Control page numbering in Word documents

Long Word documents usually include a cover page, a table of contents, a summary, and other additional parts besides text. The staff in the IT Helpdesk are often asked how different page numbers or number formats can be added to different sections in a Word document.

What do I need?

A Word document.

What do I need to do?

The answer is basically simple: you must tell Word that the sections included in your document are separate sections and the changes you make only apply to the selected section. Once Word understands that you want to use different page numbers in different sections, you can, for example, start page numbering from a specific page and with a specific number. Follow these steps:

  1. Divide your text into sections
  2. Create section breaks
  3. Add page numbers to the selected sections
What should I take into account?

If you prefer to follow Microsoft’s instructions about page numbering, you can find them here.

While this is a seemingly simple operation, problems with page numbering can be very frustrating for users. So please share this tip with your colleagues!

Read more:

Word has evolved greatly in recent years. New features are being continuously added and the old ones improved. Take a look at the tips for working with Word: Five tips for Word documents, use keyboard shortcuts to prevent mouse arm syndrome and co-editing Word documents. And discover the full potential of OneNote!

Visit the Microsoft Educator Center to learn more about the latest features in Word. The web address is education.microsoft.com. Check out the site and improve your Word skills!