A page is in the wrong place in your Word document, and you need to move everything on it. Start with cut and paste, or use heading-based sections to rearrange a longer document in Word for Windows. Word builds pages from flowing content, so moving a page’s contents does not preserve fixed page boundaries.
Move a page with cut and paste
For a straightforward move, use cut and paste. This works in Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, and Word 2021 on Windows and Mac.
Select the content you want to move, from the beginning of the page to the end.
Press Ctrl+X on Windows or Command+X on Mac to cut it. On Mac, Edit > Cut does the same job.
Click the exact spot where the content belongs.
Press Ctrl+V on Windows or Command+V on Mac to paste it. On Mac, you can also choose Edit > Paste.
Repeat for any additional pages you need to move.
Check the page boundaries afterward. You’re moving the content, and its new position affects how Word lays out the pages.
Select a whole page with Go To
Use Go To in desktop Word on Windows or Mac when selecting a page manually gets awkward.
- 1.Click anywhere inside the page you want to move.
- 2.Press Ctrl+G on Windows or Option+Command+G on Mac.
- 3.In Enter page number, type
\page, press Enter, then select Close. - 4.Check that the selection includes everything you intend to move, then press Ctrl+X on Windows or Command+X on Mac.
- 5.Click the destination and press Ctrl+V on Windows or Command+V on Mac.
Drag heading-based sections into order
Rearranging a section that spans several pages? In Word for Windows, the Navigation Pane moves a heading and its associated content together.
Apply a built-in heading style to each section heading you want to move.
Open View > Navigation Pane.
Select Headings.
Drag the heading to its new position. The pane’s Pages thumbnails are for jumping to pages; use heading entries to reorder content.
If a heading is missing, check that it uses a built-in heading style. Headings inside tables, text boxes, headers, and footers do not appear in this pane.
For a cut-and-paste move, right-click the heading and choose Select Heading and Content.
Press Ctrl+X to cut the selection.
Click the destination.
Press Ctrl+V to paste.
If heading-based reordering fails, use the whole-page selection and cut-and-paste method above. On Mac, use cut and paste to move the content.
Rearrange content in Word for the web
Working in your browser? Cut and paste moves page content in an editable Word document, using Ctrl shortcuts on Windows and Command shortcuts on Mac.
Select Edit in Browser if the document isn’t open for editing.
Select the source content.
Press Ctrl+X on Windows or Command+X on Mac.
Click where the content should go.
Press Ctrl+V on Windows or Command+V on Mac to paste it.
For desktop reordering tools, select Editing > Open in Desktop App. This requires a compatible installed and licensed desktop Word app.
Rearrange the content using the Windows or Mac method above.
Save the document. Your saved desktop changes appear when you reopen it on the web.
Use touch controls on an iPad or Android tablet
Move content in an editable Word document on your tablet with the selection handles and clipboard controls.
- 1.On iPad, select the first word; on an Android tablet, double-tap the first word.
- 2.Extend the selection handles across all the content you want to move.
- 3.Tap Cut on iPad or the scissors icon on Android.
- 4.Tap the destination in the document.
- 5.Tap Paste on iPad. On Android, tap the clipboard icon to paste. For more paste choices, tap the arrow next to the clipboard icon to open the Paste menu.
Reset page boundaries after the move
Word lays out pages from flowing content, so selecting a whole page does not lock its boundaries after a move.
To start the moved content on a separate page, place the cursor at the required boundary.
On Windows or the web, select Insert > Page Break. On Mac, select Layout > Breaks > Page.
To find unwanted manual breaks in desktop Word, select Home > Show/Hide.
On Windows, select the unwanted manual page break.
Press Delete to remove it.
On Mac, click after the break’s paragraph mark.
Press Delete to remove the break.
In Word for the web, select the manual break in editing view.
Press Backspace to remove it.
For paragraph pagination controls on Windows, open the Paragraph dialog using its launcher on Layout.
Select Line and Page Breaks. On Mac, open the same controls through Format > Paragraph > Line and Page Breaks.
Adjust Page break before to control whether a paragraph starts on a new page.
Adjust Keep with next to control whether a paragraph stays with the following paragraph.
Adjust Keep lines together to control whether a paragraph’s lines stay on the same page.
Keep the original formatting when you paste
Use the paste formatting controls when moved content needs to retain its original appearance. These controls apply to Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, and Word 2021 on Windows.
After pasting, choose Paste Options > Keep Source Formatting.
If the options button is missing, open File > Options > Advanced.
Under Cut, copy, and paste, enable Show Paste Options button when content is pasted.
To use the same formatting choice by default for moves within a document, set Pasting within the same document to Keep Source Formatting in that same settings section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move selected content with F2?
Yes, in Word for Windows. Select the content and press F2. Use the arrow keys to position the insertion point at the destination, then press Enter. Press Esc to cancel. On Mac, F2 performs Cut instead.
Why can’t I cut or move content in a protected document?
Document protection restricts editing in protected areas. In Word for Windows, open Review > Restrict Editing. Select Stop Protection and enter the password if requested. If you cannot unlock the document, ask its owner for editing permission.
How do I select content using only the keyboard?
Use Shift+Arrow keys to select the required range. On Windows, Ctrl+Shift+Down Arrow extends the selection through paragraphs. Another Windows option is to press F8, extend the selection, then press Esc to stop extending it. Shift+Page Down selects to the bottom of the screen, not necessarily a complete printed page.
Can I reorder content on a phone with an external keyboard?
Yes. In Word for iPhone or Android phones, select content with Shift+Arrow keys. Press Command+X on iPhone or Ctrl+X on Android to cut it. Move to the destination. Press Command+V on iPhone or Ctrl+V on Android to paste.