The fastest way to start a new page in Word
Press Ctrl+Enter (Windows) or Command+Enter (Mac) to insert a page break and jump to a blank page. This is the method most people use because it works the same way in almost every version of Word, from 2010 forward.
If you prefer using the menu instead, go to the Insert tab at the top, click Page Break, and Word will do the same thing. The keyboard shortcut is faster once you use it a few times.
Both methods create what Word calls a page break — a hard stop that forces everything after it onto a new page, no matter how much blank space is left on the current one. This is different from just pressing Enter repeatedly, which leaves visible gaps and makes your document harder to edit later.
Key Takeaways
- Use Ctrl+Enter (Windows) or Command+Enter (Mac) to add a page break, which is faster than using the menu.
- Page breaks force content onto a new page and stay in place when you edit, while pressing Enter repeatedly creates gaps that shift when you add or remove text.
- You can see where page breaks are by turning on formatting marks (Ctrl+* on Windows, Command+* on Mac), which shows them as dotted lines labeled "Page Break".
- If a page break appears in the wrong spot after you edit, delete it by clicking at the start of the break and pressing Backspace or Delete.
Why page breaks matter more than you might think
When you press Enter multiple times to move text down, Word treats each line as content. If you later add or delete text above it, all those blank lines shift down with it — your page break moves without you realizing it. A real page break stays exactly where you put it, even when you rewrite the paragraph before it.
This becomes obvious when you're formatting a document for printing or sharing. A title page, a table of contents, or a section that needs to start on the right-hand side of a printed book all need page breaks, not just empty space. Once you set them, they hold their position no matter how much you edit the text around them.
How to see where your page breaks are
Word hides page breaks by default, so you might not know they're there. To see them, turn on formatting marks by pressing Ctrl+* (Windows) or Command+* (Mac). You can also go to the Home tab and click the ¶ symbol (pilcrow) in the toolbar.
Once formatting marks are on, page breaks appear as a dotted line across the page with the words "Page Break" in the middle. Section breaks (which do more than just move to a new page) look similar but say "Section Break" instead. Paragraph marks (the ¶ symbol) show where you pressed Enter, and dots appear between words where you pressed the spacebar.
Turning these on and off doesn't change your document — it just shows you what's actually there. Many people leave them on while working because it prevents the surprise of hidden breaks shifting text around.
Removing a page break you no longer need
Click right at the beginning of the page break line (the dotted line itself, not the text above or below it). You should see your cursor positioned there. Then press Delete or Backspace, and the page break disappears.
If you can't see the page break to click on it, turn on formatting marks first using Ctrl+* or Command+*. Once you can see the dotted line, clicking and deleting becomes straightforward. If the break is in the middle of a paragraph and you're having trouble selecting it, try clicking at the very start of the line that begins the new page, then pressing Backspace once — this usually catches the break.
The difference between page breaks and section breaks
A page break straightforward moves to a new page. A section break does that and also lets you change formatting — different margins, headers, footers, or page numbering — starting from that point. Most of the time you want a page break, not a section break.
To insert a section break, go to Insert > Page Break (the dropdown arrow next to it) and choose the type you need. "Next Page" is the most common — it works like a regular page break but lets you format differently on the new page. You would use this if you wanted page 1 to have different margins than page 2, or if you wanted page numbering to restart.
If you're not sure whether you need a section break, start with a regular page break. You can always change it later.
What happens when you add a page break in the middle of a table or list
If you press Ctrl+Enter while your cursor is inside a table, Word inserts a cell break (a new row) instead of a page break. To force a page break before a table, click right before the table starts (in the paragraph above it) and then press Ctrl+Enter.
For numbered or bulleted lists, a page break works normally — it moves the rest of the list to the next page and numbering continues where it left off. If you want the list to restart numbering on the new page, you'll need to right-click the first item on the new page, choose Restart at 1, rather than relying on the page break alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add a page break in the middle of a sentence?
Yes, but you shouldn't. Word will split the sentence across pages, which looks odd when printed. Instead, finish the sentence, position your cursor at the end of the paragraph, and then add the page break. This keeps related text together.
What's the difference between pressing Enter a lot and using a page break?
Pressing Enter creates visible blank lines that shift when you edit. A page break is invisible (unless you turn on formatting marks) and stays in the same spot no matter how much you change the text before it. Page breaks are also cleaner for printing and sharing.
Why does my page break keep moving when I edit?
You probably created the break with Enter presses instead of Ctrl+Enter. Turn on formatting marks to see what's actually there, delete the Enter marks, and insert a real page break using Ctrl+Enter instead.
Can I add a page break before a specific heading?
Yes. Click right before the heading text, then press Ctrl+Enter. The heading will move to the top of a new page. This is useful for starting new chapters or major sections on a fresh page.
Does a page break affect how the document looks on screen versus when printed?
Page breaks look the same on screen and in print — the page break line appears in the same spot either way. What changes is how much text fits on each page depending on your margin and font settings, but the break itself stays where you put it.