Keep lines together prevents a Google Docs paragraph from breaking across pages. It is helpful for a short warning, address, or compact statement that should be read as one uninterrupted block.
Apply the paragraph rule
- Open the document in Pages format on a computer.
- Click in the target paragraph or select the required paragraphs.
- Choose Format > Line & paragraph spacing.
- Turn on Keep lines together.
Inspect where the paragraph moves. If it does not fit in the remaining space, it may start on the following page. That deliberate space can be preferable to splitting an important short block.
Use it for suitable content
A very long paragraph may be larger than a page. A keep-together rule is not a way to make such content fit. Consider whether the writing should contain several meaningful paragraphs instead of one enormous block.
This rule differs from Keep with next, which attaches one paragraph to another. Use the first for a single paragraph’s lines and the second when a heading must stay with its following text. Do not apply both everywhere without reviewing the effect.
Check for unexplained whitespace
If a document suddenly develops large gaps, inspect keep-together settings before adding or deleting text. Imported material can contain formatting choices that are not obvious from the words themselves.
Review the affected page and the following page in print layout or a PDF. Confirm that the paragraph remains complete and that neighboring paragraphs have not unintentionally inherited the same setting. Pageless does not offer this paper-based control; its continuous flow requires a different approach to visual grouping, such as useful headings and paragraph spacing.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 3, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.