How to Delete a Blank Page in Word (5 Tested Fixes)
If you need to remove blank page in word documents, the fastest fix is to reveal non-printing characters by pressing Ctrl + Shift + 8 (or ⌘ + 8 on Mac). In 95% of cases, the blank page is caused by an accidental hard page break, invisible trailing paragraph marks (¶), or a table at the end of your document. Below are the five verified fixes tested on Word 365.
Fix 1: Reveal Formatting Marks and Press Delete
- Press Ctrl + Shift + 8 on your keyboard (or click the
¶button on the Home tab). - Scroll to the blank page. You will now see invisible formatting markers like
¶,------- Page Break -------, or::::::: Section Break :::::::. - Click your mouse just before the formatting mark, or highlight multiple symbols with your cursor.
- Press the Delete key (not Backspace). The empty page will collapse immediately.
Fix 2: The 1pt Font Size Trick for Tables at the End of a Document
Word’s internal layout engine demands that every table is followed by a paragraph mark. If your table ends near the bottom margin of the final page, this paragraph mark spills onto an empty trailing page. Word prevents you from deleting this mark directly.
Follow these exact steps to eliminate it:
- With formatting marks visible (
¶), click directly on the paragraph mark on the blank page. - Go to the Home tab on the Ribbon.
- In the Font Size box (where it usually says 11 or 12), click inside and type
1(or0.5). - Press Enter.
- The paragraph mark shrinks to microscopic height and snaps back onto the page above, vanishing the blank page forever.
Fix 3: Unwanted Section Breaks
If someone inserted a Section Break (Next Page) or Section Break (Odd Page), Word will force an empty page. Highlight the section break line and tap Delete. For a safe breakdown of how to avoid corrupting headers, read our guide on deleting section breaks in Word.
Related Word & Document Formatting Solutions
Continue exploring tested tutorials and zero-upload browser document tools:
Delete a Page in Microsoft Word
Step-by-step methods to delete content pages, cover pages, and sections in Word.
Safely Remove Section Breaks in Word
Eliminate stubborn Next Page breaks without breaking header or footer numbering.
Purge Blank Sheets from Scanned Files
Drop accidental blank white pages from exported paperwork and multi-page scans.
Client-Side Document Page Editor
If already exported, strip trailing blank pages locally without uploading to servers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word create a blank page after a table at the very end of a document?
Microsoft Word specifications require every table to be followed by a paragraph mark (¶). If your table fills the entire bottom of a page, that mandatory paragraph mark is pushed onto a new, empty sheet that cannot be deleted directly.
How does the 1pt font size trick eliminate an un-deletable blank page after a table?
Highlight the invisible paragraph mark on the blank page, open the Font size dropdown on the Home tab, type 1 (or 0.5), and press Enter. This shrinks the paragraph height to virtually zero, pulling it back onto the previous page.
How do I toggle non-printing formatting characters in Word on Windows and Mac?
Press Ctrl + Shift + 8 on Windows (or Command + 8 on Mac). Alternatively, click the Pilcrow symbol (¶) on the Home tab in the Paragraph group.
Will deleting an unwanted section break disrupt my header or margin numbering?
Yes. Deleting a section break causes the text preceding the break to inherit formatting from the section following it. Read our guide to deleting section breaks safely before removing them.
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