Add a section break in Word 2010 documents (Insert continuous or even/odd/next page)

The previous tutorial explained how to insert page breaks in Word 2010; in this tutorial, we will talk about section breaks, and show you how to add them throughout your documents. A section break is, in effect, a document within a document; in fact, a section-break-less document could be considered a break onto its own. This is the way Microsoft Word allows you to create custom formatting and styles for select sections of your work - like having a memo, a trifold brochure, and an envelope in the very same file, all with their own color, themes, paper and margin settings. Behind the scenes, Word actually creates sections to keep track of different styles you apply to portions of your documents.

 

Insert a section break

Place your cursor (blinking insertion point) where you'd like to add a section:

Tip: there are two ways to view section breaks in Word 2010 documents. Switch to "Draft View" by clicking its icon in the status bar (lower right corner).
Switch to Draft view to see section breaks in Word 2010 documents
Easier still, stay in Print Layout (default), and press the Ctrl+Shift+8 keyboard shortcut (the same as Ctrl+* ) to show paragraph marks / formatting symbols. section breaks are now visible, and labeled according to their type:
Show section break symbols (formatting marks) on the page

Change section break "type" after the fact

Click anywhere inside the section in question: if your document has two sections, click anywhere inside the second one. Select "Page Layout" in the Ribbon, and click the options arrow under "Page Setup":
Change section break type after the factSelect the "Layout" tab in the dialog, pick another break type under "Section start", and click "OK".

Remove section breaks

Press Ctrl+Shift+8 (same as Ctrl+* ) to show formatting marks (or switch to Draft View), and select your section break; hit Delete or Backspace, and make sure to delete any remaining leading or trailing spaces: the section after will now use the same formatting as the section preceding it. If you feel both confident and familiar enough with your document, you can delete these "invisibly", in Print Layout.
Select it to delete a section break

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