Viewing Section Breaks MS Word

Like page breaks, section breaks are best viewed in Normal or Outline view, where they are always visible. In Print Layout View, section breaks are visible only if your Show/Hide button is enabled. (Your Show/Hide button looks like a paragraph symbol and when it's activated you are able to see all non-printing characters).

Deleting Section Breaks

Section breaks can be deleted if necessary, but proceed with caution. When you delete a section break, you delete all the section-level formatting of the section above it.

To delete a section break:

• Switch to Normal view, if necessary.  
• Click directly on the section break you wish to delete.  
• Press Delete.  
• After you delete a section break, the two sections combine to form one section. The two sections will take on the formatting of the second section.

Changing Section Breaks

If you have already inserted a section break but want to change the type of break it is, Word makes it easy for you to correct it.

• Switch to Normal view, if necessary.  
• Click in your document below the section break you want to change.  
• Click File | Page Setup.  
• Click the Layout tab to bring that screen forward, if necessary.  
• Under Section Start, choose the type of section break you want.  
• Click OK.

The section break above the insertion point will change to the type you've selected.

Note: For further information, Section-Level Formatting has been discussed in a recent article.

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