Insert, delete, or change a section break

Sections let you set specific page layout and formatting options (such as line numbering, columns, or headers and footers) for different parts of a document. By using sections, for example, you can format the introduction of a report as a single column, and then format the body of the report as two columns. Word treats a document as a single section until you insert a section break.

  Section formatted as a single column

  Section break that controls the layout and formatting of the preceding section identified by 1

  Section formatted as two columns

  Section break that controls the layout and formatting of the preceding section identified by 3

Each section breakA mark that you insert to end a section. A section break stores the section formatting elements, such as margins, page orientation, headers and footers, and the sequence of page numbers. A section break appears as a double dotted line with the words "Section Break." controls the layout and formatting of the section previous to the break. For example, if you delete a section break, the text previous to the break acquires all the formatting of the section that follows the break. For example, in the illustration that was mentioned earlier, if you delete the first section break (2), the first section is formatted as two columns. The last paragraph markThe nonprinting symbol () that Word inserts when you press RETURN at the end of a paragraph. The paragraph mark stores the formatting that you apply to a paragraph. (¶) in the document controls the section layout and formatting of the last section in the document. If the document does not contain sections, the last paragraph mark controls the layout and formatting of the entire document.