Office Settings & Configuration

How to Set Word to Open Documents in a Single-Page Vertical View

Maira Mehtab Oct 12, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to configure Microsoft Word to consistently open documents in a single-page vertical view using Print Layout at 100% zoom.

How to Set Word to Open Documents in a Single-Page Vertical View

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Opening new or existing Word documents on modern screens where the default view may unexpectedly change.
Observed behavior: Word often defaults to multiple-page views or varying zoom levels depending on the screen resolution, failing to retain a consistent single-page layout.

Before you start

Ensure you have saved any ongoing work before modifying your default Word template (Normal.dotm) or installing third-party add-ins to manage your view preferences.

Solution 1Recommended

Adjust Word View and Zoom Settings Manually

Use Word's built-in View ribbon to set the current document to Print Layout and force a single-page 100% zoom.

This is the most straightforward method. However, Word's behavior is partly related to its handling of single-page and multiple-page views on modern, high-resolution screens, meaning it may not consistently retain this setting across all documents.

Select Print Layout

Open your document in Microsoft Word. Navigate to the 'View' tab on the top ribbon and click on 'Print Layout'.

Adjust to Single Page

Still under the 'View' tab, look for the 'Zoom' group and click on 'One Page'. This forces the document into a single vertical column.

Set Zoom to 100%

Click the 'Zoom' button in the ribbon, select '100%', and click 'OK'. Alternatively, use the zoom slider at the bottom right of the Word window.

Adjust Word View and Zoom Settings Manually

Solution 2

Force View Settings Using VBA Macros

If Word fails to remember your view settings, you can use AutoOpen and AutoNew macros in the Normal template to enforce them automatically.

Solution 3

Install a View Management Add-in

Use specialized add-ins to force Word to remember your preferred view and zoom configurations for individual documents.

Free Word Processor Alternative

Set Default Page Views Easily in WPS Writer

WPS Writer offers an intuitive interface to manage document views, making it simple to keep your workspace in a single-page vertical layout at 100% zoom. It's fully compatible with Microsoft Word formats and runs smoothly on all devices.

1. Open WPS Writer: Launch WPS Writer and open your document.
2. Select Print Layout: Navigate to the 'View' tab on the main ribbon and ensure 'Print Layout' is selected.
3. Set to Single Page: Click the 'One Page' icon within the View tab to force a single-page vertical layout.
4. Adjust Zoom Level: Use the zoom slider at the bottom right corner of the window to set the zoom exactly to 100%.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsIntuitive view and zoom controls located directly on the status barLightweight application that runs smoothly on most devicesFree to use for everyday document creation and editing

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word automatically open documents with two pages side-by-side?

On high-resolution or wide monitors, Word's default behavior maximizes screen space by automatically displaying multiple pages side-by-side. You can override this by navigating to View > Zoom > One Page.

Will these view settings apply to documents sent to me by others?

By default, Word often tries to open a document in the view state it was last saved in by the original author. To strictly override this for all incoming files, you can use the VBA AutoOpen macro method to enforce a 100% single-page view.

Where is the Normal template stored if I need to edit it manually?

The Normal.dotm template is typically located in your user profile under 'C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates'. You can also edit it directly by opening the VBA editor in Word using Alt + F11.

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