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Use sections breaks to divide and format documents of all sizes. For example, you can break down sections into chapters, and add formatting such as columns, headers and footers, page borders, to each.

Add a section break

  1. Select where you want a new section to begin.

  2. Go to Layout > Breaks.

    The types of section breaks are highlighted on the Layout tab.

  3. Choose the type of section break you want:

    • Next Page    Section break starts the new section on the following page.

      Next Page section break command to start a new section on the next page in a Word document

    • Continuous    Section break starts the new section on the same page. This type of section break is often used to change the number of columns without starting a new page.

      Continuous section break command to start a new section on the same page in a Word document

    • Even Page    Section break starts a new section on the next even-numbered page.

      Even Page section break command to start a new section on the next even-numbered page in a Word document

    • Odd Page    Section break starts a new section on the next odd-numbered page.

Insert a section break

  1. Select where you want a new section to begin.

  2. Go to Layout > Breaks, and then choose the type of section break you want.

    On the Layout tab, the Section Breaks menu is highlighted

    • Next Page    Starts the new section on the following page.

      Next Page section break command to start a new section on the next page in a Word document

    • Continuous    Starts the new section on the same page. This section break is particularly useful for documents that have columns. You can use it to change the number of columns without starting a new page.

      Continuous section break command to start a new section on the same page in a Word document

    • Even Page    Starts the new section on the next even-numbered page. For example, if you insert an Even Page Break at the end of page 3, the next section will start on page 4.

      Even Page section break command to start a new section on the next even-numbered page in a Word document

    • Odd Page    Starts the new section on the next odd-numbered page. For example, if you insert an Odd Page Section Break at the end of page 3, the next section will start on page 5.

You can add page breaks, but Word for the web can’t add section breaks yet.

If you have the Word desktop application, use the Open in Word command to open the document and add section breaks there. When you’re done and you save the document, it will continue to be stored where you opened it in Word for the web.

See also

Use section breaks to change the layout or formatting in a section of your document

Insert a page break

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