Office Settings & Configuration

How to Fix Word for Mac Appearing in Landscape Instead of Portrait

Aamir Naveed Akram Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user's Microsoft Word document looks like it is in landscape orientation, even though the page orientation settings are correctly configured to portrait.

How to Fix Word for Mac Appearing in Landscape Instead of Portrait

Product: Microsoft Word 2021 for Mac
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Viewing a document in Print Layout view where the pages appear too short and wide.
Observed behavior: The page displays as a wide rectangle resembling landscape orientation because Word is hiding the top and bottom margins (white space) between pages.

Before you start

Ensure your document is currently set to Print Layout view (View > Print Layout), as page margins and orientations are not accurately represented in Draft or Web Layout views.

Solution 1Recommended

Restore White Space Using the Page Boundary (Quickest Method)

You can instantly restore the normal portrait appearance by unhiding the white space directly from the document view with a simple mouse action.

Microsoft Word has a feature that hides the top and bottom margins to save screen space. When this happens, a standard portrait page looks unnaturally wide and short, tricking you into thinking it is in landscape mode.

Locate the page boundary

Hover your mouse pointer over the thin horizontal line separating two pages, or just above the top edge of the first page.

Wait for the cursor to change

Keep hovering until the cursor transforms into a small double-pointing vertical arrow icon.

Double-click to restore margins

Double-click your mouse. The white space for the top and bottom margins will immediately expand, restoring the proper portrait look to your document.

Restore White Space Using the Page Boundary (Quickest Method)

Quick Tip: You can use this exact same double-click method to hide the white space again if you want to read through a long document without scrolling past empty margins.

Solution 2

Enable White Space via Word Preferences

If you are struggling to find the page boundary with your mouse, you can permanently re-enable the white space display through Word's system settings.

Seamless Document Formatting

Easily Manage Page Layouts and Margins with WPS Office

WPS Office provides an intuitive Writer application that fully supports standard document layouts, precise margin controls, and easy white-space management. It ensures your documents always display exactly as they will print, eliminating confusing layout glitches.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Office and open your text document using the WPS Writer application.
2. Switch to Print Layout: Go to the 'View' tab on the top ribbon and ensure 'Print Layout' is actively selected.
3. Toggle white space: Hover your cursor on the gray gap between two pages. Click the 'Show White Space' icon to instantly restore your standard portrait margins.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word formats (.docx, .doc).Easily toggle white space between pages with a simple click.Clear, intuitive interface for managing page orientation and layout settings.Free and lightweight software available for Mac, Windows, and Linux.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Word document suddenly look like a continuous page?

This happens when the 'White space between pages' option is accidentally disabled. It hides the top and bottom margins, merging the text areas of consecutive pages to save screen space, making portrait pages look continuous and wide.

Does hiding the white space affect how the document prints?

No, hiding white space only changes how the document appears on your screen. When you print the document or export it to PDF, the standard margins and original portrait orientation will still apply exactly as configured in your Page Setup.

How do I actually change the page orientation from landscape to portrait on a Mac?

To change the physical page orientation, navigate to the 'Layout' tab on the top ribbon, click on the 'Orientation' button, and select 'Portrait'. Alternatively, you can go to File > Page Setup from the top Apple menu bar to adjust it.

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