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To change page numbers in Word without affecting the rest of a document, first decide where the change should apply. A numbering style change or restart for later pages usually needs a section break, followed by turning off Link to Previous in the relevant header or footer. To hide only the first page’s number, use Different First Page.
Choose the right method for the change
| What you want | What to change |
|---|---|
| Use Roman numerals or another numbering style in part of the document | Create a separate section, unlink its relevant header or footer, then choose a number format. |
| Restart numbering at a chosen value, such as 1 | Create a separate section, unlink its relevant header or footer, then set Start at. |
| Hide the number on the first page of a document or section | Enable Different First Page; remove the number from that first-page header or footer if it remains. |
| Remove a number from one later page or section | Isolate the page or pages with a section break, unlink the relevant header or footer, then remove the number there. |
| Remove numbering throughout the document | Remove the page-number content from the header or footer and check other sections for separate numbering. |
A page break moves content to a new page but does not create a separate numbering or header/footer boundary. For section-specific changes, use a section break. Microsoft describes four types—Next Page, Continuous, Odd Page, and Even Page. Choose the one that fits the layout; Next Page is common when the new numbering should begin on a new page.
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Change the number format or restart at a chosen number
- Place the cursor between the content that should have different numbering and the material before it.
- In desktop Word, go to Layout > Breaks and insert the appropriate section break. Use Next Page if the new section should begin on a new page.
- Open the header or footer in the new section—the one that contains the page number. Turn off Link to Previous before editing it. If the number appears in both header and footer, unlink each separately as needed.
- In that section, choose Page Number > Format Page Numbers. Select a numbering style under Number format, then set Start at to the number you want. Close the header or footer when you are done.
Microsoft’s customization instructions provide Windows and Mac steps for supported desktop versions, including Microsoft 365 and Word 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016. Ribbon labels can differ by version and platform.
Hide the number on the first page
- Open the header or footer where the number appears.
- Select Different First Page.
- If a number remains in the first-page header or footer, select and delete that number field.
This setting applies to the first page of a section, not just the first page of the entire document. If the second page should display “1,” open Page Number > Format Page Numbers for the relevant section and set Start at to 0. Microsoft documents this setup in its guide to starting page numbering later in a document.
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Remove or change a number on a later page
- Place the cursor at the start of the page where the change should begin.
- In desktop Word, insert a section break from Layout > Breaks.
- Open the new section’s header or footer and turn off Link to Previous for the one containing the number.
- Remove the page-number field or edit it as needed. If a number is present in both the header and footer, handle both independently.
The section break isolates the header/footer treatment; a page break alone does not. If the change should affect only one page, you may need a further section break after that page to separate it from the pages that follow.
Remove page numbers throughout a document
Open the header or footer containing the number and remove the page-number content. If the document has multiple sections, check how their headers and footers are linked: a section that is linked to the previous one may share the same header/footer content, while an unlinked section can have its own. Remove numbers from separate sections where they remain. There is no single removal action established here that overrides every possible section arrangement, so inspect the document’s sections rather than deleting breaks indiscriminately.
Use desktop Word when a section break is required
Word for the web can add page breaks, but Microsoft says it cannot add section breaks yet. If your web workflow requires a new section for independent numbering or headers and footers, open the document in the desktop Word application and create the section break there. See Microsoft’s section-break guidance.
Troubleshoot changes that affect the wrong pages
- “Link to Previous” is dimmed: Check that the document contains a section break where you expect one. Microsoft notes that the control may be unavailable if there is no section break.
- Changing a footer also changes a header: Headers and footers are linked separately. Turn off Link to Previous for each one that needs to be independent.
- Numbers still appear on some pages: Check whether those pages are in another section or use a separately edited header or footer.
- The layout changes after deleting a break: Section breaks also control section formatting. Microsoft cautions that deleting a break in the middle of a document can change formatting, so preserve or adjust the section structure when troubleshooting.
For instructions on a single-page header or footer change, see Microsoft’s guide to changing or deleting a header or footer on one page.
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