How to Remove Section Breaks in Microsoft Word

Understanding Section Breaks

Section breaks divide and format documents into distinct sections. They enable unique formatting for chapters or sections, such as:

• Columns

• Headers and footers

• Page borders

• Page orientation

How to Remove a Single Section Break

Step 1: Display Formatting Marks

1. Navigate to the Home tab.

2. In the Paragraph group, click the Show/Hide option (¶).

Step 2: Delete the Section Break

• Place the cursor before the section break (marked as “Section Break (Type)”).

• Press Delete, or drag over the break and press Backspace/Delete.

⚠️ Note: Deleting a section break merges the text before and after it. The new section adopts formatting from the text following the deleted break.

Deleting Section Breaks in Draft View

If a section break is difficult to locate:

1. Go to the View tab.

2. Select Draft in the Views group.

3. Drag to select the break and press Delete.

4. Return to Print Layout View via the View tab.

Removing Multiple or All Section Breaks via Find & Replace

1. Press Ctrl + H to open the Find and Replace dialog box.

2. Click More to expand options.

3. In the Find what field:

   • Select Special → Section Break (displays ^b).

4. Leave the Replace with field empty.

5. Click Find Next → Replace for individual breaks, or Replace All to delete all.

Formatting Implications When Deleting Section Breaks

• Margins, headers/footers, and page orientation may change.

• Always review document formatting after removing breaks.

By following these steps, you can efficiently manage section breaks while maintaining precise control over your document’s layout.