MS Word - The margins set for the templates are being ignored

bhs67 96 Reputation points
2026-10-05T22:12:48.3733333+00:00

I've been using Word 365 "Windows 11 Home" templates for many years - 0.5 inch on top / bottom and 1 inch on both sides. Now the 0.5 inch on top has been set to 0 inches.

I disabled Copilot to no avail. How do I get back to normal?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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  1. Jeronimo Fuerte 46,745 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-05T22:54:56.6066667+00:00

    Thanks for clarifying. Since the usual Show white space setting did not resolve the issue, I’d like to confirm whether Word is actually changing the margin value or whether this is a display/printing issue.

    Could you please check the following? Open one of the affected documents and go to Layout > Margins > Custom Margins. What value is currently shown for Top? Does it actually show 0", or does it still show 0.5"?

    Does the problem affect: existing documents created from these templates, newly created documents from the templates,

    or both?

    If you manually change the top margin back to 0.5", does Word keep that setting after saving, closing, and reopening the document? Does the document also print or export to PDF with a 0" top margin, or is the problem only visible on screen?

    Is this happening with every Word template or only specific custom templates? Please open File > Account > About Word and provide the exact Microsoft Word version and build number.

    If possible, please also share a screenshot of the Page Setup / Custom Margins window for one affected document, making sure no personal information is visible.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-05T22:13:05.1+00:00

    This is usually not the template margin being changed. In Word, the top and bottom white space can be hidden in Print Layout view, which makes text appear to start at the very top even though the document still prints with the correct margins.

    Try this first:

    1. Open the document in Print Layout view.
    2. Move the pointer to the top edge of the page until it becomes a double-pointed arrow.
    3. Double-click to show the top and bottom margins again.

    If that fixes it, the margin was not actually set to 0 inches; Word was just hiding the white space.

    If needed, also turn the setting back on in Word options:

    1. Go to File > Options > Display.
    2. Enable Show white space between pages in Print Layout view.
    3. Select OK.

    If the actual page margins do need to be reset:

    1. Go to Layout > Margins.
    2. Choose the margin preset you want, or select Custom Margins and set:
      • Top: 0.5"
      • Bottom: 0.5"
      • Left: 1"
      • Right: 1"

    For new blank documents, Word’s default margin is normally 1 inch on each side unless a template changes it.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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