How to Fix Word Adding White Space After Changing to Landscape
Question details
The user needs to remove unexpected white space that appears between text and a table after changing a document section's orientation.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Modifying the page orientation from portrait to landscape for a specific section containing mixed content like text and tables.
- Observed behavior
- Word randomly inserts large gaps of white space between text and tables, and occasionally inside numbered lists, after the page layout is changed to landscape.
Enable the 'Show/Hide ¶' feature in the Home tab to make hidden formatting symbols and section breaks visible, which will help you accurately locate what is pushing your text down.
Change Vertical Alignment to Top in Page Setup
Word may distribute text evenly across the page if the alignment is set to Justified. Changing it to Top fixes the unwanted vertical spacing.
When a section is set to Justified vertical alignment, Word attempts to stretch the content to fill the entire page from top to bottom. In a landscape orientation, this often results in exaggerated blank spaces between paragraphs and tables.
Go to the 'Layout' (or Page Layout) tab on the Word ribbon and click the small dialogue box launcher arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Page Setup group.
In the Page Setup dialog window that appears, click on the 'Layout' tab at the top.
Locate the 'Page' section in the middle of the window. Click the 'Vertical alignment' drop-down menu and change it from 'Justified' to 'Top'.
Ensure the 'Apply to' drop-down at the bottom is set to 'This section' or 'Whole document' depending on your needs, then click 'OK'.
Disable Table Text Wrapping
If text wrapping is enabled around your table, it can cause text to flow irregularly when switching to a wider landscape orientation.
Check Paragraph Spacing and Formatting
Hidden paragraph spacing or 'Keep with next' settings can force elements onto the next page or create large gaps.
Use WPS Writer for Seamless Layout Management
WPS Writer offers an intuitive Page Setup interface that helps prevent unexpected formatting glitches. You can easily switch between portrait and landscape sections without breaking your document's text flow or table positioning.
- 1. Open your Document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your .docx file. Navigate to the 'Page Layout' tab on the top ribbon.
- 2. Access Page Setup: Click the 'Page Setup' icon or the dialogue launcher arrow to open the comprehensive configuration window.
- 3. Adjust Layout Settings: Navigate to the 'Layout' tab within the dialog and ensure the Vertical Alignment is set to 'Top' rather than 'Justified'.
- 4. Apply Changes: Select 'This section' from the Apply to menu and click 'OK' to instantly fix the white space issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word add a blank page when changing to landscape?
This usually happens because the content in the newly created landscape section exceeds the page margins, or a 'Next Page' section break pushes the following content too far down. Adjusting your margins or removing unnecessary paragraph marks (¶) at the end of the page can resolve this.
How do I remove extra space between paragraphs in Word?
Highlight the affected text, go to the Home tab, click the 'Line and Paragraph Spacing' icon, and select 'Remove Space After Paragraph'. Alternatively, you can open the Paragraph dialog box and manually set the 'Before' and 'After' spacing values to 0 pt.
Can I have both portrait and landscape pages in the same document?
Yes. To do this, place your cursor where you want the new orientation to start. Go to Layout > Breaks > Next Page to insert a Section Break. Then, with your cursor on the new page, go to Layout > Orientation and select Landscape. This will only affect the new section.
