What a header is and why you'd change it
A header in Excel is text or information that appears at the top of every printed page of your spreadsheet. It's separate from the cells in your actual data — when you print or preview your document, the header shows up in the margin area above your rows and columns. You might add a header to show the document title, the date it was created, or your company name on every page.
You change a header when you want different information to appear at the top of your pages, or when you're setting up a spreadsheet for printing and need to add one for the first time. The process is the same whether you're using Excel on Windows or Mac.
Key Takeaways
- Headers appear in the top margin of printed pages, not in your actual spreadsheet cells, so changing them won't affect your data.
- You access the header editor through the Insert menu, then select Header and Footer.
- Excel gives you three sections in the header — left, center, and right — so you can place different information in each spot.
- You can add text, page numbers, dates, file names, and sheet names to headers using built-in codes that Excel recognizes.
- Headers you create apply to the entire sheet by default, but you can set different headers for different sheets in the same workbook.
Opening the header editor in Excel
Start by opening the spreadsheet where you want to add or change the header. Click the Insert tab at the top of the screen — it's in the ribbon menu alongside Home, Page Layout, and other tabs.
Once you're on the Insert tab, look for the Header & Footer button. On Windows, it's usually in the right section of the ribbon. Click it, and Excel will open the header editing view. Your spreadsheet will shift to show you a preview of how the header will look when printed, with three boxes at the top labeled Left Section, Center Section, and Right Section.
If you don't see the Header & Footer button on the Insert tab, you may be in a different view. Make sure you're in the normal spreadsheet view, not Page Break Preview or another mode. If you're still stuck, try clicking the Page Layout tab instead — some versions of Excel put the header option there.
Adding text to each section of the header
The header has three separate areas where you can place information: left, center, and right. Click inside whichever section you want to edit. A cursor will appear, and you can type any text you want — your company name, the document title, your name, or anything else.
You don't have to use all three sections. If you only want a title in the center, leave the left and right sections empty. If you want your name on the left and the date on the right, fill those two and leave the center blank.
Type your text directly into the section where you want it to appear. When you're done typing in one section, click into another section to add different text there. The text you type will appear exactly as you write it when the page prints.
Using built-in codes for dates, page numbers, and file names
Excel recognizes special codes that automatically insert information into your header without you typing it manually. These codes update on their own — so if you add a page number code, each page will show the correct number automatically.
Click inside the header section where you want the information to go. Then look at the ribbon — you'll see buttons like Page Number, Number of Pages, Current Date, Current Time, File Name, and Sheet Name. Click whichever button matches what you want to insert. Excel will place a code (like &[Page]) into that section, and when you print, it will show the actual page number, date, or file name instead of the code.
You can combine text and codes in the same section. For example, you could type "Page " and then click the Page Number button, which would print as "Page 1", "Page 2", and so on. You can also type text before or after a code — click in the section, position your cursor where you want the code to go, and then click the button.
Saving your header and exiting the editor
Once you've entered all the header information you want, you need to exit the header editing view. Click anywhere in the main spreadsheet area below the header sections, or click the Close Header and Footer button if you see one in the ribbon. Your spreadsheet will return to normal view.
The header is now saved to your file. You don't need to do anything else — the next time you print this spreadsheet or open it again, the header will still be there. If you want to see what it will look like when printed before you actually print, go to File and select Print Preview.
Changing or removing a header you've already created
To edit a header that's already in your spreadsheet, go back to the Insert tab and click Header & Footer again. The editing view will open, and you'll see the text you added before. Click into any section and change the text, delete it, or add new information. The process is exactly the same as creating a new header.
If you want to remove the header entirely, open the header editor, select all the text in each section (Ctrl+A works), and press Delete. Make sure all three sections are empty, then exit the editor. The header will no longer appear on printed pages.
If you have multiple sheets in your workbook and want different headers on different sheets, you'll need to set them up separately. Open the header editor on each sheet and enter the information you want for that particular sheet. By default, Excel applies the same header to all sheets, but you can change this by editing each sheet individually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the header text show up in my spreadsheet cells?
No. Headers appear only in the top margin when you print or in print preview. They don't take up any space in your actual data, and you won't see them in the normal spreadsheet view. This means adding a header won't shift your data down or affect any formulas or calculations.
Can I use different headers on different pages of the same sheet?
Not with the standard header feature. Excel applies the same header to every page of a sheet. However, if you need the first page to look different, some versions of Excel have an option for "Different first page" in the Page Layout tab — check there if you need this.
What if I want to add a logo or image to the header?
The basic header editor only handles text and the built-in codes. To add an image, you'll need to use Page Layout instead. Go to Page Layout, find the Header & Footer section, and look for an option to insert a picture. This method is more limited than adding images to cells, so text headers are usually the simpler choice.
How do I make the header text larger or change the font?
The header editor doesn't have font or size buttons. Headers use the default font and size for your printer. If you need custom formatting, consider adding the information as a row at the top of your spreadsheet instead of using the header feature — that way you can format it like any other cell.
Do headers print on every page, including the first page?
Yes, by default headers print on every page. If you want to hide the header on the first page only, check the Page Layout tab for a "Different first page" option. If you want no header on any page, delete all the text from the header sections as described above.