Section Breaks
Section breaks create formatting boundaries inside a document. Word provides Next Page, Continuous, Even Page and Odd Page section breaks and lets sections carry different layout or header/footer behavior; exact controls are software-specific.
Use a section break when a later part of the document needs its own layout or formatting settings—such as headers, footers, columns, orientation or numbering—not merely to force text onto another page.
Key details
Important caveats
Tool Boundary
Section-break behavior and labels are word-processor features, not universal grammar rules; use the equivalent structure provided by the authoring tool and template.
Further guidance
Purpose
Use a section break when formatting needs to change for one portion of the document while neighboring sections retain different settings.
Types
In Word, choose among Next Page, Continuous, Even Page and Odd Page section breaks according to where the new section must begin.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Use section breaks to change the layout or formatting in one section of your Word document — Microsoft Support (opens in a new tab)Microsoft Support · Section-break types and section-specific layout/formatting behavior