How to Delete a Page in Word, Including a Blank Last Page

Few things are more irritating than a stray blank page at the end of a Word document, especially when it's a proposal, a CV or a report you're about to send to a client. You press Delete, nothing happens, and the page stays put. The good news is that Word has a reason for it, and Microsoft's help page explains exactly how to get rid of it.

Deleting a Word page that has content on it

If the page has text, pictures or even empty paragraphs, the simplest route is also the most direct. Microsoft's instruction is to select everything on the page and press Delete.

1. Click at the very start of the page, then drag to the end of everything on it. Take in any graphics and empty paragraphs too.
2. Press Delete.
3. Check the page that follows has moved up and nothing else has shifted unexpectedly.

When a page is crowded, dragging across it can be fiddly. That's where the next method helps.

Selecting a whole Word page with Ctrl+G

Word has a built-in way to select exactly one page. Microsoft describes it like this:

1. Click anywhere on the page you want to remove.
2. Press Ctrl+G. On a Mac, press Option+Command+G.
3. In the Enter page number box, type \page.
4. Press Enter, then select Close.
5. Check that a full page of content is selected, then press Delete.

I like this one because it takes the guesswork out. Word does the selecting, so you don't miss a stray image or a hidden paragraph.

Getting rid of a blank last page in Word

A blank page at the very end is usually the document's required final paragraph, pushed onto a new page by whatever came before it, often a table. You can't delete that paragraph, so Microsoft's fix is to shrink it until it fits on the previous page.

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+8 to show paragraph marks. On a Mac, press Command+8.
2. Select the final paragraph mark on the blank page.
3. In the Font size box, type 01 and press Enter. Microsoft says setting the size to 1 point is the most reliable fix.
4. Press the same shortcut again to hide the paragraph marks.

If the paragraph still won't tuck onto the page above, Microsoft suggests going to Layout, then Margins, then Custom Margins, and reducing the bottom margin. Its example is 0.3 inches.

When a Word page won't delete because of hidden breaks

If you've tried the steps above and an unwanted page is still there, the culprit is usually a break you can't see. Show the paragraph marks with Ctrl+Shift+8 (Command+8 on a Mac) and look for these:

• A manual page break. Select it and press Delete.
• A square bullet beside a paragraph mark. This can mean Page break before is switched on. Right-click the empty paragraph, choose Paragraph Settings from the Home tab, open the Lines and Page Breaks tab, and clear Page break before.
• A section break. For Next Page, Odd Page or Even Page breaks that leave a blank page at the end, place your cursor directly before the section break and press Delete.

To make section breaks easier to find, switch to Draft on the View tab. If you need a break in the middle of a document to stop forcing a new page, Microsoft says to double-click it, select Breaks on the Layout tab, choose Continuous, and select OK.

Removing a Word page when you're using Word for the web or a phone

Microsoft's page covers Word for Mac and the Windows versions it lists. It doesn't give separate steps for Word for the web, and menus vary by version, so if you're on the web or a tablet, the most dependable fallback is to select the content on the page and press Delete. For the Ctrl+G method and the paragraph-mark fix, open the document in the desktop app.

Stopping stray Word pages from creeping back

• Leave paragraph marks showing while you finish a document, so you can see what's pushing content onto a new page.
• Avoid pressing Enter repeatedly to reach the next page. Use a page break instead when you need one.
• Check the end of the document after adding a table, as that's the classic cause of a blank last page.
• Run through the page count before you save as a PDF or send a file out.

If you're polishing a CV before sending it, a stray blank page can make a good first impression slip. My guide to filling in a blank resume template step by step is worth a look, and if your team also uses Google's tools, here's how to delete a page in Google Docs.

Situation	What to do
Page with text or pictures	Select everything on it and press Delete
Page that's hard to select	Ctrl+G, type \page, Enter, Close, Delete
Blank page at the end	Show paragraph marks, set the last mark to size 01
Page still won't go	Look for page breaks, Page break before and section breaks

Frequently asked questions

How do I delete a page in Word?

Select all the content on the page, including graphics and empty paragraphs, and press Delete. If it's awkward to select, click on the page, press Ctrl+G, type \page, press Enter, select Close, then press Delete.

Why can't I delete the blank page at the end of my Word document?

It's usually Word's required final paragraph pushed onto a new page. Show paragraph marks, select the last one, set its font size to 01 and the page should disappear.

What is the shortcut to select a page in Word?

Press Ctrl+G, or Option+Command+G on a Mac, then type \page in the Enter page number box and press Enter. Microsoft says to close the box and check a full page is selected before you press Delete.

How do I delete a page break in Word?

Show paragraph marks with Ctrl+Shift+8 (Command+8 on a Mac), select the page break and press Delete.

Can I delete a page in Word for the web?

Microsoft's page doesn't give separate steps for Word for the web. Selecting the content on the page and pressing Delete is the safest approach, and the desktop app handles the more stubborn cases.