Word can switch an entire document to portrait or landscape with one command. Changing only one page needs section breaks, because orientation belongs to a section rather than an individual page.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, and Word 2019 on Windows or Mac when a wide table, chart, image, or diagram needs landscape while the rest of the document stays portrait.
Change orientation for the whole document
Use this when every page should turn.
- Open the Layout tab.
- Click Orientation in the Page Setup group.
- Choose Portrait or Landscape.
Every page changes immediately. No section breaks are needed for a whole-document orientation change.
Make just one page landscape
Create a section around the page that needs the different orientation.
- Click at the start of the page that should change, or at the end of the previous page.
- Open Layout > Breaks.
- Choose Next Page under Section Breaks.
- Click inside the page that needs landscape.
- Open Layout > Orientation > Landscape.
- If following pages also change, click at the start of the next page, insert another Next Page section break, and set that section back to Portrait.
More control
Use two section breaks for one page
If landscape spills into the rest of the document, Word has not been told where the landscape section ends. Add a second section break after the landscape content, then set the following section back to portrait.
Headers and footers can link across sections
Click inside the header or footer and turn off Link to Previous before making section-specific header or footer changes. Otherwise edits may carry into neighboring sections.
Check page numbering
Open Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers and choose Continue from previous section if numbering should keep counting through the landscape page.
Reveal section breaks
Use Ctrl+Shift+8 on Windows or Cmd+8 on Mac to show formatting marks. Section breaks appear as labeled dotted lines, making them easier to delete or move.
Sources
- Microsoft Support – Change page orientation to landscape or portrait (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Insert a section break (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Insert, delete, or change a section break (2024)