Page numbers go in the header or footer, and you insert them through the Insert menu

Open your Google Doc and click Insert at the top of the page. From the dropdown menu, select Page number. Google Docs will show you four placement options: top of page, bottom of page, top right, or bottom right. Pick the one you want, and the page numbers appear immediately.

If you want page numbers to start at a number other than 1 — say, your document is part of a larger project and should start at page 15 — you can change that. Click Insert again, then Page number, then More options. A sidebar opens where you can set a custom starting number.

Page numbers automatically update as you add or delete content, so you never have to adjust them manually. If you delete pages, the numbering shifts down. If you add pages, it shifts up.

Key Takeaways

  • Page numbers are added through Insert > Page number, and you choose whether they appear at the top or bottom of the page.
  • Google Docs places page numbers in the header or footer automatically, and they update whenever your document length changes.
  • You can start numbering at any number you want by selecting Insert > Page number > More options and entering a custom starting value.
  • Page numbers appear on every page by default, but you can hide them on the first page if your document needs a title page without numbering.

Hiding page numbers on your first page

Many documents — reports, essays, cover letters — should not have a page number on the first page. Google Docs makes this straightforward. After you insert page numbers, click anywhere in the header or footer where the number appears. A toolbar opens above it.

Look for the button that says Options (it looks like three dots). Click it and select Different first page. The page number disappears from page one immediately, but stays on every page after that.

If you change your mind later, go back to that same Options menu and uncheck Different first page, and the numbering returns to page one.

Changing the style or format of page numbers

By default, Google Docs shows page numbers as plain numerals: 1, 2, 3. You can change how they look. Click in the header or footer where the page number sits, then select the number itself. The text formatting toolbar appears above it — the same toolbar you use to make text bold or italic.

You can change the font, size, or color of the page numbers using these tools. You can also add text around the number. For example, click before the number and type "Page " so it reads "Page 1" instead of just "1". Or type " of " and then insert a page count field (through Insert > Page number > Page count) to show "Page 1 of 12".

These changes apply to all page numbers in the document at once, so you do not have to format each one individually.

Using different page numbers in different sections

If your document has distinct sections that should restart numbering — a preface that uses Roman numerals, then a main section that uses regular numbers — you need to break the document into sections. Click where you want the break to happen, then go to Insert > Break > Section break.

Once you have created sections, click in the header or footer of the section you want to change. The toolbar that appears will include an option called Link to previous. Uncheck that box. Now the page numbers in that section are independent — you can set them to start at a different number, or use a different format, without affecting other sections.

This is useful for longer documents like theses or books where different parts follow different numbering rules. Each section can have its own starting number and style.

Troubleshooting page numbers that do not appear

Sometimes page numbers do not show up where you expect them. The most common reason is that your document margins are too narrow. Page numbers live in the header and footer area, which sits outside the main text. If your margins are very small, the numbers may be hidden in the space between the edge of the page and the text.

Check your margins by clicking File > Page setup. Make sure the top and bottom margins are at least 0.5 inches. If they are smaller, increase them and the page numbers should become visible.

Another possibility is that the header or footer is simply not showing. Click Insert > Header & footer and make sure Header or Footer is checked, depending on where you placed your page numbers. If it is unchecked, click it to turn it on.

Removing page numbers

If you decide you do not want page numbers anymore, click in the header or footer where they appear. Select the page number itself and press Delete. The number disappears, but the header or footer remains in case you want to add other content there later.

If you want to remove the header or footer entirely, click Insert > Header & footer and uncheck whichever one contains your page numbers. This removes the entire header or footer from your document.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different page numbers on odd and even pages?

Google Docs does not have a built-in option for alternating page numbers on odd and even pages. You would need to create separate sections for each page and manually set the numbering, which is impractical. For documents that truly need this feature, a desktop program like Microsoft Word or LibreOffice may be a better choice.

Why do my page numbers show as question marks?

This usually means Google Docs is still processing the document. Wait a few seconds and refresh the page. If it persists, try clicking in the header or footer and pressing Delete, then re-inserting the page numbers through Insert > Page number.

Can I start page numbering on page 2 instead of page 1?

Yes. Insert page numbers normally, then click Options and select Different first page. This hides the number on page one. Page two will show as "2" — if you want it to show as "1", use Insert > Page number > More options to set a custom starting number of 1 for page two onward.

Do page numbers print when I print my Google Doc?

Yes, page numbers print by default. If you do not want them to print, delete them before printing. You can always add them back afterward.