Office for Mac Issues

Fix Word Documents Displaying as Landscape on a Mac

Adam Davis Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to fix a Microsoft Word document that appears to be in landscape or square orientation due to hidden white space in the Print Layout view.

How to Fix Word Documents Displaying as Landscape on a Mac

Product: Microsoft Word for Mac
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Viewing or editing a document where the vertical spacing between pages seems missing, distorting the perceived page shape.
Observed behavior: The Word document looks almost square or landscape because the white space (headers, footers, and margins) between pages is hidden in Print Layout view.

Before you start

Ensure your document is currently set to Print Layout view, as this specific white space display issue only occurs in this viewing mode.

Solution 1Recommended

Double-Click to Show White Space

The quickest way to restore the normal page appearance is by double-clicking the page border to reveal hidden margins.

When white space is hidden, Word collapses the top and bottom margins to save screen space, making standard portrait pages look shorter and wider.

Hover the pointer over the page edge

Move your mouse pointer to the top or bottom edge of a page in the document.

Wait for the cursor to change

Pause until the pointer changes into a specific white-space cursor, which looks like two vertical arrows pointing away from each other.

Double-click to restore

Double-click the mouse button. The hidden white space, including headers and footers, will immediately reappear.

Quick Toggle: You can use this same double-click method anytime to hide the white space again if you prefer a continuous reading view.

Solution 2

Enable White Space via Word Preferences

You can adjust Microsoft Word's View preferences to ensure white space is always shown by default.

Solution 3

Verify Actual Document Layout Orientation

If showing white space doesn't resolve the issue, the document's page orientation might actually be set to landscape.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Seamless Mac Word Processing Experience

If you frequently encounter frustrating layout and view issues in Microsoft Word on your Mac, WPS Office offers a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative. Its clean and familiar interface prevents common formatting confusion while ensuring your documents always look exactly as intended.

1. Download WPS Office: Download and install the free version of WPS Office tailored for macOS.
2. Open your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing Word document to view it with accurate layout rendering.
3. Edit with Ease: Enjoy a familiar interface that makes adjusting page layouts, orientations, and margins simple and intuitive.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx, .doc) formatsClean, intuitive interface that prevents accidental layout changesLightweight installation optimized for fast Mac performanceFree to use with comprehensive document editing features

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Word document look like a continuous page without page breaks?

This happens when the 'White space between pages in Print Layout view' setting is disabled. It intentionally hides headers, footers, and top/bottom margins to save screen space, giving the illusion of a single continuous page. You can restore standard pages by double-clicking the line between them.

Will hiding white space affect how my document prints?

No, hiding white space in Print Layout view only affects how the document displays on your screen. The document will still print normally with the correct margins, headers, footers, and page orientation.

How do I make sure my document is actually in portrait mode?

Navigate to the 'Layout' tab on the main ribbon, click on 'Orientation', and verify that 'Portrait' is highlighted. If it is already in Portrait but still looks wide, the issue is highly likely related to hidden white space.

Does changing the Normal.dotm template fix this issue?

You should not modify the Normal.dotm template to fix white space display issues. This is a simple application view setting that can be toggled via double-clicking or through Word Preferences without altering your core document templates.

Office App Problems