How to Fix Word Enter Key Not Moving to the Next Row
Question details
The user is unable to start a standard new line when pressing Enter, resulting in abnormal cursor movements or unwanted blank spaces.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to insert a line break or start a new paragraph while editing a document.
- Observed behavior
- Pressing the Enter key moves the cursor only slightly or generates unusual blank space instead of moving smoothly to the next row.
Ensure your keyboard's Enter key functions normally in other applications before altering document formatting, and save a backup copy of your current document.
Reveal Nonprinting Characters and Remove Section Breaks
Displaying hidden formatting marks allows you to locate and delete misplaced section breaks that interrupt normal line progression.
Often, formatting anomalies are caused by invisible layout elements like section breaks or manual line breaks located directly above the affected paragraph. By turning on nonprinting characters, you can see exactly where the document flow is interrupted.
Navigate to the Home tab on the ribbon and click the Paragraph mark (¶) icon in the Paragraph group to display hidden formatting symbols.
Inspect the lines immediately above the affected text for a dotted line labeled 'Section Break (Continuous)' or 'Section Break (Next Page)'.
Place your cursor at the very beginning of the dotted section break line and press the Delete key on your keyboard to remove it.
Reset Paragraph Spacing and Indentation
Clearing unusual paragraph constraints can fix cursor movement issues caused by extreme indentation or spacing settings.
Fix Formatting Issues Seamlessly with WPS Writer
WPS Writer provides an intuitive interface with a powerful paragraph layout engine. You can easily toggle editing marks to locate section breaks and precisely adjust line spacing to keep your document perfectly formatted.
- 1. Open the Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document experiencing the formatting issue.
- 2. Show Editing Marks: Go to the Home tab and click the 'Show/Hide Editing Marks' icon to reveal hidden section or paragraph breaks.
- 3. Remove Formatting Conflicts: Highlight any problematic section breaks blocking your cursor path and press Delete.
- 4. Adjust Paragraph Layout: Select your text, right-click, choose 'Paragraph', and reset your line spacing to default values.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does pressing Enter skip to a new page instead of the next line?
This occurs when the 'Page break before' option is enabled in the paragraph settings. To disable it, right-click the text, select 'Paragraph', navigate to the 'Line and Page Breaks' tab, and uncheck 'Page break before'.
How do I change the Enter key behavior from double space to single space?
By default, the Normal style may add extra spacing after paragraphs. To change this, go to the Home tab, right-click the 'Normal' style, select 'Modify', click 'Format' > 'Paragraph', and reduce the 'Spacing After' value to 0 pt.
Can a corrupted document cause the Enter key to stop working properly?
Yes, severe document corruption can cause erratic formatting behaviors. Copying your text (making sure not to select the final paragraph mark at the end of the document) and pasting it into a brand new document often resolves these deep formatting issues.
