The simplest way to start a new page
To add a new page in Google Docs, press Ctrl+Enter on Windows or Cmd+Enter on Mac. That keystroke inserts a page break, which moves everything after your cursor to a fresh page. The new page appears when ready in your document, and you can start typing right away.
If you prefer using the menu instead of a keyboard shortcut, click Insert at the top of the document, then select Break, then Page break. This does the same thing as the keyboard shortcut — it just takes a few more clicks.
The page break itself is invisible when you are working in the document. You will see where one page ends and another begins because the text wraps to a new line, but there is no visible line or marker showing the break itself. If you want to see exactly where your page breaks are, you can turn on formatting marks by pressing Ctrl+Alt+. (Windows) or Cmd+Option+. (Mac), and page breaks will show as a dotted line with the label "Page break".
Key Takeaways
- Press Ctrl+Enter (Windows) or Cmd+Enter (Mac) to insert a page break and start a new page when ready.
- You can also use the Insert menu, then Break, then Page break if you prefer not to use the keyboard shortcut.
- Page breaks are invisible by default, but you can turn on formatting marks to see exactly where they are in your document.
- A page break moves all text after your cursor to a new page, even if the current page is not full.
- Deleting a page break is as straightforward as clicking at the start of the page break and pressing Delete or Backspace.
When to use a page break instead of just pressing Enter
Pressing Enter repeatedly will eventually move your text to a new page, but it wastes space and makes your document harder to edit later. If you add or remove text from earlier in the document, all those manual line breaks shift, and you have to redo them. A page break stays in place no matter what you change above it.
Use a page break when you want a new section to start on a fresh page — like a new chapter in a longer document, a cover page, or a section that should always begin at the top of a page. Use Enter only to add space within a page or between paragraphs.
How to remove a page break
To delete a page break, click right at the beginning of the page break (the start of the new page) and press Backspace or Delete. The page break disappears, and the text from the second page moves up to fill the space on the first page.
If you have formatting marks turned on, you can see the page break label and click directly on it to position your cursor there. Then press Delete. If formatting marks are off, click at the very start of the first line on the new page and press Backspace — this will delete the page break that came before it.
The difference between page breaks and section breaks
Google Docs also offers section breaks, which are different from page breaks. A section break lets you change formatting (like margins, headers, or column layout) for only part of your document, without affecting the rest. A page break just moves text to a new page without changing any formatting rules.
Most documents only need page breaks. Section breaks are useful if you want one part of your document to have different margins or a different header than another part. To insert a section break, click Insert, then Break, then choose Section break (continuous), Section break (next page), or Section break (odd page) depending on what you need.
Why Google Docs handles pages differently than Microsoft Word
Google Docs does not show you a visual page layout the way Word does. You see your document as one long scroll, and pages are defined by where the text naturally breaks based on your margins and font size. This means you cannot see exactly where page breaks fall until you print or export the document as a PDF.
If you need to see what your document looks like on actual pages before you print, you can export it as a PDF (click File, then read, then PDF Document) and open it in a PDF reader. This shows you the real page layout. You can also use the print preview (click File, then Print) to see how pages will break when printed.
Keyboard shortcuts for working with pages
Beyond the page break shortcut, a few other keyboard commands save time when you are working with longer documents. Ctrl+Home (Windows) or Cmd+Home (Mac) takes you to the beginning of your document. Ctrl+End (Windows) or Cmd+End (Mac) takes you to the end. Page Up and Page Down scroll up and down one screen at a time.
These shortcuts do not create or delete pages — they just help you move around faster. Learning them saves you from scrolling by hand, especially in documents with many pages.
What happens to page breaks when you share or collaborate
Page breaks stay in place when you share a Google Docs document with other people. If someone else edits the document and adds or removes text, the page breaks do not move — they stay exactly where you put them. This can sometimes cause awkward spacing if the text above a page break shrinks or grows, so check your document layout after major edits.
If you are working on a document with others and you notice pages breaking in strange places, it is usually because someone added or deleted text near a page break. You can always move or delete the page break and reposition it where it makes sense for the new content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add multiple page breaks in a row?
Yes, you can press Ctrl+Enter (or Cmd+Enter on Mac) as many times as you want to create blank pages. Each keystroke adds one page break. However, if you need several blank pages, it is usually clearer to add one page break and then add blank paragraphs or spacing within that page, rather than stacking multiple page breaks.
Does Google Docs automatically add page breaks?
No. Google Docs only breaks to a new page when your text naturally fills the current page based on your margins and font size. You have to insert page breaks manually if you want a new section to start on a fresh page. The document will not do it for you.
What if I want to start a new page but keep the same header?
Use a regular page break (Ctrl+Enter or Cmd+Enter). Headers in Google Docs repeat on every page automatically, so your header will appear on the new page without any extra work. If you want a different header on the new page, you would need a section break instead.
Can I see page breaks in the mobile app?
The Google Docs mobile app does not show page breaks the same way the web version does. You can insert a page break by tapping the three-dot menu, selecting Insert, then Break, then Page break. But the mobile view does not display pages visually — you see one continuous scroll. Switch to the web version if you need to see the actual page layout.
What is the difference between a page break and just scrolling down?
Scrolling down just moves your view of the document — it does not change anything in the document itself. A page break actually inserts a break in the text that forces everything after it onto a new page. The break stays there even if you close and reopen the document.