How do I remove an extra blank page from a Word document?

Show paragraph marks so you can inspect the blank page instead of guessing. Microsoft recommends this to help identify paragraph marks or manual page breaks that may be causing the page. [S1]

Look at the blank page and the end of the page before it. Note whether you see repeated paragraph marks, a page-break marker, a section-break marker, or a paragraph mark after a table. Avoid selecting a large area and pressing Delete: first identify what is there and where the blank page occurs.

If they are extra empty paragraphs, remove only the surplus marks, then check the surrounding pages. For example, in Last sentence.¶ ¶ ¶, the repeated marks represent empty paragraphs after the final sentence; the symbols are illustrative, not text to type.

Be careful about where the cursor is. Deleting a paragraph mark can affect the paragraph around it, so make a small change and review the result before continuing.

If you identify an unwanted manual page break, remove that break and inspect the document again. [S1]

Treat a section break more cautiously. Microsoft notes that section breaks can affect formatting, and that the appropriate fix depends on what is visible and where the blank page occurs. [S1] If nearby pages use different layouts or formatting, don’t delete the break blindly. Consider making a copy before changing it, then check the surrounding pages afterward.

Show paragraph marks and inspect the very end of the document, including the area immediately after the table. Don’t assume the table itself is the cause; use the visible marks to work out what is on the blank page.

Word requires a final paragraph, and it can be pushed onto a new page. Microsoft says that this paragraph cannot simply be deleted; if it is alone on a blank last page, reduce its font size so it fits. [S1] Then check whether the blank page disappears and whether the rest of the layout still looks right. The supplied guidance does not establish that every blank page after a table has this cause, so confirm what the marks show first.

Use this order:

1. Show paragraph marks and inspect the blank page and the page before it.
2. Identify whether you see extra empty paragraphs, a manual page break, a section break, or a final paragraph.
3. Remove only clearly unwanted empty paragraphs or a manual page break.
4. Treat section breaks carefully because they may affect formatting.
5. If the required final paragraph is alone on the last page, try reducing its font size. [S1]
6. Review the surrounding pages after each change. If the layout becomes worse, undo that change.

A useful note is: “Blank page location: [middle/end]. Visible mark: [what I see]. Change tried: [action]. Result: [what changed].” If the visible marks don’t make the cause clear, avoid guessing; the supplied guidance does not cover every possible cause.