Deleting a page in Microsoft Word might sound simple — until you’re stuck with a stubborn blank page that refuses to go away.

Whether you’re working in Microsoft Word on Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, or even Word Online, extra pages can appear for many reasons:

• Extra paragraph marks (¶)

• Page breaks

• Section breaks

• Tables extending to a new page

• Formatting issues

• Hidden content

If you’re preparing a professional document, report, resume, thesis, or ebook, those unwanted blank pages can ruin formatting and waste paper when printing.

In this complete guide, you’ll learn:

• ✅ How to delete a blank page in Word

• ✅ How to remove a page with text

• ✅ How to delete the last blank page

• ✅ How to remove page breaks and section breaks

• ✅ Fixes for stubborn pages that won’t delete

• ✅ Methods for Windows, Mac, and Word Online

Let’s fix that unwanted page once and for all.

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Why Does a Blank or Extra Page Appear in Word?

Before deleting a page, it helps to understand what’s causing it.

Common reasons include:

• Multiple empty paragraphs

• Manual page breaks

• Section breaks (Next Page)

• A large table pushing content

• Hidden formatting marks

• Extra spacing after tables

Most blank pages are not “real” pages — they’re created by formatting.

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Method 1: Delete a Blank Page Using Backspace or Delete (Quickest Way)

This is the easiest solution.

Steps:

1. Go to the blank page.

2. Click at the top of the page.

3. Press Backspace (Windows) or Delete (Mac).

4. If needed, hold the key to remove extra paragraph marks.

If nothing happens, move to the next method.

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Method 2: Show Paragraph Marks (¶) to Find Hidden Content

Blank pages often contain hidden formatting symbols.

Steps:

1. Open your Word document.

2. Click the Home tab.

3. Click the ¶ (Show/Hide) button.

OR
Press Ctrl + Shift + 8 (Windows)
Press Command + 8 (Mac)

You’ll now see:

• Paragraph marks (¶)

• Page breaks

• Section breaks

• Hidden spaces

To delete:

• Select the extra ¶ marks and press Delete

• Select a page break and press Delete

• Carefully remove section breaks (if not needed)

This method solves most blank page problems.

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Method 3: Delete a Page Using the Navigation Pane

If the page contains text you want to remove:

Steps:

1. Click View

2. Enable Navigation Pane

3. Click the Pages tab

4. Select the page thumbnail

5. Highlight all content

6. Press Delete

This is useful for removing a full unwanted page with content.

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Method 4: Delete a Page Using “Go To” (Works Even for Stubborn Pages)

This method is extremely effective.

Steps:

1. Press Ctrl + G

2. In the dialog box, type:

   \page


3. Click Go To

4. Click Close

5. Press Delete

This selects the entire current page instantly.

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Method 5: Remove a Manual Page Break

Manual page breaks are common causes of extra pages.

How to Delete:

1. Turn on ¶ marks

2. Locate Page Break

3. Click before it

4. Press Delete

The extra page should disappear immediately.

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Method 6: Delete a Section Break (Carefully)

Section breaks are more complex because they control formatting (headers, footers, margins).

You might see:

• Section Break (Next Page)

• Section Break (Continuous)

• Section Break (Even Page)

Steps:

1. Turn on ¶ marks

2. Locate the section break

3. Select it

4. Press Delete

⚠ Important: Deleting a section break may change document formatting.
If formatting changes, adjust margins or reapply styles.

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Method 7: Fix the Last Blank Page in Word

A very common issue: a blank page at the end of the document.

This often happens because:

• Word requires a paragraph after a table

• There’s an extra ¶ after content

Fix 1: Reduce Paragraph Size

1. Select the empty paragraph mark

2. Set font size to 1

3. Change spacing to 0

4. Press Enter

Fix 2: Change Paragraph to Hidden

1. Select the paragraph mark

2. Press Ctrl + D

3. Check Hidden

4. Click OK

The page should disappear.

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Method 8: Delete a Page in Word Online

If you’re using Word in a browser:

1. Click inside the blank page

2. Press Backspace

3. If needed, open the document in the desktop app for advanced fixes

Word Online has limited formatting controls.

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Method 9: Delete a Page in Word on Mac

The process is similar to Windows:

• Show formatting marks (Command + 8)

• Delete paragraph marks

• Remove page breaks

• Use Command + G → \page

All major versions of Word for Mac support these steps.

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Method 10: Remove a Blank Page After a Table

Tables often force an extra blank page.

Fix:

1. Turn on ¶ marks

2. Select the paragraph mark after the table

3. Change font size to 1

4. Set spacing to 0

OR
Change the table size slightly to fit the previous page.

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Common Reasons Pages Won’t Delete (And Fixes)

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Pro Tips to Prevent Extra Pages

• Avoid pressing Enter repeatedly

• Use spacing settings instead of blank lines

• Be careful with section breaks

• Keep paragraph spacing consistent

• Review formatting before printing

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why can’t I delete a blank page in Word?

Because it’s usually caused by hidden paragraph marks, page breaks, or section breaks.

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Does deleting a section break remove formatting?

Yes, it may change margins, headers, or page layout.

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How do I delete multiple pages at once?

Use:

Repeat for each page.

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How do I delete a page without affecting formatting?

Remove only extra paragraph marks or page breaks — avoid deleting section breaks unless necessary.

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Conclusion

Deleting a page in Word isn’t always as simple as pressing Delete. Blank or extra pages usually appear due to hidden formatting, page breaks, or section breaks.

By using:

• Paragraph marks (¶)

• Navigation Pane

• Go To (\page)

• Removing page/section breaks

• Adjusting table spacing

You can remove any unwanted page in minutes.

Whether you’re using Word 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, Mac, or Word Online — these methods will work.

Now your document is clean, professional, and ready to share or print.