# MS Word page set up problem

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-page-set-up-problem/227377>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 3, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-page-set-up-problem/227377 "2004-02-03T21:35:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lawboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c67d28/32.png) [@lawboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawboy)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-page-set-up-problem/227377/1 "2004-02-03T21:35:46Z")

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I have access to standard forms here at my firm on a central drive. I downloaded one form and tweaked it to my needs. On Normal view, the spacing is fine. However, on Page Layout (and on Print Preview), whenever this document continues to another page, it leaves a huge space before starting the second paragraph. It looks like the document is centered, but not left to right, but rather, up to down; i.e. when you start typing on the new page, it starts in the middle and the text fills in up and down. This problem is driving my admin bonkers (she claims to be the MS Word Queen). I checked for hidden text and I even asked the annoying Paper Clip, and I can’t find anything wrong or hidden. What gives?

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**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-page-set-up-problem/227377/2 "2004-02-03T22:26:05Z")

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Have you checked the settings under **Format|Paragraph** for each paragraph? In particular the **Before** and **After** fields under **Spacing** and the **Pagination** check boxes on the **Line and Page Breaks** tab may be contributing to this problem.

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**Author:** ![Cillasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Cillasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cillasi)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-page-set-up-problem/227377/3 "2004-02-03T22:30:52Z")

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File; page setup; Layout; vertical alignment; TOP.

That should fix it.

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**Author:** ![RedNaxela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ad7895/32.png) [@RedNaxela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedNaxela)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-page-set-up-problem/227377/4 "2004-02-03T22:35:39Z")

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Look under File | Page Setup | Layout | Vertical Alignment. It sounds like you have it set to Center; you probably want it set to Top (which is the default).

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**Author:** ![lawboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c67d28/32.png) [@lawboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawboy)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-page-set-up-problem/227377/5 "2004-02-03T23:17:28Z")

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Wow! Great job people! It never occurred to me to look there. Thanks!