How to add page numbers and number of pages in Microsoft Word

How to add page numbers and number of pages in Microsoft Word

Document number: 15143

Microsoft Word allows you to add page numbers to your document dynamically by adding the page numbers as a "field." As the pages in your document change, the page number field updates with it. There are 2 methods to add a page number field to a document. One is very simple and allows a minimum of formatting. The other method, using a page footer, takes a few more steps, but allows more formatting and also allows you to include the number of pages of the whole document ( Example: Page 1 of 12. Instructions for this example appear below - click here to see them.)

Note: You can see the page number fields when the document is printed and online when you are in the Page Layout view only. to see them in the Page Layout view, click on the View menu and then on Page Layout. They may appear very faintly.

Click the method you wish to use and follow the steps indicated:

Method 1: Simple
Method 2: Using footers

Page Numbers Using the Simple Method

To insert a page number without much formatting, follow these steps:

In an open Microsoft Word document, click on the Insert menu, and then on Page N umbers...
The Page Numbers dialog box appears.
Choose the Position for the page number from the drop-down list provided.
Choose an Alignment for the page number from the drop-down list provided.
If you wish the page numbers to appear beginning on the first page of your document, make sure a checkmark appears in the box next to Show number on first page.
If you wish special numbering formats or wish the page number to start at a number other than "1", click on the Format... button and make your changes on that screen and click OK.
Click OK on the Page Numbers screen.

Page numbers should appear in the location and format you specified.

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Page Numbers Using Footers

Note: You may insert page numbers in the header (top) of the document instead. Just skip step #3 below.

To add page numbers to a document using the footer, follow the steps below. An example follows these steps:

In an open Microsoft Word document, click on the View menu, and then on Header and Footer.
The Header and Footer bar appears.
Click on the 4th button from the right - it is the Switch Between Header and Footer button. It looks like this: .
Your cursor should be in the Footer box.
You may align (place on the right, left, or center of the footer) your numbers by clicking on the alignment buttons at the top of your screen in Microsoft Word. They look like this:
- If you do not have the buttons, click on the F ormat menu, and then on Paragraph... Choose an alignment from the drop-down list next to Ali gnment at the top left hand corner of the Indents and Spacing tab.
To insert a page number, click on the Insert Page Number button. It looks like this: .
To insert the number of pages in a document, click on the Insert Number of Pages button. It looks like this: .
- There is a known bug with Microsoft Word 97 that the number of pages field does not update properly as the number of pages changes in your document. This bug is discussed more fully in document 15144 — Number of pages incorrect in Microsoft Word field.
You may format the page numbers by clicking on the Format Page Number button.
Once you have chosen all the options for the footer, click on the Close button.

You will be able to see the page numbers as you have specified.

For an example of how to insert "Page 1 of 12" as a dynamic footer (so that the page number and number of pages changes as the document changes and is printed), click here.

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Example

To insert "Page X of Y" as a dynamic footer (so that the page number ("X") and number of pages ("Y") changes as the document changes and is printed) follow these steps (these steps are more fully explained in the section above):

Click on the View menu, and then on Header and Footer.
Switch to the footer field.
Click on the Center alignment button to place the text in the horizontal middle of the page.
Type "Page ". (Be sure to add a space after the word so your page numbers will not run into the word.)
Insert the page number by clicking on the Insert Page Number button.
Type "of ". (Be sure to add a space after the word so your number of pages will not run into the word.)
Insert the number of pages in the document by clicking on the Insert Number of Pages button.
Click Close.

You should be able to see "Page X of Y" when in the Page Layout view of Word.

Note: There is a known bug with Microsoft Word 97 that the number of pages field does not update properly as the number of pages changes in your document. This bug is discussed more fully in document 15144 — Number of pages incorrect in Microsoft Word field.

Click here to go back to the beginning of this document.