To remove a section break in Microsoft Word, you need to make sure you're viewing the document in a way that shows non-printing characters (such as section breaks). Here's how you can do it:
1. **Open your Word document**: Double-click on the document to open it in Microsoft Word.
2. **Show Non-Printing Characters**: To see section breaks and other formatting marks, click on the "Show/Hide" button in the Paragraph group on the Home tab. This button typically looks like a paragraph symbol (¶) and toggles the display of non-printing characters.
3. **Locate the Section Break**: Scroll through your document until you find the section break you want to remove. Section breaks are indicated by a double-dotted line and the word "Section" in the middle.
4. **Delete the Section Break**: Place your cursor just before the section break you want to remove. Press the "Delete" key on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can highlight the section break by clicking and dragging your cursor over it, then press the "Delete" key.
5. **Check for Unintended Consequences**: Removing a section break may affect the formatting of your document, especially if there were different headers, footers, page orientations, or other section-specific formatting applied before and after the section break. Make sure to review your document after removing the section break to ensure everything looks as intended.
6. **Save your Document**: Once you've removed the section break and verified that your document looks correct, save your changes.
By following these steps, you can successfully remove a section break in Microsoft Word. Remember to review your document carefully after making changes to ensure that the formatting remains consistent and correct.