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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