The fastest way to remove an unwanted blank page

A blank page at the end of your document usually exists because of extra paragraph marks, page breaks, or table spacing. The quickest fix is to go to the end of your document, select the blank space, and delete it. If that does not work, you may need to remove a manual page break or adjust spacing around a table.

Most blank pages disappear in seconds once you know what caused them. The method depends on whether the blank space is from formatting, a page break you inserted, or something else entirely.

Key Takeaways

  • Navigate to the blank page, click at the top of it, and press Delete or Backspace to remove extra paragraph marks.
  • If Delete does not work, the blank page likely contains a manual page break — use Find & Replace to locate and remove it.
  • Blank pages after tables often come from spacing settings rather than actual content, and adjusting table properties fixes them.
  • Turning on formatting marks (Ctrl+* on Windows, Cmd+8 on Mac) shows you exactly what is creating the blank space.

Delete extra paragraph marks at the end of your document

Place your cursor at the very beginning of the blank page. The easiest way is to click right at the top of the blank area. Then press the Delete key repeatedly until the blank page disappears into the previous page. If nothing happens when you press Delete, try Backspace instead — Backspace deletes backward from where your cursor sits.

This works because Word treats each paragraph mark as taking up space. Extra paragraph marks at the end of your document push content onto a new page. Deleting them pulls everything back together. You may need to press Delete or Backspace five to ten times, depending on how many empty paragraphs exist.

Show formatting marks to see what is creating the blank page

Formatting marks are invisible characters that represent spaces, tabs, paragraph breaks, and page breaks. Turning them on lets you see exactly what is pushing content around. On Windows, press Ctrl+* (Ctrl and Shift+8). On Mac, press Cmd+8. A button labeled with a pilcrow symbol (¶) also toggles this on in the Home tab on Windows or the Standard toolbar on Mac.

Once formatting marks are visible, you will see dots for spaces, arrows for tabs, and a ¶ symbol for each paragraph mark. A page break appears as a line labeled "Page Break". If you see multiple ¶ symbols in a row on your blank page, those are the extra paragraph marks you need to delete. If you see a page break line, you have a manual page break to remove instead.

Remove a manual page break

A manual page break is something you or someone else inserted deliberately, usually by pressing Ctrl+Enter. It forces Word to start a new page regardless of content. If your blank page contains a page break (visible as a dotted line labeled "Page Break" when formatting marks are on), click directly on that line and press Delete.

If you cannot find the page break by scrolling, use Find & Replace to locate it. Press Ctrl+H to open Find & Replace. In the Find field, click "No Formatting" or "Format" at the bottom, then search for "^m" (the code for a manual page break). Click "Replace All" to remove every manual page break in your document, or click "Replace" one at a time to remove only the ones you want gone.

Fix blank pages caused by table spacing

A table at the end of your document sometimes creates a blank page because of spacing settings or an extra paragraph after the table. Click anywhere inside the table, then right-click and select "Table Properties." Go to the "Row" tab and uncheck "Allow row to break across pages" if it is checked. This prevents Word from pushing the table to a new page unnecessarily.

If a paragraph mark sits after your table, that mark may be pushing onto its own page. Click right after the table ends, turn on formatting marks to see the paragraph symbol, and delete it. Be careful not to delete the paragraph mark that belongs to the table itself — delete only the extra ones after it.

Adjust spacing before and after paragraphs

Sometimes a blank page appears because spacing settings around paragraphs are too large. Select the paragraph or text block that sits before the blank page. Right-click and choose "Paragraph." Look at the "Spacing" section and check the "After" value — if it is set to a very large number, reduce it. The same applies to "Before" spacing on the paragraph that follows.

Spacing is measured in points. Most documents use 0 to 12 points of spacing after paragraphs. If you see 24, 36, or higher, that extra space may be pushing content to a new page. Reduce it to match the rest of your document, and the blank page often disappears.

Check for hidden text or objects

Occasionally a blank page exists because of hidden text, a floating image, or an object positioned off-screen. Turn on formatting marks and look for any unusual symbols on the blank page. If you see a small box or anchor symbol, that indicates an object. Click on it and press Delete to remove it.

To find hidden text, go to Home, click the small arrow next to Font, and look at the "Effects" section. If "Hidden" is checked, uncheck it to reveal any text marked as hidden. Hidden text usually does not print, but it can still affect page breaks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my blank page keep coming back after I delete it?

The blank page returns if you are deleting the wrong thing. Turn on formatting marks to see what is actually there. If you see a page break, delete that instead of paragraph marks. If you see a table, the issue is likely table spacing or a paragraph after the table, not the blank page itself.

Can I delete a blank page in the middle of my document?

Yes, but be careful. A blank page in the middle usually means a page break was inserted intentionally. Click on the page break line (visible with formatting marks on) and press Delete. If there is no page break, the blank space is from spacing or paragraph marks — delete those instead. Check that you are not removing content you need.

What if I have multiple blank pages?

Use Find & Replace to remove all manual page breaks at once. Press Ctrl+H, search for "^m", and click "Replace All". Then go to the end of your document and delete any remaining extra paragraph marks. If blank pages persist, check spacing settings on large paragraphs or tables.

Does deleting a blank page affect my document's formatting?

No, as long as you are deleting actual blank space, paragraph marks, or page breaks you inserted. Deleting these does not change fonts, margins, or other formatting. If you accidentally delete content, press Ctrl+Z to undo.

How do I prevent blank pages from appearing in the future?

Avoid pressing Enter multiple times at the end of sections — use spacing settings instead. Do not insert manual page breaks unless you need them. Keep formatting marks visible while you work so you can see what you are creating. If you work with tables, check their spacing settings before they cause problems.