How do I insert page numbers in Word?
Microsoft's own instructions for this are short: go to Insert > Page Number (found under the Header & Footer group on the Insert tab), and select a position — Top of Page, Bottom of Page, Page Margins, or Current Position — then pick a numbering style from the gallery that opens. Word places the number into the header or footer and repeats it on every page automatically, renumbering itself as content is added or removed.
- Open the Insert tab on the ribbon.
- In the Header & Footer group, select Page Number.
- Choose a position: Top of Page, Bottom of Page, Page Margins, or Current Position.
- Pick a numbering style from the gallery — plain numbers, or a styled variant with a line or shape.
- Select Close Header and Footer, or double-click anywhere outside the header/footer area, to return to the document.
Once inserted, you can double-click the number at any time to reopen the Header & Footer Design tab and change position, style, or the options covered below.
How do I stop the page number showing on page one?
A common need for cover pages and title pages. With the header or footer open (double-click it if it isn't already), go to the Design tab that appears under Header & Footer Tools, and tick Different First Page. Word then leaves the first page blank while continuing to number every page from the second one onward — without changing what number those later pages show.
How do I make numbering start from 1 on the second page?
This combines two settings. First, turn on Different First Page as above so page one carries no number. Then go to Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers, and in the dialog that opens, set Start at to 0. Because page one is hidden from numbering, page two then displays as "1," and the rest of the document counts up normally from there. This is the standard approach for reports and dissertations where a title page shouldn't carry a visible number but the body text should still start at page 1.
How do I show "Page X of Y" instead of just the number?
Go to Insert > Page Number, then look for the Page X of Y styles in the gallery, which insert both the current page number and the document's total page count in one step — for example, "Page 3 of 12." If you already have a plain number inserted, Microsoft's guidance notes you can instead select Include Page Count from the Page Number menu to add the total alongside the number that's already there, rather than starting over.
People also ask
How do I remove the page number from the first page in Word?
Open the header or footer, go to the Design tab, and tick Different First Page. Word clears the number from page one while numbering every page after it as normal.
How do I make page numbers start from 1 on the second page instead of the first?
Turn on Different First Page so page one shows no number, then set Start at to 0 under Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers. Page two then reads as page 1.
Can I show the page number alongside the total number of pages, like Page 3 of 12?
Yes, using one of the Page X of Y styles under Insert > Page Number, or by selecting Include Page Count if a number is already inserted.
Why is my page numbering not showing up at all?
Confirm it was added through Insert > Header & Footer > Page Number rather than typed manually, and that headers/footers aren't hidden in your current view.