You have a document that prints one extra blank page after a section break. This happens because the section break itself can create an empty page when the break lands at the end of a page or when the following section has incompatible page settings. The extra blank page is not visible in Print Layout view, but it appears in the print preview and wastes paper and ink. This article explains why section breaks cause blank pages and provides three reliable methods to remove them.
Key Takeaways: Stop Extra Blank Pages Caused by Section Breaks
- Show/Hide ¶ button (Ctrl+Shift+8): Reveals hidden section breaks and paragraph marks so you can see exactly where the extra page comes from.
- Change the section break type to Continuous: Prevents the break from forcing a new page when you do not actually need one.
- Reduce the bottom margin or delete empty paragraph marks after the break: Eliminates the leftover space that pushes content onto a new blank page.
Why Section Breaks Create an Extra Blank Page at Print Time
A section break in Word marks the end of one section and the start of another. Each section can have its own page orientation, margins, headers, footers, and page numbering. When you insert a section break, Word may add a new page even if the section break type is not set to “Next Page.”
The most common cause is a Next Page section break that appears at the end of a section. If the section break sits on its own line after the last text character, Word creates a blank page to hold that break. Another cause is an empty paragraph mark (¶) that follows the section break. That paragraph inherits the formatting of the new section and can push the break onto a separate page.
A third cause is mismatched page settings between sections. For example, if Section 1 has a bottom margin of 1 inch and Section 2 has a bottom margin of 0.5 inches, the extra space can force a blank page. The problem appears only when printing or viewing Print Preview because Word calculates page breaks differently in Draft mode.
Step-by-Step Methods to Remove the Extra Blank Page
Method 1: Change the Section Break to Continuous
If you do not need the section to start on a new page, switch the break type to Continuous. This removes the forced page break while keeping the section formatting intact.
- Show all formatting marks
Press Ctrl+Shift+8 or click the Show/Hide ¶ button in the Home tab > Paragraph group. You will see the section break label, for example “Section Break (Next Page).” - Select the section break
Click just before the section break line, then hold Shift and click just after it. The entire break line becomes highlighted. - Open the Page Setup dialog
Go to Layout > Page Setup > Breaks. Do not click any break here. Instead, click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Page Setup group to open the full dialog. - Change the section start type
In the Page Setup dialog, click the Layout tab. In the Section start dropdown, select Continuous. Click OK. - Check Print Preview
Press Ctrl+F2 to open Print Preview. The extra blank page should be gone. If it remains, continue to Method 2.
Method 2: Delete the Empty Paragraph After the Section Break
An invisible paragraph mark after the section break can push the break onto a new page. Deleting that mark removes the blank page.
- Turn on formatting marks
Press Ctrl+Shift+8 to see all paragraph marks. - Locate the empty paragraph mark after the break
Scroll to the page that shows blank in Print Preview. Look for a ¶ symbol that sits alone on that page, immediately after the section break line. - Select the empty paragraph mark
Click and drag over the ¶ symbol to highlight it. Do not select the section break itself. - Press Delete
Press the Delete key on your keyboard. The paragraph mark disappears, and the blank page should vanish. - Verify in Print Preview
Press Ctrl+F2 and confirm the extra page is removed.
Method 3: Reduce the Bottom Margin of the Problem Section
When the bottom margin is too large, content that barely fits on one page overflows to a new blank page. Reducing the margin by a small amount often fixes this.
- Open Page Setup for the section
Click anywhere inside the section that has the extra blank page. Go to Layout > Page Setup and click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner. - Adjust the bottom margin
In the Margins tab, reduce the Bottom value by 0.1 or 0.2 inches. For example, change 1″ to 0.8″. Click OK. - Check Print Preview
Press Ctrl+F2. If the blank page remains, reduce the bottom margin further in small increments. - Apply the change only to this section
In the Page Setup dialog, ensure the Apply to dropdown reads This section before clicking OK.
If the Extra Blank Page Still Appears
Word Prints a Blank Page Even After Deleting the Section Break
Sometimes a blank page is caused by a manual page break or a paragraph with “Page break before” formatting. Turn on all formatting marks with Ctrl+Shift+8. Look for a dotted line labeled “Page Break” or a paragraph mark with a small page icon next to it. Delete the manual page break. To remove the “Page break before” setting, select the paragraph, go to Home > Paragraph > Line and Page Breaks tab, and uncheck Page break before.
Print Preview Shows One Extra Page, but the Document Ends Normally
This can happen when the final section break is set to “Next Page” and there is no content after it. Change the section break to Continuous using Method 1. If the break is at the very end of the document, you can also delete the section break entirely by selecting it and pressing Delete. Word will merge the last two sections and apply the formatting of the second section to the entire merged section.
The Extra Page Appears Only When Printing Duplex
Duplex printers sometimes add a blank page to ensure the document ends on an even page number. To fix this, go to File > Options > Display. Under Printing options, check Print on both sides and set Flip pages on short edge or Flip pages on long edge depending on your printer. If the blank page still appears, add a manual page break at the end of the document so Word does not add its own.
| Item | Next Page Section Break | Continuous Section Break |
|---|---|---|
| Forces a new page | Yes | No |
| Preserves section formatting | Yes | Yes |
| Common cause of extra blank page | Very often | Rarely |
| Best used for | Starting a new chapter or changing orientation | Changing column layout or margins mid-page |
You can now identify and remove extra blank pages caused by section breaks. Start by turning on formatting marks with Ctrl+Shift+8 to see the break and any empty paragraph marks. Change the break to Continuous if you do not need a page break, or delete the empty paragraph after the break. If the problem persists, reduce the bottom margin of the section by 0.1 or 0.2 inches. As an advanced tip, use the Go To feature (Ctrl+G, select Section, enter the section number) to jump directly to problem sections in long documents.