word document, Print Preview may skip entire pages or show blank pages. This happens because Word paginates Continuous section breaks differently than page breaks. The Continuous break keeps content flowing on the same page, but the print engine can miscalculate pagination, especially in documents with columns or complex layouts. This article explains why Continuous section breaks cause page skipping in Print Preview and provides three reliable methods to fix the problem.
Key Takeaways: Fix Skipped Pages From Continuous Section Breaks
- Replace Continuous section break with Next Page section break: Forces correct pagination and stops Print Preview from skipping pages.
- Check column formatting after the break: Uneven column balancing causes Word to hide content in Print Preview.
- Use Draft view to locate hidden section breaks: Reveals breaks that are invisible in Print Layout view and cause pagination errors.
Why Continuous Section Breaks Cause Print Preview to Skip Pages
A Continuous section break allows you to change formatting attributes such as margins, columns, or page orientation without starting a new page. The content before and after the break flows continuously on the same page. However, Word’s print engine re-paginates the document when generating Print Preview. If the content after a Continuous break contains columns, tables, or images that do not fit the remaining space on the current page, Word may skip the overflow content and move to the next section. This creates the appearance of missing pages or blank pages in Print Preview.
The problem is most common when you apply the Continuous break to switch between single-column and multi-column layouts. Word tries to balance the columns on the same page, but if the column height exceeds the page margin, the print engine discards the overflow and jumps to the next section break. The Continuous break itself does not force a page break, so the skipped content is not rendered at all in Print Preview.
How Pagination Works With Continuous Breaks
Word calculates page breaks based on the section properties. A Continuous section break inherits the page settings of the following section. If the following section has different margins, orientation, or column count, Word must decide where to place the page break. When the content cannot fit, Word inserts an implicit page break that is not visible in Print Layout view. Print Preview respects this implicit break but does not always display the content that should appear on the skipped page.
Replace Continuous Section Break With Next Page Section Break
The most reliable fix is to change the Continuous section break to a Next Page section break. This forces Word to start the new section on a fresh page, eliminating the pagination calculation that causes skipping.
- Show all formatting marks
Press Ctrl+Shift+8 or click the Show/Hide paragraph mark icon in the Home tab Paragraph group. This displays the section break markers as double dotted lines with the label “Section Break (Continuous)”. - Select the Continuous section break
Place your cursor just before the section break marker or click directly on the marker line. The entire marker becomes highlighted. - Delete the Continuous break
Press the Delete key on your keyboard. The content before and after the break merges into one section. - Insert a Next Page section break
Click at the point where you want the new section to start. Go to Layout > Breaks > Section Breaks > Next Page. Word inserts a new page at this point. - Verify Print Preview
Press Ctrl+F2 to open Print Preview. Scroll through all pages to confirm no pages are skipped. The new section now starts on a separate page, and all content displays correctly.
Alternative: Change the Break Type Without Deleting
If you do not want to delete and reinsert the break, you can change its type directly in the Page Setup dialog.
- Open Page Setup
Click anywhere in the section after the Continuous break. Go to Layout > Page Setup launcher (the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Page Setup group). - Change the section start type
In the Page Setup dialog, click the Layout tab. Under Section, open the Section start dropdown and select New page. Click OK. - Confirm the change
The Continuous break is now converted to a Next Page break. Open Print Preview to verify that pages are no longer skipped.
Fix Column Imbalance After a Continuous Section Break
When the skipped page occurs after switching to a multi-column layout, the cause is often uneven column height. Word tries to balance the columns, but if the content is too short or too long, the print engine drops the overflow.
- Insert a column break
Place your cursor at the point where you want the column to end. Go to Layout > Breaks > Column Break. This forces the remaining content to the next column. - Balance columns manually
If the column break does not fix the skipping, add a Continuous section break at the end of the multi-column section. Go to Layout > Breaks > Section Breaks > Continuous. This forces Word to balance the columns on the current page. - Check column width
Open the Columns dialog by clicking Layout > Columns > More Columns. Ensure the column width and spacing fit within the page margins. Reduce column width by 0.1 inches if needed. - Test Print Preview
Press Ctrl+F2 and scroll through the document. If pages are still skipped, repeat the column balancing steps or switch to Next Page section breaks.
If Word Still Has Issues After the Main Fix
Print Preview Shows a Blank Page After a Continuous Break
A blank page in Print Preview after a Continuous section break indicates that Word inserted an extra page break. This often happens when the following section has a different page orientation. Open Page Setup for the section after the break and check the Orientation setting. If it differs from the previous section, change it to match or use a Next Page break instead.
Content After the Break Is Missing Entirely
If content after the Continuous break does not appear in Print Preview at all, the section break may be corrupted. Switch to Draft view by clicking View > Draft. In Draft view, section breaks appear as dotted lines with labels. Delete the corrupted break and insert a new Continuous or Next Page break. Return to Print Layout view and verify the content reappears.
Continuous Break Works in Print Layout but Fails in Print Preview
This discrepancy occurs because Print Layout view uses a simplified pagination algorithm for on-screen display, while Print Preview uses the full print engine. The fix is to add a hidden paragraph mark after the Continuous break. Place your cursor immediately after the break marker and press Enter once. This extra blank paragraph gives Word enough space to calculate the page break correctly. Delete the blank paragraph after printing if needed.
| Item | Continuous Section Break | Next Page Section Break |
|---|---|---|
| Page break behavior | No forced page break | Forces a new page |
| Print Preview reliability | May skip pages with columns or complex layouts | Always shows all pages correctly |
| Best use case | Changing margins or columns within the same page | Changing orientation or starting a new chapter |
| Fix for skipped pages | Replace with Next Page break or balance columns | Not required |
You can now fix Print Preview page skipping caused by Continuous section breaks. Replace the break with a Next Page break or balance columns after multi-column sections. For complex documents, use Draft view to inspect all section breaks before printing. An advanced tip: use the Go To feature (Ctrl+G, select Section, enter the section number) to jump directly to problem sections without scrolling.