Fix Blank Pages in Middle of Google Docs to PDF
Blank pages appearing in the middle of a PDF from Google Docs are caused by page breaks, section breaks, or content spacing that forces an entire page to be empty. Here is how to identify the cause on each blank page and remove it.
Locate the blank pages by page number
Note which page numbers are blank in the PDF. Go to the same approximate page in the Google Doc by scrolling or using Ctrl+G to jump to a page. With paragraph marks visible (Ctrl+Shift+8), look for break symbols, unusual spacing, or empty paragraphs at that location.
Remove consecutive page breaks
Two consecutive page breaks create a blank page between them. This often happens when someone pressed Enter after a page break, which added an empty paragraph, then another page break. Select the page break, the empty paragraph, and the next page break, then delete them and replace with a single page break.
Fix section breaks creating blank pages
A next-page section break followed immediately by another next-page section break creates a blank page. If two sections need different settings (like orientation changes), use one next-page section break between them. Delete the extra one.
Check for invisible content filling the blank page
With paragraph marks visible, scroll through the blank page area in the Doc. If you see paragraph marks on what should be a blank page, those empty paragraphs are filling the page. Select all content on that page (click at the top, Shift-click at the bottom) and delete it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a blank page after every chapter in my PDF?
Each chapter heading likely has a 'Page break before' paragraph setting enabled. If there is also a manual page break at the end of the previous chapter, two page breaks combine to create a blank page. Remove the manual page break at the end of each chapter and rely on the 'Page break before' setting alone.
Related article
Fix page breaks in Google Docs PDF export →Ready to Try It?
Install the free Chrome extension and start converting your Google Docs to PDF in one click.
Install Free Extension