Viewing multiple pages in Word

There are a couple of different methods you can use to view multiple pages in Word 2010 / 2007. You can make use of the large Print Preview screen in the Backstage View or, if you prefer, you can display two or more pages from the regular document editing screen.

Print Preview

To open the Print Preview screen in the Backstage View, either click the File tab, Print or press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl P.

Once there, navigate to the Zoom slider in the lower right-hand corner.  You can click the minus sign to reduce the magnification (by 10% each time you click) or drag the slider to the left until you can see two or more pages.  When you have finished previewing the document, click the File tab again or press the Esc key to return to the document.

Displaying Multiple Pages From the Document Editing Screen

Alternatively, you can show two or more pages from the regular document editing screen.  Just click the View tab, then click either the Two Pages icon (if you want to see two pages side by side)  or the Zoom icon (if you want to display more than two pages at a time).

When the Zoom dialog opens, click “Many pages” (the icon at the top right side of the dialog), drag to select the number of pages you want to view, and release the mouse button.  Note that if you drag to the side, the pages will display side by side; if you drag down, the pages will display vertically (one above the other).  The Preview area gives you an idea of how the pages will look.  If you’re satisfied, click “OK.”

Restoring the Single-Page View

To restore the single-page view, you can click the One Page icon.  Be aware, however, that doing so typically won’t change the zoom — that is, Word will display only one page, but it will remain at the reduced magnification that was required to show multiple pages side by side.

Therefore, you’ll need to click the Zoom icon again and change the magnification to 100%, or whatever your normal zoom setting is.  (If you’re not sure of the exact percentage, experiment to see what zoom you like best.  You might want to write it down and save it in an easy-to-remember place in case you need to refer to it later on.)  Click “OK” to save your settings.