Page Break in Word (Ctrl+Enter / ⌘Return)
Force a new page in Word: press Ctrl+Enter on Windows or ⌘Return (Command+Return) on the Mac. It pushes everything after the cursor to the next page.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insert page break | ⌘+Enter | Ctrl+Enter | |
| Insert line break (soft return) | Shift+Return | Shift+Enter | |
| Insert column break | ⌘+Shift+Enter | Ctrl+Shift+Enter | |
| Show/hide formatting marks | ⌘+8 | Ctrl+Shift+8 | |
| Delete a page break | Select mark → Delete | Select mark → Delete |
Start text on a fresh page
Put the cursor where you want the split and press Ctrl+Enter on Windows or ⌘Return on the Mac. Word inserts a hard page break, so the following text always begins at the top of the next page even if you edit above it.
Remove a page break
Turn on formatting marks (Ctrl+* / ⌘8) to see the dotted “Page Break” line, click just before it, and press Delete. Don't confuse a page break with pressing Enter repeatedly — that breaks as soon as you edit the text above.
Page break vs. pressing Enter
Use Ctrl+Enter (Windows) or ⌘Enter (Mac) to force the next line onto a new page. This is far better than hitting Enter many times — the break stays correct even after you edit the text above it.
See your breaks
Press Ctrl+Shift+8 / ⌘8 to show formatting marks. A manual page break appears as a dotted line labelled Page Break, so you can find and delete it.
Troubleshooting: Ctrl+Enter adds a blank page
If a stray blank page appears, you likely have a page break plus extra empty paragraphs. Turn on formatting marks, delete the break mark and any empty paragraph marks after it. For layout changes (landscape, new numbering) use a section break instead of a page break.
FAQ
What is the page break shortcut in Word?
Press Ctrl+Enter on Windows or ⌘Return (Command+Return) on the Mac to insert a hard page break.
How do I delete a page break in Word?
Turn on formatting marks with Ctrl+* (⌘8), click before the Page Break marker, and press Delete.
What's the difference between a page break and pressing Enter?
A page break always starts the next page; pressing Enter adds blank lines that shift when you edit the text above.
How do I remove a page break in Word?
Turn on formatting marks (Ctrl+Shift+8 / ⌘8) so the dotted 'Page Break' line is visible, click just before it, and press Delete. Manual page breaks can be deleted; automatic ones (caused by page fill) cannot.
What's the difference between a page break and a section break?
A page break (Ctrl+Enter / ⌘Enter) just moves following text to the next page. A section break (Layout → Breaks → Section) lets you change margins, orientation, headers or page numbering from that point on.