Why blank pages appear and how to remove them
Blank pages in Word usually come from three sources: a page break you inserted deliberately but forgot about, extra paragraph marks at the end of a document, or a table that pushed content onto a new page. The fastest way to find and delete them is to turn on formatting marks so you can see what is actually on the page, then delete the specific character causing the break.
Word does not have a "remove blank pages" button that works everywhere. You have to locate the blank page, understand what put it there, and delete that thing. This takes 30 seconds once you know where to look.
Key Takeaways
- Turn on formatting marks by pressing Ctrl+* (Windows) or Cmd+* (Mac) so you can see page breaks and paragraph marks that create blank pages.
- A deliberate page break shows as a bent arrow with "Page Break" written next to it; select it and press Delete to remove the blank page it created.
- Extra paragraph marks at the end of a document create blank space; delete them one at a time by clicking at the end of your text and pressing Backspace.
- A table or image that sits alone on a page may push following content down; delete the table or move the image to the previous page to collapse the blank space.
- If a blank page appears in the middle of your document and you cannot find what caused it, check the page before it for a page break or oversized object.
Turn on formatting marks to see what is creating the blank page
Formatting marks are invisible characters that Word uses to mark the end of paragraphs, tabs, spaces, and page breaks. By default they are hidden, so you cannot see what is actually pushing content around. Turning them on shows you exactly what is on each page.
On Windows, press Ctrl+* (hold Ctrl and press the asterisk key on the number row). On Mac, press Cmd+* (the asterisk is Shift+8). A pilcrow symbol (¶) will appear at the end of every paragraph, and page breaks will show as a line with "Page Break" written on it. Once you see what is there, you can delete it.
Delete a page break you inserted deliberately
If you see a line across the page that says "Page Break" or shows a bent arrow, that is a manual page break. You put it there to force a new page to start. To remove it, click anywhere on that line and press Delete.
The blank page will disappear when ready. If the page break was the only thing on that page, the page itself vanishes and the content before and after the break flows together. This is the most common reason for unwanted blank pages in the middle of a document.
Remove extra paragraph marks at the end of your document
If the blank page is at the very end of your document, you likely have extra paragraph marks. Click at the end of your last sentence of actual text, then press Backspace repeatedly to delete the empty paragraphs one at a time. Watch the page count at the bottom of the screen — it will drop as you delete each one.
Stop when you reach the last sentence you want to keep. You can have one paragraph mark at the end (that is normal), but multiple empty ones create blank pages. This is especially common if you copied text from another document or pasted from a website.
Move or delete tables and images that create blank pages
A table or large image that sits alone near the end of a page can push following content onto a new page, creating a blank space. To fix this, try moving the object up to the previous page or deleting it if it is not needed.
Click on the table or image to select it, then cut it (Ctrl+X or Cmd+X) and paste it earlier in the document where there is room. If the object is not essential, you can straightforward delete it. The content that was pushed down will move back up and fill the space.
Check the page before the blank page for hidden causes
If you cannot find what is on the blank page itself, the cause is usually on the page before it. Scroll up one page and look for a page break, a very large image, or a table. Formatting marks will show you any manual breaks.
Sometimes a paragraph at the end of a page has extra spacing set in its formatting (in the Paragraph menu under Line Spacing or Spacing Before/After). This can push the next content onto a new page. If you find this, select the paragraph and reduce the spacing to normal.
Use Find and Replace to locate multiple page breaks quickly
If your document has many blank pages and you want to find all the page breaks at once, use Find and Replace. Press Ctrl+H (Windows) or Cmd+H (Mac) to open Find and Replace. In the Find field, click "More Options" or "Format" and search for "^m" (the code for a manual page break).
This will highlight every page break in your document. You can then go through each one and decide whether to keep it or delete it. This is faster than scrolling through a long document looking for blank pages manually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word keep creating a blank page when I delete it?
The blank page is being created by something on the page before it — usually a table at the bottom, an oversized image, or a paragraph with extra spacing. Deleting the blank page itself does not fix the cause. Find and delete the table, move the image, or reduce the spacing on the paragraph before the blank page.
How do I delete a blank page in the middle of a document without losing content?
Use formatting marks to see what is on the blank page. If it is a page break, click it and press Delete. If it is empty paragraphs, click at the start of the blank page and press Backspace to delete the empty lines. The content after the blank page will move up.
Can I delete a blank page if it is created by a table?
You cannot delete the page itself, but you can delete the table or move it. Click on the table to select it, then press Delete to remove it entirely. Or cut the table and paste it on the previous page if you want to keep it. The blank space will collapse once the table is gone.
What if I have a blank page and formatting marks are turned on but I see nothing?
The page may be blank because of a very large object like an image or a paragraph with excessive spacing. Scroll to the page before the blank page and look for anything unusually large or spaced out. You can also try selecting all content on the blank page (click at the top and drag to the bottom) and press Delete.
Does Word have a setting to prevent blank pages automatically?
Word does not have an automatic blank page remover. You have to find and delete the cause manually. However, turning on formatting marks and checking your document before sending it will catch most blank pages. Avoid copying text from websites or other documents without cleaning up the formatting first.