In Word, choose Insert > Page Number to add a number, then choose its position and style. To hide the number on a title page, turn on Different First Page; to make the following page display 1, also set the numbering to start at 0. For separate numbering styles or restart points in different parts of a document, insert a section break and configure each section independently.
Choose the numbering setup you need
| Goal | What to change |
|---|---|
| Number pages continuously | Add a page number from Insert > Page Number. |
| Hide the number on a section’s first page | Enable Different First Page for that section. |
| Show 1 on the second document page | Enable Different First Page, then set Start at to 0. |
| Use Roman numerals in front matter and restart at 1 in the body | Separate the regions with a next-page section break, unlink the body header or footer, and set its format and starting value. |
| Show “Page X of Y” | Choose a Page X of Y style in desktop Word, or use the page-count option in Word for the web. |
The menu wording can vary modestly by release. Microsoft’s instructions cover Microsoft 365 and listed Word 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016 editions, with Windows and macOS workflows where specified. See Microsoft’s page-number instructions.
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Add page numbers to a Word document
- Choose Insert > Page Number.
- Select where the number should appear and choose a style.
- Close Header and Footer when finished.
To change an existing number, reopen the header or footer, select the number, and use the available formatting controls. Microsoft’s Insert page numbers article lists supported editions and platform-specific guidance.
Hide the number on the first page—or make page two display 1
Open the page’s header or footer and enable Different First Page. If a number remains in that first-page area, select it and delete it. This setting applies to the first page of each section, not only the document’s opening page.
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Hiding the first visible number does not change the underlying numbering. If the second page should display 1, open Page Number > Format Page Numbers and set Start at to 0. With the first page hidden, the next page then displays 1. Follow Microsoft’s steps for starting page numbering later in a document.
Use Roman numerals in front matter and restart numbering in the body
Different formats or starting values in different document regions require section breaks. Microsoft’s guidance says to create sections and set page numbers for each; an ordinary page break alone does not give a region independent section formatting.
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- Place the cursor between the front matter and the main text.
- Choose Layout > Breaks > Next Page to start a new section on the next page.
- In the body section, open the header or footer that contains the page number and turn off Link to Previous.
- Choose Page Number > Format Page Numbers. Select the desired number format—such as i, ii, iii—or set the starting value, such as 1 for the body.
- Set the format and start value in the front-matter section as needed.
Headers and footers link separately. If the number is in the footer, unlink the footer; if it is in the header, unlink the header. Make the change in the section after the break. Consult Microsoft’s instructions for numbering different Word sections.
Know when to use a page break or a section break
- A page break moves following content to another page.
- A section break divides the document into regions that can have their own formatting, including page-number settings.
- For an independently numbered region beginning on a new page, use Layout > Breaks > Next Page.
- Turn on Show/Hide (¶) to inspect where breaks occur if a change is affecting unexpected pages.
Microsoft notes that a continuous section break can support layout changes such as different column counts on a page; for a new page with independent formatting, use the next-page break described above. See Microsoft’s section-break explanation.
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Show “Page X of Y”
Desktop Word
Open Insert > Page Number and choose a Page X of Y format from the gallery. Microsoft’s desktop page-number guidance covers the available gallery options.
Word for the web
Choose Insert > Page Numbers, select Include Page Count, and choose a layout. For more options, including different page-number formats by section, Microsoft directs users to desktop Word. See Microsoft’s Word for the web instructions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix common page-number problems
Changing one section also changes another
Check that you are editing the intended section, then turn off Link to Previous in the header or footer that contains the number. The two areas have separate links, so unlink the relevant one.
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Turn on Show/Hide (¶) and inspect the section-break position. Numbering settings for a new region must be changed in the section after the break.
The first page of every section has no number
Check whether Different First Page is enabled in those sections. The setting is not limited to the first page of the entire document.
You are using Word for the web but need section-specific numbering
Use desktop Word for the additional section-formatting controls Microsoft identifies in its web page-number guidance.
You want to number text lines, not pages
Line numbering is a separate feature under Layout > Line Numbers; it does not add page numbers.
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