How To Delete Section Break in Word: Simple & Essential Guide

Section breaks in Microsoft Word are like invisible walls in your document. They let you apply different formatting to different parts of the same file—different page orientations, headers, footers, columns, you name it. But here’s the thing: they can also become a total headache. You’re cruising along, trying to edit your document, and suddenly your formatting goes haywire. Nine times out of ten, it’s a hidden section break causing the chaos. If you’re wrestling with how to delete a section break in Word, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will show you exactly how to find them, understand what they do, and remove them without torching your document.

1. Open your Word document.
2. Go to the Home tab in the ribbon.
3. Look for the Paragraph group (it’s usually on the left side of the ribbon).
4. Click the ¶ (pilcrow) button. This toggles formatting marks on and off.
5. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + 8 (or Ctrl + * on the numeric keypad).

1. Open your Word document.
2. Go to the Home tab.
3. Click the ¶ button in the Paragraph group.
4. Or use the keyboard shortcut: Command + Option + 8.

Once you turn on formatting marks, you’ll see all sorts of hidden characters:

• ¶ = paragraph marks
• · = spaces
• → = tabs
• ⎘ or similar symbol = section breaks (this is what we’re hunting for)

Pro tip: Leave formatting marks on while you’re working on document structure. It saves so much debugging time.

Step 2: Locate Your Section Break

Now that formatting marks are visible, you need to find the section break. Section breaks look different depending on the type, but they typically display as a line with text like “—Section Break (Next Page)—” or “—Section Break (Continuous)—”.

1. Scroll through your document with formatting marks visible.
2. Look for any line that says “Section Break”—it’ll be pretty obvious once you’re looking for it.
3. Note which type it is (Next Page, Continuous, Odd Page, or Even Page—we’ll explain these later).

1. Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Command + H (Mac) to open Find & Replace.
2. Click More Options (or Expand on Mac).
3. Click Special (or Format on some versions).
4. Look for an option like “Section Break” or “Manual Break”—the exact wording varies by Word version.
5. Click it to add the section break code to your search field.
6. Click Find All. Word will highlight every section break in your document.

This method is a lifesaver if you have a long document with multiple section breaks. You’ll instantly see how many you’re dealing with.

Step 3: Delete the Section Break

This is the easy part. Once you’ve located your section break, deleting it is almost anticlimactic.

1. Click right before the section break line (just before the dash or symbol).
2. Press the Delete key once.
3. The section break disappears, and the formatting from the section before it now applies to the content that was after the break.

1. Triple-click on the section break line to select the entire line.
2. Press Delete or Backspace.

1. Open Find & Replace again (Ctrl + H or Command + H).
2. In the “Find” field, insert the section break code (same process as before).
3. Leave the “Replace” field empty.
4. Click Replace All.
5. Word removes all section breaks at once.

Solution: The section break might not have been the cause. Check if there are multiple section breaks. Also, verify that you’re looking at the right part of the document. Sometimes formatting is applied directly to text rather than through section breaks. If you’re still stuck, try selecting the problematic text and resetting it to “Normal” style.

Solution: You might have deleted a “Next Page” section break. The blank space is likely just formatting. Try deleting extra paragraph marks (¶) at the end of the previous section. You can also try pressing Ctrl + End to go to the end of the document and work backward.

Solution: It might be in a header, footer, or text box. Check these locations separately. Also, make sure you’re truly seeing all formatting marks—sometimes they’re just really small on screen. Try zooming in to 150% or higher.

Solution: Undo immediately with Ctrl + Z (or Command + Z on Mac). You might need a different approach. Instead of deleting the break, consider modifying the section formatting to match what you want. Go to Layout tab > Margins or Orientation and adjust the current section only.

Real talk: Sometimes the nuclear option (deleting the section break) isn’t the best move. If your document has complex formatting, you might be better off manually adjusting sections rather than nuking them.

Understanding Different Section Break Types

Not all section breaks are created equal. Word offers four types, and knowing the difference helps you understand what’ll happen when you delete one.

