Remove blank paragraphs in a Google Document

To remove blank paragraphs in a Google Document, you can use Google Apps Script to detect and delete paragraphs that contain no text or only whitespace characters. Here’s a simple script to accomplish this task:

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open Your Google Document where you want to remove the blank paragraphs.
2. Access the Script Editor by selecting Extensions > Apps Script.
3. Clear any existing code in the editor to start fresh, then paste the following script.

Script Code

/**
 * Adds a custom menu to the Google Docs UI for easy access.
 */
function onOpen() {
  DocumentApp.getUi()
    .createMenu('Custom Scripts')
    .addItem('Remove Blank Paragraphs', 'removeBlankParagraphs')
    .addToUi();
}

/**
 * Removes blank paragraphs from the Google Document, excluding the last paragraph.
 */
function removeBlankParagraphs() {
  var doc = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument();
  var body = doc.getBody();
  var totalElements = body.getNumChildren();
  var removedCount = 0;

  // Iterate through all elements in reverse order, excluding the last paragraph
  for (var i = totalElements - 2; i >= 0; i--) {
    var element = body.getChild(i);
    
    // Check if the element is a paragraph and if it is empty or contains only whitespace
    if (element.getType() === DocumentApp.ElementType.PARAGRAPH) {
      var text = element.asParagraph().getText();
      
      if (text.trim() === '') {
        body.removeChild(element); // Remove the blank paragraph
        removedCount++;
      }
    }
  }

  DocumentApp.getUi().alert(removedCount + ' blank paragraphs have been removed.');
}

Explanation of the Script

1. onOpen Function:
   • Adds a custom menu to the Google Docs interface called Custom Scripts with an item labeled Remove Blank Paragraphs.
   • This menu option allows you to run the script directly from the Google Docs interface.
2. removeBlankParagraphs Function:
   • Purpose: Iterates through all elements in the document, identifies blank paragraphs, and removes them.
   • Logic:
     • Reverse Order Processing: The script iterates from the last element to the first to prevent indexing issues when removing elements.
     • Blank Paragraph Check: For each paragraph, the script uses text.trim() === '' to check if the paragraph is empty or contains only whitespace.
     • Removal: If the paragraph is blank, it’s removed from the document.
   • User Notification: After processing, the script alerts the user with the count of removed paragraphs.

How to Use the Script

1. Save and Authorize the script if you haven’t done so already.
2. Refresh the Document to load the custom menu.
3. Run the Script:
   • Go to Custom Scripts > Remove Blank Paragraphs.
   • A message will appear indicating the number of blank paragraphs removed from the document.

This script helps you quickly clean up unnecessary blank paragraphs, making your document more organized and easier to read.