Add a Cover Page in Microsoft Word 365

To add a cover page in Word 365 for Windows, open the document and choose Insert > Pages > Cover Page, then select a design. Word puts the built-in cover page at the start of the document; click its sample text to replace it with your own details. The steps below also explain how to adjust the design and fix common layout problems.

What You’ll Need

A document open in the Microsoft Word 365 desktop app. You can add and customize a built-in cover page in desktop Word. Word for the web can display and edit many existing documents, but it does not provide the same built-in cover-page gallery; open the file in the desktop app to add one.
The information you want to show, such as a document title, subtitle, author or organization, date, and course or project name. Not every design has a space for every item.
Optional: a suitable image or logo, if you plan to use a design with a picture area. Keep an image file available on your computer or in a location Word can access.

Step-by-Step

Open the document in desktop Word. Start Word 365 and open the file you want to format. If it is currently open in a browser, use the option to open it in the desktop app. Save the document before making substantial layout changes, especially if it already has carefully formatted pages.
Open the cover-page gallery. On the Windows ribbon, select Insert > Pages > Cover Page. In some window sizes, the Pages group may be compact, but the Cover Page command remains on the Insert tab. In Word for Mac, use Insert > Cover Page; the gallery and available designs can differ slightly from Windows.
Choose a design. Browse the gallery and select a layout that suits the document. Word inserts the selected cover page at the beginning of the document, even if your cursor was elsewhere. The body text should move down to follow it. Choose a restrained design for a formal report, or a more visual option when a photo or accent color fits the purpose.
Replace the sample title. Click the title area on the cover page and type your document title. If the text is selected as a placeholder, typing replaces it. If the cursor appears inside the sample text instead, select that text first and then type. Keep the title concise enough to fit the space; a long title may wrap to extra lines or change the balance of the page.
Fill in the other placeholders. Replace any sample subtitle, author, company, date, course, or other labels that apply to your chosen design. Leave an optional field blank if you do not need it, or remove the unwanted placeholder carefully. Placeholder names and their locations vary by design, so check the full page rather than assuming every cover has the same fields.
Update the date or document details. Some designs use a date field that may update automatically, while others show ordinary editable text. Click the field and check what Word selects before changing it. If the date is a field and you want a fixed date, you can replace it with typed text; if you want a current date, use the date shown or insert a date from Insert > Date & Time where available. Review it again before sharing the document.
Add or replace an image if the design calls for one. Click the image placeholder and use its picture command if one appears, then choose an image from your device. If there is no placeholder, use Insert > Pictures to add an image and adjust its size and position. Avoid stretching a small image to fill a large area, since that can make it look blurry. Use a logo or photo you have permission to use.
Review the page and the start of the document. Scroll through the cover and the first body page. Check that every placeholder has been replaced or intentionally removed, the title is readable, and the body begins on the next page without an unwanted blank page. Use File > Print to preview the pages if the layout needs to be checked before printing or saving as a PDF.
Save the finished document. Select File > Save, or press Ctrl+S on Windows. On Mac, press Command+S. If the document is shared or stored online, allow Word to finish syncing before closing it.

Common Mistakes

Adding a second cover accidentally: Word adds a new cover page at the start, rather than inserting it where the cursor sits. If the document already has a manually designed title page, adding a gallery cover can leave two front pages. Decide which one you want before inserting another.
Leaving instructional text in place: Sample labels such as a title or author prompt are placeholders, not finished content. Scan the entire cover page, including small text near the bottom, before sending the file.
Keeping a manual page break after the new cover: A document may already begin with a page break. Since the cover page itself occupies the first page, that extra break can push the body to page three and leave page two blank. Turn on formatting marks with Home > Paragraph > Show/Hide ¶ to locate an unnecessary break.
Using a design that does not match the document: A highly decorative layout can distract from a formal report, while a plain design may not suit a photo-led proposal. Consider the audience, printing method, and whether the document will be read on screen.
Deleting too much while removing a field: Some placeholder areas are part of a larger layout. Select only the unwanted text or object. If deleting it disrupts the page, use Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac, then try selecting a smaller area.

