How to Delete a Page in Google Docs

The Blank Page Problem

Because Google Docs is a cloud-based word processor designed to mimic physical paper, it strictly enforces the concept of “pages.” When you reach the bottom of one page, Docs automatically generates a new blank page for you to continue typing.

Most of the time, this is incredibly helpful. However, this system frequently breaks when you paste images, insert tables, or accidentally press the Enter key too many times. Suddenly, you finish your essay and find a completely blank white page permanently stuck at the very end of your document. Sometimes, a blank page will even get stuck right in the middle of two perfectly good paragraphs.

Unlike a physical piece of paper, you cannot just rip the page out. Because pages in Google Docs only exist when there is formatting forcing them to exist, you have to delete the invisible formatting to delete the page.

Here is how to delete a stubborn page in Google Docs, depending on what is causing the problem.

Method 1: The Simple Backspace (For Empty Paragraphs)

The vast majority of blank pages are caused by accidental keystrokes. If you hold down the Enter key, Google Docs registers that you want to create dozens of empty paragraphs. Eventually, those empty paragraphs spill over, forcing a new page to open.

1. Scroll down to the unwanted blank page.
2. Click your mouse at the very bottom of the blank page to place your blinking cursor there.
3. Press and hold the Backspace key (or the Delete key on a Mac keyboard).
4. Keep holding the key down until the blinking cursor travels all the way back up to the end of your actual text on the previous page.

Once you delete the final empty paragraph, the blank page will instantly disappear.

Method 2: Deleting a Manual Page Break

If you used the Backspace key and the page refused to disappear, you likely inserted a manual Page Break by accident (often caused by pressing Ctrl + Enter).

A Page Break is a command that tells Google Docs, “Instantly jump to the next page, regardless of how much empty space is left on this one.”

1. Scroll up to the page immediately before the blank page.
2. Click your mouse at the very end of the last sentence on that page.
3. Press the Right Arrow key on your keyboard one single time. Your cursor will jump down.
4. Press the Backspace key (or Delete key on Mac) one single time.

This action deletes the invisible Page Break command, pulling the blank page back up and deleting it entirely.

Method 3: Fixing Page Margin Issues

If you have an image, a large chart, or a table at the very bottom of a page, it might be pushing the final line of text onto a brand new page. If there is no text left to push, it will push an invisible paragraph mark instead, creating a stubborn blank page.

To fix this, you must give the image more room to breathe by adjusting the page margins.

1. Click on the File menu at the very top left of the screen.
2. Click on Page setup near the bottom of the list.
3. A new window will appear showing your Margins (Top, Bottom, Left, and Right), which are usually set to 1 inch.
4. Click inside the Bottom margin box and change the number from 1 to 0.5.
5. Click the blue OK button.

This shrinks the required empty space at the bottom of the physical page. Your image or table will slide down slightly, pulling the invisible paragraph mark back up onto the same page, and causing the blank page to immediately vanish.