Google Docs is a free online word processor that lets you create documents, collaborate with others in real time, leave comments and access your files from any device. But sometimes you end up with a blank or extra page that you cannot delete just by hitting Backspace, e.g., after pasting content with a stray page break, when a table pushes content to the next page or because Docs added a page automatically.
I know, annoying. Google Docs hides the obvious delete button. Look, the page break and the empty paragraph after it are usually the culprit. Bear with me, three different methods cover every case.
This easy guide will help you delete a page in Google Docs by showing you the three main methods, explaining why pages sometimes refuse to delete and helping you find the hidden formatting marks that cause the problem.
Why Pages Are Hard to Delete in Docs
Here is the deal. Google Docs has no Delete Page button. Instead, pages exist because of one of three things.
- Content (text, images, tables) pushed onto a new page.
- A manual page break inserted by you or whoever sent you the doc.
- A trailing empty paragraph at the end of a section.
Each cause needs a different fix. So, in short, find what is on the page and remove that thing.
Method 1: Delete a Page with Content
If the page has text, images or a table, you just delete the content. The page disappears with it.
- Click at the start of the content on the page you want to delete.
- Hold Shift and click at the end of the content (or hit Ctrl+A to select everything if it is the only page).
- Press Delete or Backspace.
Done. The page is gone because the content that filled it is gone.
Method 2: Delete a Blank Page (Trickiest)
This trips up everyone. You have an empty page at the end of your doc and Backspace does nothing. Trust me, this is fixable.
- Click at the very end of the content on the previous page (right after the last word or image).
- Press Delete repeatedly until the blank page disappears.
- If Delete will not work, try Backspace starting from the blank page going backwards.
Still stuck? The blank page is probably caused by an invisible page break. See Method 3.
Method 3: Remove a Page Break
Manual page breaks are invisible. They force the next content onto a new page. If your blank page will not delete with Backspace, this is why.
To find and remove them.
- Click on the blank page or right before it.
- Press the up arrow key once. The cursor moves above the break.
- Press Delete (not Backspace). The page break is removed.
- The blank page collapses into the previous one.
If you cannot find the break, turn on print layout to see them. View > Show Print Layout. Page breaks show as gaps between pages.
Method 4: Adjust Margins to Fit Content
If your last line of content barely spills onto the next page, you do not need to delete anything. Just shrink the bottom margin.
- Click File > Page setup.
- Reduce the Bottom margin slightly (try 0.5 inch instead of 1 inch).
- Click OK.
Often saves a whole extra page. Smart trick if your doc just barely overflows.
What If Nothing Works
Some stubborn cases:
- A huge image with text wrap is pushing content. Click the image, change wrap to In line, then resize or delete.
- A table extends past the page. Click inside the table, then Format > Table > Table properties and reduce row heights.
- An invisible character like a hard return is taking up space. Press Ctrl+End to jump to the very end, then Backspace until the blank page is gone.
If you still cannot delete it, copy your content to a new doc. Sometimes faster than fighting the formatting.
My Honest Opinion
Most blank pages in Docs come from one of two things. A page break someone copy-pasted into your doc. Or a trailing empty paragraph after a table.
So my honest opinion on this is to check for page breaks first using the up-arrow plus Delete trick. Covers 80% of cases. The margin tweak is the next best move when content barely overflows.
Final Thoughts
Deleting a page in Google Docs depends on what is on it. Content gets selected and deleted. Page breaks need Delete (not Backspace). Margins can save a barely-overflowing page.
The hidden page-break trick fixes 80% of stuck blank pages. The rest are usually a table or image pushing content.
Also, if you follow our steps and still face difficulties deleting a page in Google Docs, seek help from Google Support or leave a comment in the comment section of our blog.