To get a Word document back to the normal view, select the View tab and choose Print Layout. Print Layout shows page boundaries and the layout used for printing. If the document opened in Read Mode with no ribbon, press Esc first. If everything looks too big or small, select View > 100%.
These steps apply to the Windows desktop version of Word, including Microsoft 365 and Word 2024. The File > Options settings below do not apply to Word for Mac or Word for the web. In a browser, the page view is controlled differently, as explained in how to enable or disable page ends in Word Online.
Switch Back to Print Layout
- Select the View tab.
- Select Print Layout.
For a keyboard shortcut in Word for Windows, press Ctrl + Alt + P to switch to Print Layout. Press Ctrl + Alt + N for Draft instead. Microsoft lists these in its Word keyboard shortcuts.
Change How Word Opens a Document
Choosing a view on the View tab only changes the document you have open. Word has no setting that opens every document in Print Layout. If documents keep opening in Draft view, turn off the option that allows it:
- Open File > Options. The Word Options dialog opens.
- Select Advanced, then scroll down to the General section within that pane.
- Clear the Allow opening a document in Draft view check box.
- Select OK, then close and reopen the document. If it is still in Draft, select View > Print Layout.
Microsoft’s Advanced options guide lists this setting under General.
Fix Other Common View Problems
- Read Mode (no ribbon, pages side by side): press Esc, or select View > Edit Document.
- Ribbon is missing: press Ctrl + F1 to show or hide it, or double-click any tab name.
- Text is too big or small: select View > 100%, or drag the zoom slider in the bottom-right corner.
- Pages look like one long sheet: you’re in Web Layout or Draft. Select View > Print Layout.
- Gaps between pages are gone: open File > Options > Display, check Show white space between pages in Print Layout view, and select OK.
- Dots and ¶ marks all over: toggle Home > Paragraph > Show/Hide ¶, or press Ctrl + Shift + 8 using the main keyboard. If marks remain, check the individual always-show options under File > Options > Display.
Microsoft explains the white-space and formatting-mark checkboxes in its Word Display options guide.
What About “Normal” View?
Older versions of Word had a view called Normal. It’s now called Draft, and it hides headers, footers, and page edges. Most people mean Print Layout when they want the normal view back.
Show One Page at a Time
In desktop Word, select View > Print Layout, then View > One Page in the Zoom group to fit a whole page in the window. If the zoom buttons are grayed out, select View > Vertical in the Page Movement group first, as Microsoft explains in its page movement guide. This only changes what you see on screen, not the printed page. Select 100% or Page Width to go back to a larger view.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word keep opening documents in Read Mode?
Some attachments and protected documents open in Read Mode automatically. Press Esc, or select View > Edit Document, to leave it. Changing this document’s view does not override its editing permissions.
Why does my document say Protected View?
Files from the internet open in Protected View for safety. Only select Enable Editing for a file whose source and contents you trust. Changing Print Layout does not grant editing permission. Restrictions set by the owner or your organization may still apply.
How do I remove extra blank pages?
See how to delete a page in Word.
What if Word says a dialog box is open?
See how to close a dialog box in Word, including hidden ones.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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