Start page numbering from specific page in Word – Easy tricks

When creating documents in Word, you may sometimes need to start page numbering from a specific page rather than from the beginning. This is common in documents like academic papers, reports, or books, where the initial pages (like the title page, abstract, or table of contents) should not be numbered.

Microsoft Word typically begins page numbering on the first page by default, but you can customize this setting to enhance both readability and user experience. In this tutorial, I'll guide you through a comprehensive process to start page numbering from a specific page in Word.

Start page numbering from page 2 in Word

• On Windows
• On Mac

Start page numbering from page 3 or specific page in Word (Windows & Mac)

Video: Start page numbering from specific page in Word

Start page numbering from page 2 in Word

Starting page numbering from page 2 in Microsoft Word is a common requirement for various types of documents such as reports, theses, and books where the first page is often reserved for titles or introductory material. This section will provide a detailed walkthrough to set up your document so that page numbering starts from page 2 on Windows and Mac.

Start page numbering from page 2 in Word on Windows

Follow these steps to start page numbering from the second page in Word on Windows, while keeping the first page unnumbered.

1. Open your Word file where you want to start page numbering from page 2.
2. Click "Insert" > "Page Number", and then choose the location (Top or Bottom of the page) and style you prefer.

   

3. Page numbers will be inserted as usual. Then, under the "Header & Footer" tab, check the "Different First Page" option.

   

4. The page number on the first page will be removed. Still under the "Header & Footer" tab, click "Page Number" > "Format Page Numbers".

   

5. In the "Page Number Format" dialog box, if you want numbering to start with 1 on the second page, set "Start at" to "0", then click "OK".

   

6. Click "Close Header and Footer" or press Esc to exit the header and footer editing mode. Now the page numbering starts at page 2.

   

Start page numbering from page 2 in Word on Mac

If you are using the Mac version, the process might differ slightly. Please follow the steps outlined below.

1. Open your Word file where you want to start page numbering from page 2.
2. Click "Insert" > "Page Number".

   

3. In the "Page Numbers" dialog box:
   1. Choose the position and alignment where the page number should appear.
   2. Uncheck the "Show number on first page" option.
   3. Click the "Format" button.

      

4. In the "Page Number Format" dialog box, if you want numbering to start with 1 on the second page, set "Start at" to "0".

   

5. Click "OK" > "OK" to close both dialog boxes. The page numbering will now start at page 2.

Start page numbering from page 3 or specific page in Word (Windows & Mac)

To initiate page numbering from page 3 or any other specific page in Microsoft Word, follow these detailed steps: Insert a section break at the desired starting point, then unlink the newly created section from the previous one, and finally, apply the new page numbering.

Step 1: Insert a section break at the desired starting point

1. Open the Word document in which you want to start page numbering from page 3 or another specific page.
2. Click to place your cursor at the beginning of the page where you want your numbering to start. In this case, it’s page 4.
3. Click "Layout" > "Breaks" > "Next Page".

   

This action inserts a section break and starts a new section on the next page. The first section includes pages you don’t want to number, while the second section contains the pages where numbering begins.

Step 2: Insert page numbers

Now, you can insert page numbers for the whole document as usual:

Click "Insert" > "Page Number", and then choose the location (Top or Bottom of the page) and style you need.

Your entire document should now display page numbers.

Step 3: Deselect the Link to Previous option

Next, unlink the page numbering between the two sections:

Click "Link to Previous" under the "Header & Footer" tab to turn it off. This disconnects the header/footer from the previous section.

Step 4: Start page numbering

1. Still under the "Header & Footer" tab, click "Page Number" > "Format Page Numbers".

   

2. In the "Page Number Format" dialog box, set "Start at" to "1", then click "OK".

   

This will start page numbering from your chosen page, beginning with the number 1.

Step 5: Remove page numbering from the first section

1. To delete page numbers from the first section, click any page number within that section and press the Delete key. This removes all page numbers from that section.
2. Click "Close Header and Footer" or press Esc to exit the header and footer editing mode.

Result:

The first section should now be free of page numbers. The subsequent section, starting from your defined page, will be numbered sequentially.

The steps provided for both Windows and Mac users allow for precise control over where page numbers begin, ensuring that initial pages without relevant content remain unnumbered. To explore more tips and tricks for Microsoft Word, please click here to view additional options.

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