Tips

Keep the hierarchy clear. Make the document title the most prominent text. Use a subtitle for a useful qualifier, such as a reporting period or project name, and keep author or organization details smaller.
Use consistent details. Match the author, organization, date, and project wording on the cover to what appears in the document or accompanying materials. For a report covering a specific period, use that period rather than an ambiguous date if the design allows it.
Check the cover at normal reading size. Very large display text can look attractive on screen but may wrap awkwardly in print. Use Print Preview to check line breaks, margins, and whether the image is cropped as intended.
Keep the design editable. A built-in cover page is usually easier to revise than a flattened image of a whole page. Keep the title and details as text, and add a separate picture only when it improves the page.
Consider page numbering separately. A cover may not need a visible page number. If numbering appears on it, double-click the header or footer, open the Header & Footer tab, and select Different First Page. Check the following pages afterward. If numbering needs to begin at a particular value, use the page-number formatting controls and verify the result in Print Preview.
Save a copy before major redesigns. If you are trying several layouts or changing an established document, save a separate version first. This gives you an easy way to return to the original if the formatting becomes difficult to restore.

Troubleshooting

The Cover Page command is missing: Confirm that you are in the desktop Word app and on the Insert tab. In Word for the web, open the document in the desktop app to use the built-in gallery. If the ribbon is simplified or the window is narrow, expand the ribbon or look for the command within the Pages group.
The cover appears in the wrong place: The built-in command adds the cover at the start of the document, not at the cursor position. If you wanted a title page in the middle, use a manually designed page with page breaks instead. If you inserted a cover by mistake, undo immediately or use Insert > Cover Page > Remove Current Cover Page on Windows, then insert the intended design.
A blank page appears after the cover: Show paragraph marks using Home > Paragraph > Show/Hide ¶. Look for an extra page break or multiple empty paragraph marks at the start of the body, then remove only the unnecessary marks. A section break can affect headers, footers, or page numbering, so inspect it before deleting it.
The title or image does not fit: Shorten the title, reduce its font size slightly, or choose a simpler design with more space. For an image, select it and resize from a corner handle to preserve its proportions. If text moves around the image unexpectedly, select the picture and adjust its layout or wrapping options.
The cover has a page number or header you do not want: Double-click the header or footer area and enable Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab. If that does not produce the numbering you want, check whether the document contains section breaks and whether the sections are linked. Change section settings carefully because they can also affect later pages.
The layout changes when you print: Fonts, printer settings, paper size, and margins can alter line wrapping. Open File > Print, confirm the paper size and printer, and review the preview. If the document is being shared, use fonts that are available to the recipient or save a PDF when a fixed viewing layout is important.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Word 365 have built-in cover-page templates?
Yes. In the desktop app, open Insert > Pages > Cover Page on Windows, or Insert > Cover Page on Mac, and choose a design from the gallery.

Can I add a cover page in Word for the web?
The web app does not offer the same built-in cover-page gallery as desktop Word. Open the file in Word for Windows or Mac to add a gallery design, then you can return to the browser to edit supported content.

Will adding a cover page delete my existing first page?
Normally, Word inserts the selected cover at the beginning and shifts existing document content after it; it does not simply replace your existing first page. If that page is already a cover, remove or redesign one of the two pages.

Can I customize a built-in cover page?
Yes. Replace its sample text, adjust text formatting, and change or add an image. The available fields and layout options depend on the design, so check that edits have not crowded the page.

How do I remove a cover page?
On Windows, choose Insert > Cover Page > Remove Current Cover Page. On Mac, use the Cover Page command on the Insert menu and choose the remove option if it is available in your build; otherwise, select the cover-page content and remove it carefully, checking page breaks and headers afterward.

Can the cover page be excluded from page numbering?
Yes. Open the header or footer by double-clicking it, then select Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab. Review the next pages to confirm that numbering continues as intended.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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