Page Break in Excel

What Is A Page Break In Excel?

The Page Break in Excel is a tool used to limit page length. This feature is used to avoid the misalignment of data while printing. For example, using this feature, we can get the complete data into one sheet using this feature. The Page Break in Excel is under the View tab. Therefore, we should select a row or column, and click on Insert Page Break from the Right-click menu list to insert a page break.

For example, the below image depicts the values in columns A and B. We need to use the following steps to insert page break in Excel.

Page Break in Excel Intro

First, we should select the cell where we want to apply page break. In our example, we have selected cell B1. Next, go to the Page Layout tab and select the Breaks option from the Page Setup group. Then, click the drop-down arrow on the Breaks button. Then, click the Insert Page Break option from the drop-down list and select the Page Break Preview option from the Workbook Views group. Likewise, we can use Page Break feature in Excel.

Key Takeaways
  • Page Break feature is a separator that breaks an Excel worksheet into a separate page for printing. Users use this function to break/divide a worksheet for printing purposes.
  • In simple terms, Page Break in Excel is used to specify from where a new page will start in the printed copy of the worksheet data.
  • To insert page break in Excel, we can use the shortcut keys, ALT + P + B + I.
  • Similarly, we can remove the page break in Excel using the shortcut keys, ALT + P + B + R.

How To Insert Page Break In Excel?

The Page Break function can be accessed using the following steps:

Access from the Excel ribbon

  1. First, go to the Page Layout
  2. Next, select the Breaks option from the Page Setup
  3. Click on the drop-down arrow on the Breaks
  4. Then, select the Insert Page Break option from the drop-down list.


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Vertical Page Break

Consider the below table with student’s enrolment details. Now, let us apply Vertical Page Break technique to understand the feature.

In the table,

  • Column A shows the student ID.
  • Column B displays the name.
  • Column C highlights the program.
Page Break in Excel Example 1

The steps used to insert Vertical Page Break are as follows:

Step 1: To begin with, we should select the cell in which we want to apply Vertical Page Break. Therefore, we have selected cell C1 in this case.

Step 2: Next, go to the Page Layout tab.

Step 3: Then, select the Breaks option from the Page Setup group. 

Example 1.1

Step 4: Click on the drop-down arrow on the Breaks button.

Step 5: Next, select the Insert Page Break option from the drop-down list.

Example 1.2

Step 6: Then, click the Page Break Preview option from the Workbook Views group.

The Vertical Page Break is highlighted with blue outline, as shown in the following image.

Example 1.3

Similarly, we can make use of Vertical Page Break with ease.

Horizontal Page Break

The following table shows details of employees such as name, age, and salary in columns A, B, and C, respectively. But, first, let us apply the Horizontal Page Break technique to understand the feature.

Example 2

The steps used to apply Horizontal Page Break in Excel are as follows:

Step 1: First, we should select the cell in which we want to apply Horizontal Page Break. Therefore, we have selected cell A9 in this case.

Step 2: Next, go to the Page Layout tab.

Step 3: Then, select the Breaks option from the Page Setup group.

Example 1.1

Step 4: Next, click on the drop-down arrow on the Breaks button.

Step 5: Select the Insert Page Break option from the drop-down list.

Example 1.2

Step 6: Then, click the Page Break Preview option from the Workbook Views group.

The Horizontal Page Break is highlighted with a blue outline, as shown in the following image.

Page Break in Excel Example 2.1

How To Remove Page Break In Excel?

The following table shows sales data for various products. But, first, let us learn how to remove Page Break in Excel.

In the table,

  • Column A displays the name of the products.
  • Column B shows the cities.
  • Column C displays the Sales.
Example 3

The steps used to remove Page Break in Excel are as follows:

Step 1: First, select the cell in which we want to apply Page Break. We have selected cell C1 in this case.

Step 2: Next, go to the Page Layout tab.

Step 3: Select the Breaks option from the Page Setup group. 

Step 4: Then, click the drop-down arrow on the Breaks button.

Step 5: Next, select the Insert Page Break option from the drop-down list.

Step 6: Click the Page Break Preview option from the Workbook Views group.

The Page Break is highlighted with the blue outline, as shown in the following image.

Page Break in Excel Example 3.1

Step 7: Then, go to the Page Layout tab to remove the Page Break.

Step 8: Select the Breaks option from the Page Setup group. 

Step 9: Next, click the drop-down arrow on the Breaks button.

Step 10: Now, select the Remove Page Break option from the drop-down list.

Example 3.2

Step 11: The Page Break Preview page opens up.

