How to Fix Word Adding an Extra Footer Page in Print Preview
Question details
The user needs to remove an unwanted extra page containing only a footer that appears when previewing, printing, or exporting a document.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Previewing, printing, or exporting a one-page document as a PDF.
- Observed behavior
- An unwanted second page containing only a footer appears in the print preview and final output, even if the footer is deleted from the layout.
Enable formatting marks in Word (Ctrl + Shift + 8) to reveal hidden characters, paragraph returns, or page breaks that might be silently pushing content onto a new page.
Reveal and Delete Hidden Formatting Marks
Identify and remove hidden paragraph returns or manual page breaks that force a new blank page.
Often, a blank page is caused by hidden paragraph marks (empty lines) or section breaks at the end of the document that extend past the printable area of the first page.
Go to the 'Home' tab and click the 'Show/Hide ¶' button in the Paragraph group.
Scroll to the very bottom of your document and look for stray paragraph marks (¶) or 'Page Break' / 'Section Break' indicators on the second page.
Highlight the unwanted marks or place your cursor below them and press the 'Backspace' or 'Delete' key until the extra page disappears.
Adjust Footer Distance and Bottom Margins
Modify the page layout settings if the footer is pushing too far up or the bottom margin is too small.
How to Remove Extra Blank Pages in WPS Writer
If you are struggling with formatting issues in your current software, WPS Office offers a highly compatible and lightweight Word alternative. You can easily open your document in WPS Writer to remove unwanted blank pages.
- 1. Open your document: Launch WPS Office and open your .docx file containing the blank page issue.
- 2. Show Formatting Marks: Navigate to the Home tab and click the 'Show/Hide Editing Marks' icon to reveal hidden paragraph formatting.
- 3. Delete extra spacing: Scroll to the bottom of the document and delete any unnecessary paragraph marks (¶) or section breaks.
- 4. Preview and Print: Go to Menu > Print > Print Preview to confirm the extra blank page with the footer is completely removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the extra page only show in Print Preview and not Print Layout?
Print preview is a true 'What You See Is What You Get' representation of the final document. It factors in your printer's specific margins, headers, and footers. Print Layout view might occasionally hide excessive spacing or page breaks if formatting marks are disabled.
Can the 'Different First Page' setting cause a blank second page?
No, the 'Different First Page' setting only applies a separate header and footer rule to the very first page of the document. It does not automatically generate a second page by itself. If a second page appears, it is caused by content or layout settings overflowing the first page.
How do I stop the footer from pushing text onto a new page?
You can adjust the footer distance from the edge of the page. Go to Page Setup, select the Layout tab, and reduce the value under 'From edge: Footer'. Also, ensure your bottom page margin is large enough to accommodate the text inside your footer.
What is the keyboard shortcut to show formatting marks?
You can quickly toggle formatting marks on and off by pressing Ctrl + Shift + 8 (or Ctrl + *) on your keyboard. This allows you to easily identify hidden empty lines pushing content onto new pages.
