Google Docs is used by professionals, business owners, and students alike, and it’s pretty evident why. As all of your data is stored in the cloud, you can create documents on the go and access them at any time.
When working with Google Docs, encountering unnecessary blank pages in a document isn’t uncommon. Whether you accidentally copy something from a location with differ
ent formatting (like Google Sheets) or accidentally pressing Ctrl + Enter while typing, documents containing empty pages look unprofessional.
If you’re wondering how to delete a page in Google Docs, this article reviews all of the possible ways.
Table of Contents
How to Delete Pages in Google Docs: A Step-by-Step Guide
Hitting the Delete Button
Step 1: Click Delete after placing your cursor at the end of the previous page. If this doesn’t work, move on to Step 2 to delete a page in Google Docs.
Step 2: Highlight the blank page and hit the Delete button.
Note: This is the easiest method to get rid of pages in Google Docs, so try it first before attempting other options. In some cases, however, the blank page will remain. If this happens, try the next method.
Deleting the Text
Step 1: Highlight the unwanted text and images by dragging and clicking your cursor. Hit Delete to remove the text and the blank page along with it.
How to Remove a Blank Page from the End of Google Docs
Some additional approaches for removing an empty Google Docs page include using custom spacing settings and altering margins.
Check Custom Spacing
A new page may be added to the end of a document if Google Docs is instructed to automatically insert space after a paragraph. Try the following steps to see if the custom spacing is to blame.
Step 1: From the toolbar, select Format, Line & Paragraph Spacing, and Custom Spacing.
Step 2: Click “Apply” after setting the “After value” to 0 under Paragraph Spacing.
Adjust the Page Margins
While it’s a slightly more involved approach for getting rid of Google Docs pages, it’s the best choice when you only need one or two lines of extra text and don’t want to add another page.
Step 1: From the menu bar at the top, select the File tab and the Page Setup option. On your screen, a pop-up page setup box will appear.
Step 2: Adjust the page margins of all your pages in the document so you can fit the desired text in one page (effectively removing the extra page).
NOTE: To keep your text centered, change the right and left margins to the same rate.
Troubleshooting Blank Pages in Google Docs
If you’ve attempted all the aforementioned methods and your Google Docs blank page still won’t delete, you can try some troubleshooting techniques.
Look for Page Breaks
Unwanted page breaks frequently result in blank pages. However, when viewing your document in the Print Layout view, page breaks aren’t actually visible.
To stop using print layout view for your Google document, try the following:
Step 1: To uncheck it, select View and then Show Print Layout. Every page break in your document will now appear as a grey line.
Step 2: Press Delete after clicking underneath one of the page breaks. Alternatively, press and hold the Delete key (or Fn+Backspace on a Mac) by clicking above one of the page breaks.
The blank page break on your page should now be gone. To return to the print layout view, repeat Step 1. The blank page should be gone.
Check for Tables
The use of hidden tables could also result in unwanted blank pages. For instance, tables with zero-width borders are used in one of Google Docs’ resume templates. If a portion of these tables is forced onto the following page, you may be seeing additional blank space.
You’ll need to be able to see the table in order to fix these problems.
Step 1: Click on Table Properties by right-clicking anywhere on the page.
Step 2: Make sure that the color of the table border is set to black and that the line width is set to 1 pt.
Your table borders – including any sections that have extended beyond the page – will now be visible. You should now be able to resolve the issue by removing any unwanted rows, columns, or empty space from your table.
Look for Section Breaks
Section breaks may also be the cause of blank pages in Google Docs. You can insert these yourself or import a Word document that contains them. Section breaks should be visible by default but you won’t be able to see them in your document if this setting is off.
How to Display Section Breaks in a Google Doc
Step 1: After selecting View, check the box next to Show Section Breaks. Click on it if it hasn’t already been done.
Your document’s section breaks should now appear as dotted lines.
Step 2: Delete (or Fn+Backspace on Mac) should be pressed at the very end of the paragraph, above any unwelcome section breaks. This should get rid of blank pages in Google Docs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a Page Break?
Page Break is a feature that lets you end a page without writing anything on it. It tells Google Docs to move on to the next page instead of the same one. This can be helpful when you want to make sure that the second page and the title page are separate.
How Can I Delete Multiple Pages in Google Docs?
You only need to highlight the text and press the Delete button to remove pages that contain text. If there are numerous pages, you may need to scroll a little. Alternatively, if you want to get rid of multiple page breaks, you might have to repeat this for each page.
Can Margins Cause a Blank Page?
Yes, excessive margins can occasionally add an additional page. This is because there is insufficient space around the paper’s edges. Related: How to Draw in Google Docs
If this is the case, adjusting the margins is the easiest way to get rid of blank pages in Google Docs.
The Bottom Line
While Google Docs appears to be a straightforward web-based application, its numerous formatting options can occasionally disrupt the organization and spacing of your pages.
After reading this article, you should be able to have a fine grasp of how to delete a page in Google Docs. When you know how to format Google Docs correctly, you can figure out why you see blank pages (and use the formatting advice above to fix it).
If this article has you wondering how to delete sheets in Google Sheets, you can check out our article on that topic. Wondering how to use Google Sheets Offline? We’ve got you covered, too!
We hope you found this article helpful. See you next time!
Related:
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- How to Make a Flyer on Google Docs (Free Templates)
- Find and Replace in Google Docs
- How To Do Hanging Indent on Google Docs [Easy Guide]
- Easily Insert a Google Sheet Into Google Docs
- How to Make a Table of Contents in Google Docs
- How to Create a Folder in Google Docs
