- Starting a new page in Google Docs with a page break
- The Google Docs keyboard shortcut for a new page
- Adding a page in Google Docs from your phone or tablet
- Making a heading start a new page in Google Docs
- Adding a Google Docs page in the middle of a document
- What a Google Docs page break will not do
- If you can't add a page in Google Docs
- Choosing between a page break and a section break in Google Docs
- Frequently asked questions
To add a page in Google Docs, click where the new page should begin, then choose Insert, Break, Page break. The shortcut is Ctrl + Enter on Windows or Cmd + Enter on a Mac. On a phone, tap Edit, Insert, then Page break.
Google Docs adds pages for you as you type, which is brilliant until you want a page on your own terms. A cover sheet, a new chapter, a fresh section for a client proposal, or a clean page for an appendix all need a deliberate break, not a long run of the Enter key.
The tool Google gives you is called a page break. Below are the steps on a computer and on your phone, plus the shortcut, a tip for starting every heading on a new page, and what to check if nothing happens. It all follows Google's help pages.
Starting a new page in Google Docs with a page break
Google's help describes the standard route like this:
- Open your document on a computer.
- Put your cursor where the new page should begin. Google's help says to select a section of your content.
- Click Insert, then Break.
- Choose Page break.
Everything after the cursor jumps to a new page. Because the break is a real formatting mark, it stays put even when you edit the text above, which is the whole point of using it instead of pressing Enter.
The Google Docs keyboard shortcut for a new page
Google lists a shortcut for inserting a page break. On Windows or Chrome OS it's Ctrl + Enter, and on a Mac it's Cmd + Enter. Click where the new page should start, press the keys and you're there.
It's a small habit that saves a lot of clicking, particularly if you're building a long document with many sections, such as a training manual or a pack of client guides.
Adding a page in Google Docs from your phone or tablet
Google's mobile help is short and clear. On Android, and on iPhone and iPad, you open the file, tap Edit, tap Insert and then tap Page break. A page break is added where your cursor sits.
Put the cursor in the right place first, since the break lands exactly there. If you get it wrong, tap just below the break and delete it, then try again.
Making a heading start a new page in Google Docs
Here's the tip I'd give anyone writing long documents. Instead of inserting a break by hand each time, tell the paragraph itself to start on a fresh page. Google's help says to click in the paragraph, or select it, then open Line and paragraph spacing in the toolbar and click Add page break before. The Format menu has the same item.
Google suggests this for keeping a heading at the top of a new page. The advantage is that the page start moves with the heading when you rearrange your content, and you won't end up with a blank page when an earlier edit shifts things around.
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Adding a Google Docs page in the middle of a document
You don't have to be at the end. Click at the exact point where the existing text should split, insert the break, and the rest of the document moves forward. If you want a blank page in the middle, insert a break, then a second one on the new page. Use that sparingly, since an empty page rarely looks intentional.
If you're preparing a cover page for a CV pack or proposal, how to design a resume cover page that gets noticed shows how to make that first page count.
What a Google Docs page break will not do
- It won't work in pageless documents. Google says page breaks aren't available in pageless format, so switch to pages format first.
- It doesn't remove itself. To delete one, click under it and press Backspace or Delete until it's gone.
- It doesn't change margins or headers by itself. A section break is the tool for that.
To switch formats, click File, then Page setup, select Pages at the top and click OK. Google also lists Format, then Switch to Pages format, as another route.
If you can't add a page in Google Docs
- Check the document isn't in pageless format. That is the most common reason the option is missing.
- Make sure your cursor is in the document body, not inside a header or footer.
- Try the menu route if the shortcut does nothing, since some keyboards and browsers intercept shortcuts.
- Turn on View, then Show non-printing characters, to see whether a break is already there.
- Reload the document and try again.
Choosing between a page break and a section break in Google Docs
| You want to | Use |
|---|---|
| Start the next part on a fresh page | A page break (Insert > Break > Page break) |
| Always start a heading on a new page | Add page break before, in Line and paragraph spacing |
| Change margins or numbering for a part | A section break |
| Add a page on mobile | Edit > Insert > Page break |
If your extra pages are part of a CV, my guide to what a resume template should include for busy professionals is a handy reference for what belongs on each page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a page in Google Docs?
Click where you want the new page to start, then choose Insert, Break, Page break. The shortcut is Ctrl + Enter on Windows or Chrome OS and Cmd + Enter on a Mac.
How do I add a page in Google Docs on my phone?
Open the file, tap Edit, tap Insert and then tap Page break. This works on Android, iPhone and iPad according to Google's help.
How do I make a heading start on a new page?
Click the paragraph, open Line and paragraph spacing and click Add page break before. Google suggests this to keep a heading at the top of a new page.
Why can't I insert a page break?
Google says page breaks aren't available in pageless documents. Switch to pages format through File, Page setup, Pages.
How do I remove a page I added?
Click under the page break and press Backspace or Delete until the break is gone.
