Printing Problems

How to Insert, Move, and Delete Excel Page Breaks

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 878 views

Question details

The user needs to know how to control worksheet printing by managing page breaks, including dashed automatic breaks and solid manual breaks.

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Preparing an Excel worksheet for printing and needing to place specific sections of data onto separate printed pages.
Observed behavior: The user wants to separate sections onto different printed pages by accurately moving, inserting, or removing page breaks.

Before you start

Before adjusting page breaks, ensure you have set your desired print area, margins, and paper size, as these settings dictate where automatic page breaks naturally appear.

Solution 1Recommended

Move Page Breaks via Page Break Preview

Switching to Page Break Preview allows you to visually inspect and drag automatic or manual page breaks to new positions.

In Excel, dashed lines represent automatic page breaks generated by your paper size and scale settings, while solid lines represent manual breaks. You can convert an automatic break into a manual one simply by moving it.

Switch to Page Break Preview

Navigate to the 'View' tab on the Excel ribbon and click on 'Page Break Preview' in the Workbook Views group.

Drag the Page Break

Hover your cursor over a dashed automatic break or a solid manual break until it turns into a double-headed arrow. Click and drag the line to your desired position.

Drag and Drop Feature: If you are unable to drag the page breaks, ensure that the drag-and-drop feature is enabled in Excel by going to File > Options > Advanced, and checking 'Enable fill handle and cell drag-and-drop'.

Solution 2

Insert or Delete Page Breaks using the Page Layout Tab

Use the Breaks menu in the Page Layout tab to explicitly insert new manual page breaks or delete existing ones.

Manage Print Layouts Easily

Adjust Page Breaks Effortlessly with WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Office offers a highly compatible and intuitive Spreadsheet tool that allows you to manage page breaks, print areas, and page layouts exactly like Microsoft Excel, but completely for free.

1. Open your Spreadsheet in WPS Office: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your existing Excel file.
2. Enter Page Break Preview: Go to the 'View' tab on the top menu and select 'Page Break Preview' to see your printable boundaries highlighted in blue.
3. Adjust Your Page Breaks: Click and drag the blue lines to adjust page breaks, or use the 'Page Layout' tab to insert and remove manual breaks with one click.

100% compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) file formatsIntuitive Page Break Preview for easy drag-and-drop layout adjustmentsFree, lightweight, and fast alternative for all your spreadsheet tasksRich print layout and scaling options to ensure your data fits perfectly on paper

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I reset all page breaks in Excel to default?

To remove all manual page breaks and revert the worksheet back to its default automatic breaks, go to the 'Page Layout' tab, click on 'Breaks' in the Page Setup group, and select 'Reset All Page Breaks'.

What is the difference between solid and dashed page break lines?

Dashed lines indicate automatic page breaks that Excel calculates based on the current paper size, margins, and scaling options. Solid lines represent manual page breaks that you have explicitly inserted or dragged into a specific position.

How do I hide the dashed page break lines in Normal view?

Once you enter Page Break Preview or print a document, dashed page breaks often remain visible in Normal view. To hide them, go to File > Options > Advanced, scroll down to the 'Display options for this worksheet' section, and uncheck the 'Show page breaks' box.

Why can't I drag to move page breaks in Excel?

If your cursor does not change to a double-headed arrow over a page break line, the cell drag-and-drop setting might be disabled. To fix this, navigate to File > Options > Advanced, and ensure that the box for 'Enable fill handle and cell drag-and-drop' is checked.

Document & File Issues