(Legacy) Microsoft Word 2007: Page Formatting Options

Word 2007 comes with many formatting options for all types of documents. This document describes page formatting options can affect a page, a section, or your entire document.

Adjusting Document Margins

The Ruler is used as a quick way to adjust margins. Margins may also be adjusted by using a preset option provided by Word, or through the Page Setup dialog box.

Adjusting Document Margins: Using a Margin Preset Option

1. From the Page Layout command tab, in the Page Setup group, click MARGINS
   

2. Select one of the preset margin options 
   EXAMPLE: Wide for one-inch vertical margins and two-inch horizontal margins

Adjusting Document Margins: Dialog Box Option

To set your own margins, use the Page Setup dialog box.

1. From the Page Layout command tab, in the Page Setup group, click PAGE SETUP
   The Page Setup dialog box appears. 
   

2. On the Margins tab, in the Margins section, adjust the margins as needed

3. Click OK

Numbering Pages

Word lets you easily enter page numbers in your document by using the Insert command tab. Page numbers become part of the header or footer. For information on modifying headers and footers, or removing first page formatting, refer to Creating Headers and Footers.

1. From the Insert command tab, within the Header & Footer group, click PAGE NUMBER

2. Select Top of Page or Bottom of Page » select a pre-formatted page number placement

3. OPTIONAL: To specifically format the look of your page numbers, select Format Page Numbers
   The Page Number Format dialog box appears. 
   
   1. From the Number format pull-down list, select the desired format
   2. To continue numbering, under the Page numbering section, select Continue from previous section
      To specify the starting page number, select Start at and type the number

   3. Click OK

Inserting Page Breaks

Word has two types of page breaks. The first is a natural page break. This occurs when the information has filled an entire page and needs to flow onto the next page. The second type is forced, often referred to as a hard page break. Forced page breaks occur only when the user inserts a hard page break.

Additional pages can also be started using section breaks. For more information, refer to Working with Section Breaks.

1. Place the insertion point where the new page is to be inserted

2. From the Insert command tab, within the Pages group, click PAGE BREAK
   OR
   Press [Ctrl] + [Enter]

Removing Page Breaks

1. Select the page break

2. Press [Delete]

Preventing Extra Blank Pages

While there is no Word feature that prevents extra blank pages, you can help reduce blank pages by reviewing your document. If your document ends in a forced page break and there are blank lines after it, another page of the document will print. To prevent this, delete the blank lines between the page break and the end of the document.