Formatting Issues

How to Fix Keep with Next Not Working in Word Tables

Chanuka Geekiyanage Sep 28, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user is trying to keep table rows or paragraphs together on the same page, but the 'Keep with Next' formatting feature is not functioning as expected.

How to Fix Keep with Next Not Working in Word Tables

Product: Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Applying paragraph pagination settings to prevent page breaks between specific rows or text inside a document table.
Observed behavior: The 'Keep with Next' setting has no effect, allowing table rows to split across pages or separating text unexpectedly.

Before you start

Verify if your table is nested inside another table, as nested structures can interfere with Word's pagination logic and prevent 'Keep with Next' from functioning correctly.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable the option to allow rows to break across pages

This is the most common reason 'Keep with Next' fails in tables. Disabling this setting forces Word to keep the entire row intact before applying paragraph rules.

By default, Word allows table rows to break across pages. If even a single line of a row fits on the current page, the row will split, overriding your 'Keep with Next' paragraph settings.

Select the table

Click anywhere inside the affected table to reveal the Table Tools options.

Open Table Properties

Right-click within the table and select 'Table Properties' from the context menu.

Modify row settings

Navigate to the 'Row' tab in the Table Properties dialog box.

Uncheck the page break option

Clear the checkbox next to 'Allow row to break across pages' and click 'OK' to save your changes.

Disable the option to allow rows to break across pages

Pagination Fixed: Once row breaking is disabled, the 'Keep with Next' setting applied to the row's paragraphs will start working as expected.

Solution 2

Apply 'Keep with Next' to the entire row

Applying the setting only to the text inside a cell often has no effect on the table structure. It must be applied to the row itself.

Solution 3

Remove nested tables

Nested tables can disrupt Word's pagination settings, preventing page break controls from executing properly.

Format Tables Easily

Manage Document Tables Effortlessly with WPS Writer

WPS Writer provides a highly intuitive interface for adjusting table properties, controlling page breaks, and formatting paragraphs with precision.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing your tables.
2. Access Table Properties: Right-click on the table and select 'Table Properties' from the quick menu.
3. Adjust row breaks: Under the 'Row' tab, uncheck 'Allow row to break across pages'.
4. Apply paragraph formatting: Select the row, open Paragraph settings, and check 'Keep with next' under Line and Page Breaks.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does text inside my table split across pages even with 'Keep with next' enabled?

If the table's global setting allows rows to break across pages, it will override the 'Keep with next' setting applied to individual text paragraphs. You must open Table Properties and disable 'Allow row to break across pages' for the pagination setting to take effect.

Does 'Keep with next' work on nested tables?

Often, it does not. Nested tables (a table inside another table) create complex layout calculations that can prevent 'Keep with next' from working correctly. To fix this, try to simplify your document layout by removing the nested table.

How do I make sure a whole table stays on the same page?

Select the entire table, open the Paragraph settings, navigate to the 'Line and Page Breaks' tab, and check 'Keep with next'. Additionally, ensure that you disable 'Allow row to break across pages' in the Table Properties.

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