The blue outline indicates that page break is removed, as shown in the following image.

Example 3.3

Move A Page Break In Excel

The below table shows the monthly sales of companies. But, first, let us learn how to move Page Break in Excel.

In the table,

  • Column A displays the months.
  • Columns B, C, D, and E shows the name of the companies such as, Walmart, Home Depot, Kroger and Costco respectively.

The steps used to move Page Break are as follows:

Step 1: First, select the columns in which we want to apply Page Break. In this case, we have selected columns B, C, D, & E.

Step 2: Go to the Page Layout tab.

Step 3: Next, select the Breaks option from the Page Setup group. 

Step 4: Then, click the drop-down arrow on the Breaks button.

Step 5: Select the Insert Page Break option from the drop-down list.

Page Break in Excel Example 4

Step 6: Next, click the Page Break Preview option from the Workbook Views group.

Page Break in Excel Example 4.1

The Page Break is highlighted with a blue outline, as shown in the following image.

Page Break in Excel Example 4.2

Step 7: The Page Break is moved by the double-headed “ ↔ ” arrow key, which comes when we take the cursor on the blue highlighted line.

Next, we should click and drag the Page Break cells as shown in the below image.

Page Break in Excel Example 4.3

Hide And Show Page Break Marks

To Hide and Show Page Break Marks in Excel Sheet, we need to follow the following steps;

  • Go to the File tab.
  • Next, click the More… option from the list.
  • The drop-right list appears. Click Options.
File Options
  • The Excel Options window opens.
  • Select the Advanced option from the list.
  • Go to the Display options for this worksheet:
  • If we want to show the Page Break marks, click the Show Page Breaks checkbox to show.
  • Click OK.
UnHide
  • If we want to hide the Page Break marks, uncheck the Show Page Breaks checkbox to hide.
  • Click OK.
 Hide

Page Break Not Working In Excel

If Page Break is not working in Excel, then we can use the following steps;

  • First, go to the File tab.
  • Click the More… option from the list.
  • The drop-right list opens. Click Options.
File Options
  • The Excel Options window opens.
  • Select the Advanced option from the list.
  • Go to the Editing Options.
  • Click the checkbox for Enable fill handle and cell drag-and-drop option.
  • Click OK.

The Page Break in Excel will start working.

Page Break in Excel Not Working

Important Things To Note

  • Page break, as the name suggests, breaks a worksheet for printing purposes.
  • We use Page Break in Excel because we want the data to be printed separately from one another.
  • Also, we should remember to select the row before inserting page break in Excel.
  • The print preview checks whether the page breaks are correct.
  • We can hide and show page breaks using show Page breaks in Options window.
  • If page break in Excel is not working, we should select Enable file handle and cell drag-and-drop checkbox from the Excel Options window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Page Break Preview in Excel?


1. To begin with, go to the View tab of Excel.
2. Next, click the Page Break Preview option from the Workbook Views group.

Page Break in Excel Example 4.1

What indicates a Page Break in Excel?


The highlighted cell’s break line after the selected cells indicates a Page Break in Excel.

A page break is where one page ends and another one begins. So, the feature also indicates the range of cells that will be printed in the View tab in Page Break Preview option. This lets us see the print preview clearly with all the page breaks. The white area bordered by blue is the area that will be printed.

For example, the below image depicts the values in columns A and B. We will apply the Page Break in Excel technique to show the feature in the example.

Step 1: To begin with, select the cell in which we want to apply Page Break.

Step 2: We have selected cell B, goto the Page Layout tab and select the Breaks option from the Page Setup group.
Then, click the drop-down arrow on the Breaks button.

Step 3: Next, click the Insert Page Break option from the drop-down list and select the Page Break Preview option from the Workbook Views group.

The Page Break is highlighted with a blue outline, as shown in the following image.

Page Break in Excel FAQ

What is the keyboard shortcut key of the Page Break in Excel?


● The keyboard shortcut key for inserting the Page Break in Excel is as follows;

Page Break in Excel FAQ 2

ALT + P for Page Layout tab + B for Break option in Page Layout tab + I for Inserting Page Break

● The keyboard shortcut key for removing the Page Break in Excel is as follows;

FAQ 2.1

ALT + P for Page Layout tab + B for Break option in Page Layout tab + R for Removing Page Break

Download Template

This article must help understand Page Breaks in Excel with its formula and examples. You can download the template here to use it instantly.

This has been a guide to Page Breaks in Excel. Here we discuss how to insert, remove and move page breaks with examples and downloadable excel template. You can learn more from the following articles – 

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