Applies ToWord for Microsoft 365 Word 2024 Word 2021 Word 2019 Word 2016

You can use section breaks to change the layout or formatting of pages in your document.

To change formatting in a document, insert a section break at the beginning of where you want the change. Set up the formatting change just past the new section break. If you want to change formatting again, put in another section break. If your changes are to be on the same page, choose the Continuous section break. Otherwise, choose Next Page, Odd Page, or Even Page section breaks.

If the formatting change occurs in the previous section, press Ctrl or Command + Z and move your cursor to after the section break and try it again.

Use section breaks to layout or format a document

When you insert a section break, choose the type of break that fits the changes you want to make. Here are the types with usage suggestions:

The Next Page command inserts a section break and starts the new section on the next page. This type of section break is useful to start new chapters in a document.

Example of a Next Page section break

The Continuous command inserts a section break and starts the new section on the same page. A continuous section break is useful to create format changes such as a different number of columns on a page.

Example of a Continuous section break

The Even Page or Odd Page command inserts a section break and starts the new section on the next even-numbered or odd-numbered page. To start document chapters always on an odd or even page, use the Odd page or Even page section break option.

odd page section break

To view section breaks, see Show section breaks.

To insert a section break, see Insert a section break.

To change a section break, see Change a section break.

To delete a section break, see Delete a section break

Here are some formatting that can be applied parts of your document using section breaks:

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