The fastest way to add a page in Word

To add a new page in Word, press Ctrl+Enter (Windows) or Command+Enter (Mac). This inserts a page break and moves your cursor to the top of the new page. The blank page appears immediately, and you can start typing right away.

If you prefer using the menu, go to the Insert tab at the top, click Page Break, and Word creates a new page the same way. Both methods do exactly the same thing — the keyboard shortcut is just faster once you remember it.

Word distinguishes between a page break (which forces content onto a new page) and simply pressing Enter repeatedly. A page break is cleaner because it stays in place even if you edit text above it, whereas pressing Enter creates blank lines that shift if you add or remove content.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl+Enter on Windows or Command+Enter on Mac to insert a page break and start a new page instantly.
  • The Insert tab also has a Page Break button if you prefer clicking instead of using the keyboard shortcut.
  • A page break is better than pressing Enter multiple times because it stays in the right place when you edit the document.
  • You can delete a page break by clicking at the start of the new page and pressing Backspace to remove it.

Using the Insert menu for page breaks

Open the Insert tab in the ribbon at the top of Word. Look for the Pages group, which contains the Page Break button. Click it, and Word inserts a page break at your cursor location.

This method works the same way as the keyboard shortcut. The advantage is that you can see the button and label, which helps if you are still learning Word's layout. Once you use the keyboard shortcut a few times, it becomes automatic and faster than reaching for the menu.

The difference between page breaks and section breaks

A page break simply moves to a new page and keeps the same formatting (margins, headers, footers, page numbers). A section break lets you change formatting mid-document — for example, switching from one column to two columns, or changing the page orientation from portrait to landscape on a single page.

For most documents, you only need a page break. Use a section break only if you need different formatting on different pages. To insert a section break, go to Insert > Page Break (click the small arrow next to it) and choose the type of section break you need.

Removing a page break you no longer need

Click at the very beginning of the page you want to delete (the first character on that page). Press Backspace once. Word removes the page break and pulls the content from that page back onto the previous page.

If pressing Backspace does not work, the page break may be hidden. Turn on formatting marks by pressing Ctrl+Shift+8 (Windows) or Command+Shift+8 (Mac). You will see a line that says "Page Break" — click on it and press Delete to remove it.

Adding pages in the middle of a document

Click anywhere in the paragraph where you want the new page to start. Press Ctrl+Enter to insert a page break at that exact spot. Everything after your cursor moves to the new page, and everything before it stays on the old page.

This is useful when you are writing a report and want each section to start on a fresh page, or when you are formatting a document and need to control where page breaks occur. You can insert as many page breaks as you need — Word handles them all the same way.

Controlling automatic page breaks

Word automatically creates a page break when you fill a page with text and reach the bottom margin. You do not need to do anything — it happens on its own. However, sometimes Word breaks a page in an awkward spot, like putting a heading at the very bottom with its paragraph on the next page.

To prevent this, select the paragraph or heading you want to keep together with the text below it. Go to Home > Paragraph (click the small arrow in the bottom right of the Paragraph group). Under the Line and Page Breaks tab, check Keep with next. This tells Word to keep that paragraph and the next one on the same page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add multiple pages at once?

No, but you can insert page breaks one after another quickly. Press Ctrl+Enter as many times as you need. Each press creates one new blank page. If you need many blank pages, it is faster to insert them one by one than to find another method.

What if Ctrl+Enter is not working?

Check that you are not in a text box or table cell — the keyboard shortcut does not work inside those. Click in the main document body first, then try again. If it still does not work, use the Insert menu instead: Insert > Page Break.

Does a page break affect my page count?

Yes. Each page break moves content to a new page, so your document's total page count increases. If you insert a page break and then delete it, the page count returns to what it was before. Word counts pages based on how much content fits on each page and where your page breaks are.

Can I see where my page breaks are?

Yes. Press Ctrl+Shift+8 (Windows) or Command+Shift+8 (Mac) to show formatting marks. Page breaks appear as a dotted line with the words "Page Break" written on it. Press the same keys again to hide the marks.