Seeing Continuous Text Flow in the Print Layout View MS Word

Everyone has one. Its inevitable. Yes, we all have a preferred view in MS Word. Some of us like the Normal view and others use the Web Layout view on a daily basis.

If youre like me, you are a fan of the Print Layout view in Word. To me, that view is basically, "What you see is what you get," including the visibility of all the margins. I guess I just like to see each page as a representation of an actual piece of paper.

Well, regardless of your reason for preferring the Print Layout view, Im sure youve found times when it would be helpful to put the pages together. You know, to easily see the flow of the document and to know exactly how the text is flowing from page to page, without the visual disruption of the margins and spaces between the pages.

At this point, Im certain a few of you are thinking, "No problem. Its just a quick change in the View menu." Or, if youre aware of the View buttons in the bottom left corner of the program window, the change is just a quick click of the correct button.

But, wouldnt it be nice to have the luxury of altering the Print Layout Views behavior for this purpose, anytime you choose?

Yeah, I agree. Id still rather see this view and just find a way to temporarily remove the top and bottom margins so that I can see how its all coming together.

Fortunately, for anyone with this line of thinking, there is a one click way to alter the Print Layout view to meet those requirements.

What youre looking for is the Hide/Show White Space feature.

Take your mouse pointer and slowly run it over the gap between the "pages" of your document.

At some point, it should change to two inward pointing arrows and display this message: "Hide White Space" (Word 2007 says "Double Click to Hide White Space").

While you still have the double arrow, click to change this:

Into this:

Like magic, the document will change to display just a solid black line between the pages.

Notice that the top and bottom margins of the pages are no longer visible, which gives you a full and uninterrupted view of how the text is flowing from page to page.

Want your margins returned?

No problem! Simply run the mouse pointer slowly over the black dividing line until the pointer changes again and displays this message: "Show White Space." (This time, the cursor changes into a double arrow pointing outward).

One click here and your document is instantly returned to its original Print Layout view.

Isnt it nice to know that you have options?!

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