How to type page numbers in Word 2016

Page Numbers is a feature that allows for the number of Word text pages with a wide selection of digital formats and customizations. The page number is usually placed in the page title, footer or side margin. When you need to number a few different pages, Word also allows you to type back the page numbers from the beginning. Below is the page numbering guide in Word 2016. Watch the introductory video about the Page Numbers feature in Word:

How to add page numbers to text

Word can automatically page numbers and set the page title, footer or side margin. If you have already created the page title or footer, they will be dropped and replaced with the newly created page number.

Step 1: Select the Page Number on the Insert card .

Step 2: Depending on the location you want to number the page, select Top of Page (top of the text), Bottom of Page (bottom of the text) or Page Margin in the list that appears. Then select the appropriate display type.

Step 3: The page number will appear in the text.

Step 4: Press the Esc key to lock the page title and footer.

Step 5: If you need to change the page number, double click on the title or footer to unlock it. Even if you number the page at the side, it is still considered a part of the page title or footer. Therefore, it is not possible to select the page number and edit if the page title or footer is not unlocked.

How to add page numbers to available page or footer titles

If you have already created a page title or footer and want to add a page number, Word has an option to automatically insert page numbers very easily.

Step 1: Double-click anywhere on the page title or footer to unlock it.

Step 2: On the Design tab , click Page Number. In the list that appears then drag your mouse over Current Position and select the type of display you want.

Step 3: The page number will appear later.

Step 4: Once completed, press the Esc key .

How to hide the page number on the first page

In some documents, you may want to hide the number of pages on the first page without affecting the remaining pages.

Step 1: Double click on the page title or footer.
Step 2: From the Design tab , select the Different First Page dialog box . Then the page title and footer will disappear from the first page. You can type content on the page title and footer without affecting other pages.

If you cannot select Different First Page, it is probably because an object is within the currently selected page or footer title. Click inside the page title or footer to make sure you're not selecting any object.

How to re-number the text page

Word allows users to re-number pages from any page of the document by creating a Section Break and numbering pages from a specific number.

Step 1: Place the mouse pointer at the top of the page you want to number the page starting from. If it is the text, place the mouse pointer at the beginning of the text.

Step 2: Select the Layout tab , Next Page in the Section Breaks section from the drop-down menu appears later.

Step 3: Now the text has been created with a new section.
Step 4: Double-click on the page title or footer containing the page number you want to change.

Step 5: Click Page Number and select Format Page Numbers in the list that appears.

Step 6: In the dialog that appears, select Start at. This is the first number that you will type in the order for the page, the default is selected as 1. If desired, you can change, for example, typing the order from number 5. Then click OK.

Step 7: The page number will be played back.

Related articles:
Complete guide for Word 2016 (Part 14): Page title (Header) and footer (Footer)
Word 2016 Complete Guide (Part 12): Split text

Kareem Winters

Update 25 May 2019