How to Add Page Numbers to a Word Document

The quickest way to add page numbers

Open your document in Word. Go to the Insert tab at the top of the screen, then click Page Number. A menu will appear showing you where the numbers can go — top of page, bottom of page, or in the margins. Pick the position you want, then pick a style (plain numbers, numbers with dashes, numbers in brackets). Word will add the numbers to every page automatically.

That's the whole process. The numbers update themselves if you add or delete pages, and they start from 1 unless you change the starting number later. If you want to remove them, go back to Insert > Page Number and click Remove Page Numbers.

Key Takeaways

Page numbers are added through the Insert tab, and Word places them on every page automatically once you choose a position and style.
You can start numbering from a page other than 1 by right-clicking the page number and selecting Edit Field, then changing the offset.
Different sections of a document can have different numbering styles — for example, your introduction can use Roman numerals while the main text uses regular numbers.
Page numbers in headers and footers are linked across the whole document, so changing one changes all of them unless you break the link between sections.

Choosing where page numbers appear

When you click Insert > Page Number, Word shows you four location options. Top of Page puts numbers in the header area. Bottom of Page puts them in the footer. Page Margins places them in the outer edge of the page (left or right depending on your choice). Current Position puts a number wherever your cursor is right now, which is useful if you want numbers in an unusual spot, but they won't repeat on other pages automatically.

Most documents use either top or bottom. Bottom-of-page numbering is more common in formal writing. Top-of-page numbering works well for shorter documents or when you want numbers visible while scrolling. Pick whichever matches what you're writing.

Starting page numbers from a number other than 1

If your document is part of a larger project — for example, you're writing chapter 3 of a book and it should start at page 47 — you need to change where numbering begins. Right-click on any page number in your document, then select Edit Field. A dialog box will open.

In the dialog, look for the Field Codes section. You'll see something like PAGE. Change it to PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT + 46 (if you want to start at 47, add 46 to the page count). Click OK. Every page number will now shift by that amount. This works because Word still counts pages from 1 internally — you're just telling it to display a different number.

Using different numbering styles in different sections

Some documents need different numbering in different parts. A thesis might use Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) for the introduction and front matter, then switch to regular numbers (1, 2, 3) for the main chapters. Word handles this by breaking the document into sections.

First, place your cursor at the point where you want numbering to change. Go to Layout (or Page Layout in older versions), then click Breaks and select Next Page. This creates a section break. Now go to the header or footer of the new section, and you'll see a label that says Same as Previous. Click that label to turn it off — now this section's page numbers are separate from the one before it.

Right-click the page number in the new section and select Edit Field. Change the field code to use a different format. For Roman numerals, use PAGE \* ROMAN. For letters, use PAGE \* alphabetic. For the main section, you can leave it as plain PAGE or use PAGE \* ARABIC for regular numbers.

Removing page numbers from the first page

Title pages and cover pages often shouldn't have a number showing. To hide the page number on the first page only, go to Insert > Header & Footer (or double-click in the header or footer area). Look for an option called Different First Page and turn it on. The page number will disappear from page 1 but stay on all other pages.

If you don't see that option, you can also right-click the page number on the first page and delete it manually. The numbers on the rest of the document will remain because they're part of the header or footer template, not individual objects.

Fixing page numbers that won't update

Sometimes page numbers don't change when you expect them to, or they show the wrong number. This usually happens when you've manually typed a number instead of inserting a field, or when section breaks are set up in a way that confuses Word.

To check: click on a page number. If it's highlighted in gray and shows PAGE or similar text, it's a field and will update correctly. If it looks like regular text, you typed it manually — delete it and use Insert > Page Number instead. If numbers still seem wrong after you've added them as fields, check that you don't have multiple sections with conflicting numbering settings. Go to Layout > Breaks and look for section breaks you didn't intend to create.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different page numbers in different parts of my document?

Yes. Insert a section break where you want numbering to change, then turn off Same as Previous in the header or footer of the new section. You can then set that section to start at any number you want, or use a different numbering style like Roman numerals.

Why do my page numbers show the same number on every page?

This usually means you typed the number manually instead of using Insert > Page Number. Delete the manual numbers and insert a field instead. Fields update automatically; typed text does not.

How do I remove page numbers from just one page in the middle of my document?

Create a section break before and after that page, then delete the page number from that section only. The sections before and after will keep their numbers. This is more work than most people need, but it's the only way to skip a single page.

Can I use letters instead of numbers for my pages?

Yes. Right-click a page number, select Edit Field, and change the code to PAGE \* alphabetic for lowercase letters or PAGE \* ALPHABETIC for uppercase. This changes all page numbers in that section to letters.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.