Blank Pages vs Page Splits in Word: When to Use and How

Microsoft Word comes with two similar-sounding features called Blank Pages and Page Breaks. At first glance, inserting a page break is the same as inserting a blank page. However, there is a slight difference between a page break and a blank page, as discussed below.

List of contents

Difference Between Page Break and Blank Page

Both Page Breaks and Blank Pages can be added to Word documents anywhere. Both are available under the Insert menu. When you insert a blank page, Word will insert a completely blank page in your document. However, when you insert a page break, any content or elements that you may have after the page break is inserted will automatically move to the next page.

Let’s understand with an example.

We add some dummy text (Type=lorem() and press Enter) into the new Word document. There are five paragraphs on one page. This is how it looks:

Now, when we add a page break after the third paragraph, the last two paragraphs are moved onto the second page. Word automatically adds new pages to accommodate content.

If we add a blank page after the third paragraph, the first two paragraphs stay on page 1. Word will insert a blank page with no content after that which is page 2. And the remaining paragraphs after that are pushed to page 3.

So instead of two pages, you get three pages now because one page is blank.

In short, adding a blank page will do just that. Add blank pages in between and whatever you have after that in the document will start page after blank page. Adding a page break pushes all content after the page break to the next page.

Pro Tips: You can easily convert images to text right in your Word document without ever leaving it.

Adding Blank Pages and Page Breaks in Microsoft Word

Adding blank pages and page breaks in Word is easy.

First, hover over the word where you want to add a page break or blank page. Then select tabs Insert then click options Blank Page or Stop Page according to the needs.

If the Microsoft Word application window has been resized, you will find the blank page and page break options listed under the Page menu under the Insert tab.

Pro Tips: Press Ctrl+Enter to quickly insert a page break.

Remove Page Breaks and Blank Pages in Word

To remove blank pages in Word, select Appearance then enable Navigation Pane.

You will now see a sidebar with all your pages visible on the left. Just scroll to find the blank page you want to get rid of, select it, then press Wipe on the keyboard to delete it.

To remove page breaks from Word, on the tab Home pagechoose formatting options icon.

You will now see page breaks wherever they are in the document. Just select a page break and press Wipe on your keyboard.

Must Read: The only guide you need to edit screenshots or images in Microsoft Word documents.

FAQs

1. Where are page breaks used?

Page breaks are used when you want to end the page but don’t want to add filler content or unnecessary text. Just add a page break and start writing on the next page. It is also used to increase the space between sections.

2. Where are blank pages used?

If the paragraph is too long and doesn’t fit on the current page, you can insert a blank page to move the paragraph to the next page. That way, the entire paragraph appears on the same page increasing readability and understanding. Another utility is when you have created a long presentation or document. Then a blank page can be used to mark the end of a section or sections.

PointBlank

So there is a subtle but important difference between a page break and a blank page. They also have different use cases as we have discussed above with examples. Depending on what you want to achieve, you can use one of these in Microsoft Word. Some people use them interchangeably however it is not recommended.

Want to add page numbers to your Word document? It’s easy and fast to do it.