Formatting Issues

How to Change a Word Document from Square to Rectangle

Huda Qurayshi Sep 25, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user needs to change the display or layout of a Word document that currently appears square back to a standard rectangular shape.

How to Change a Word Document from Square to Rectangle

Product: Word Processing
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Viewing or formatting a document where the pages appear unusually compressed or square instead of standard rectangular letter or A4 format.
Observed behavior: The document pages look square on the screen, which is typically caused by hidden white space, altered margins, or custom page size settings.

Before you start

Check your document's Print Preview first to determine if the document actually prints as a square or if it is just a display setting issue on your screen.

Solution 1Recommended

Restore Hidden White Space Between Pages

This is the most common solution. If the top and bottom margins are hidden in your view settings, standard rectangular pages will appear square on your screen.

Word processors have a feature to hide the white space at the top and bottom of pages to save screen space. When activated, it makes normal rectangular pages look compressed and square.

Position your cursor

Hover your mouse pointer over the horizontal line separating two pages in your document.

Double-click to restore

When the cursor changes to an icon with two arrows pointing away from each other, double-click. This will immediately show the hidden white space and restore the rectangular look.

Alternative method via settings

Go to File > Options > Display, then check the box for 'Show white space between pages in Print Layout view' and click OK.

Restore Hidden White Space Between Pages

Display Issue Fixed: This only affects how the document looks on your screen. It does not alter how the document prints.

Solution 2

Adjust the Physical Page Size

If the actual physical dimensions of the document were altered to custom square dimensions, you will need to change the page size back to a standard rectangular format.

Solution 3

Reset Document Margins

Extremely wide left and right margins or very narrow top and bottom margins can compress the text area, making the layout feel square.

Easily Manage Page Layouts with WPS Office

WPS Office provides an intuitive Writer application that makes adjusting page sizes, restoring white space, and managing document layouts completely hassle-free.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document that appears square.
2. Switch to Print Layout: Go to the 'View' tab on the ribbon and ensure that 'Print Layout' is selected.
3. Show White Space: Hover your mouse over the gap between two pages and click the 'Show White Space' prompt that appears.
4. Modify Page Size: To change actual dimensions, click the 'Page Layout' tab, select 'Size', and choose a standard rectangular format like A4 or Letter.

Easily toggle white space visibility to switch between reading and layout views in one click.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats, preserving all page and margin settings.Free, lightweight, and features an intuitive tabbed interface for quick formatting.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my Word document suddenly become square?

This usually happens when you accidentally double-click the gap between pages, which activates a feature that hides the top and bottom margins (white space). This compresses the pages on your screen, making them look square rather than rectangular.

Will a square-looking document still print normally?

If the issue is only hidden white space in your view settings, the document will still print normally on standard rectangular paper. However, if the actual Page Size was changed to custom square dimensions under the Layout tab, it may print incorrectly or cause your printer to ask for a different paper size.

How do I make my document default to A4 or Letter size permanently?

Go to the Layout tab, click Size, and choose 'More Paper Sizes' at the bottom of the menu. Select your preferred rectangular size (like Letter or A4), then click the 'Set As Default' button at the bottom of the dialog box and confirm.

Document & File Issues