This forces the next section to start on a new page. It’s the most common type. When you delete this break, the content flows directly onto the previous page (if there’s room).

This starts a new section on the same page. It’s useful when you want different column layouts or margins within the same page. Deleting it usually has the least dramatic effect on your layout.

Forces the next section to start on an odd-numbered page. Publishers use this for book layouts. Deleting it might leave blank pages behind.

Same as Odd Page but for even-numbered pages. Less common in everyday documents.

You can see which type you’re dealing with by looking at the section break label when formatting marks are visible. This tells you what to expect when you delete the section break in Word.

Best Practices for Managing Section Breaks

Here’s the thing: the best section break is one you understand and maintain properly. Here’s how to avoid future headaches:

Document your sections: If you’re creating a document with multiple sections, add a comment explaining why each section break exists. Future you (or someone else) will be grateful.

Use styles consistently: Instead of manually formatting different parts of your document, use styles. This reduces the need for section breaks in the first place. Check out our guide on how to do hanging indent on Word for an example of using styles instead of manual formatting.

Keep formatting marks visible during editing: It’s easier to manage section breaks when you can see them. Toggle them on whenever you’re working on document structure.

Test before sharing: If you’re sending a document to someone else, delete any unnecessary section breaks first. They can cause compatibility issues in older Word versions or when converting to PDF. According to Microsoft’s own blog, section break handling has improved over versions, but simplicity is still best.

Use the Layout tab strategically: Before you delete a section break, explore the Layout tab. You might be able to adjust margins, orientation, or columns for just the current section without deleting anything. This preserves your document structure while fixing formatting issues.

Consider using headers and footers instead: If your only reason for a section break is different headers or footers, you might achieve the same result with conditional formatting in headers/footers. It’s cleaner and less likely to cause issues. For more on working with document elements, see our guide on how to add a line in Word.

According to best practices in document management, keeping your document structure simple is always the goal. The same principle applies to Word documents—simpler is more reliable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I delete a section break by accident?

– Don’t panic. Press Ctrl + Z (or Command + Z on Mac) immediately to undo. If you’ve already saved, you can still use the version history feature in Word Online, or reopen the file without saving changes. Word is pretty forgiving about accidental deletions.

Can I delete a section break without affecting the rest of my document?

– Not entirely. When you delete a section break, the formatting from the section before it extends to the content after it. However, if you use a Continuous section break, the effect is usually minimal. The key is understanding what formatting was applied to each section before you delete.

Why does my document have so many section breaks?

– Either someone intentionally created them for complex formatting, or they were added by Word automatically (sometimes happens with page breaks or when pasting content from other documents). Review each one before deleting. Just because a section break exists doesn’t mean it’s a mistake.

Is there a way to delete all section breaks at once?

– Yes. Use Find & Replace (Ctrl + H), search for section breaks using the Special option, leave the Replace field empty, and click Replace All. This nukes every section break in your document. Be careful—this is a nuclear option that might destroy your intended formatting.

What’s the difference between a page break and a section break?

– A page break just moves to the next page; everything keeps the same formatting. A section break moves to the next page (or stays on the same page for Continuous breaks) AND allows you to change formatting. Section breaks are more powerful but also more complex. For simple page breaks, use Ctrl + Return instead of inserting a section break.

Can I see section breaks in the Print Preview?

– No. Section breaks are invisible in Print Preview because they’re not actually printed—they’re just formatting instructions. You only see them when formatting marks are turned on in the editing view.

Does deleting a section break affect page numbering?

– It can. If the section break was set to restart page numbering, deleting it means page numbers continue sequentially from the previous section. This is usually what you want, but double-check your page numbers after deletion.

Will deleting a section break cause problems when I convert to PDF?

– Unlikely. In fact, deleting unnecessary section breaks often makes PDF conversion cleaner. Fewer section breaks mean fewer potential compatibility issues. Always test your PDF output after making significant structural changes though.