Symptoms

When you open a document, is the insertion point at the top left corner of the page, as if there were no top margin?

Cause

If you're reading the document in Print Layout view and all of the pages appear to be cut off, with no top or bottom margin, the option for hiding white space between pages has been turned on.

Resolution

If the top and bottom margins are not showing, you can restore them by pointing and clicking in the document, or by using the View tab.

show white space

callout 1 When top and bottom margins are not showing, point to the top or bottom of a page until the pointer becomes a double-pointed arrow, and then double click.

callout 2 When white space between pages is showing, the entire top and bottom margins are visible.

To use the View tab to show white space between pages, do the following:

  1. On the View tab, in the Document Views group, click Print Layout.

    word ribbon image

  2. Click the Microsoft Office Button button image, and then click Word Options.
  3. Click Display.
  4. Under Page display options, select the Show white space between pages in Print Layout view check box.