How to Add a Header to Each Page in Microsoft Word

To add a header to every page in Word, choose Insert > Header, select a layout, type your text, then select Close Header and Footer. Word repeats that header across the pages in the same section by default. Before you start, decide what you want to show—such as a document title, your name, or a date—and whether the first page should be different.

What You’ll Need

A document open in Microsoft Word. These instructions use Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows; Word for Mac has the same core controls, with a few interface differences noted below.
The text or other content you want in the header. You can add or change it later, so you do not need to finalize the wording first.
If the document has multiple sections, a moment to check whether headers should match between them. Section breaks can make headers independent.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and check its sections. If you want the same header on every page, you can usually proceed without changing anything. If the document already has section breaks—for example, because some pages use landscape orientation—headers may be controlled separately in each section. To see formatting marks and locate breaks, select Home > ¶ Show/Hide. A section break is labeled in the document. You do not need to remove it; you may only need to link the sections’ headers.
Insert a header. On Windows, select Insert > Header and choose a built-in design from the gallery. A simple blank layout is suitable for plain text; other layouts may include fields or formatting. Word opens the header area at the top of the page and displays the contextual Header & Footer tab. On a Mac, use Insert > Header & Footer > Header or the Header control on the Insert ribbon; available labels can vary slightly by Word release. You can also double-click near the top margin of a page to open an existing header for editing.
Enter the header content. Click the placeholder in the header area and type the text you want repeated, such as a report name or chapter title. To replace sample text in a built-in design, select it and type over it. Use the normal Home tab controls to change the font, size, color, alignment, or emphasis. Keep the wording concise so it fits comfortably within the page width and does not compete with the main text.
Add optional items, such as a page number. To insert a page number in the header, click where it should appear and select Header & Footer > Page Number, then choose a position or style. Depending on the Word build, you may also find page-number choices under Insert > Page Number. Word inserts a field that updates page numbers automatically; do not type a number by hand if you need it to change from page to page. For a date, use Insert > Date & Time and choose whether it should update automatically, if that option is available in your version.
Choose whether the first page should have its own header. If the title page should have no header or a different one, select Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab while the header is open. This setting applies to the current section. The first-page header becomes a separate area: leave it blank to omit the header there, or add alternate text. The regular header will then appear on the later pages in that section. If every page should match, leave this option turned off.
Check section links if the header stops partway through. In a later section, open the header and look for Link to Previous on the Header & Footer tab. When it is on, that section inherits the preceding section’s header. If a header should continue through the whole document, turn on Link to Previous for each relevant section. If a section needs different wording, turn the link off for that section and edit its header. The control works separately for headers and footers, so linking one does not necessarily link the other. On Mac, open the header in the section and use the corresponding Link to Previous control on the Header & Footer tab.
Close the header and inspect the pages. Select Close Header and Footer, or double-click in the document body. Scroll through the document to verify that the header appears where expected, that the first page behaves as intended, and that text does not collide with the header. If your document has multiple sections, inspect at least one page in each. Save the document after checking it.

Common Mistakes

Typing in the body instead of the header area. Text placed at the top of the page body is ordinary document text; it will not repeat automatically. When editing, confirm that Word shows the header boundary and the Header & Footer tab.
Assuming sections share a header automatically. A new section may have an unlinked header, especially if someone has changed its settings. Check Link to Previous in each section rather than copying and pasting the same text onto every page.
Forgetting Different First Page is enabled. This option intentionally separates the first-page header. If the header seems to be missing only on page one, check this setting before recreating the header.
Editing a page number as ordinary text. A manually typed number repeats as the same number. Insert a page-number field through the page-number controls so Word can number each page correctly.
Making the header too tall or crowded. A large logo, several lines of text, or oversized type can push the body text down or make the page look cramped. Simplify the content or adjust spacing carefully, then review the document’s pagination.

Tips

Use alignment tools rather than spaces. If you want a title on the left and a page number on the right, use a built-in layout with tab stops or insert a suitable header design. Repeated spaces can shift unpredictably when fonts or margins change.
Keep the header consistent with the document. Use a readable font and a restrained size. A short title, author name, or section label is usually easier to scan than a full sentence on every page.
Use the correct first-page option for formal documents. A report or assignment may need no header on its title page. Turning on Different First Page is usually cleaner than deleting the header text only from the first page, because the setting preserves the rest of the document’s header.
Remember that odd and even pages can differ. If Different Odd & Even Pages is enabled on the Header & Footer tab, Word provides separate headers for odd- and even-numbered pages. Turn it off if you want one identical header throughout, or fill in both versions if you want book-style alternating layouts.
Consider Word for the web limitations. Word for the web supports basic header editing through Insert > Header & Footer, but some advanced layout and section controls may be limited compared with the desktop app. If a setting is unavailable, open the document in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac.

Troubleshooting

The header appears only on the first page. Open the header and check whether Different First Page is selected. If it is, the first page has a distinct header area, and the other pages use the regular header. Add content to the regular header area on page two, or clear the option if all pages should use one header.

The header disappears after a section break. Go to the first page after the break and open its header. Check whether Link to Previous is active. If not, turn it on to reuse the preceding section’s header. If the control is unavailable or does not behave as expected, confirm that you are editing a header—not a footer—and that you are in the section after the break.

The header is different on odd and even pages. Select Different Odd & Even Pages on the Header & Footer tab if you want to use one header for all pages. If you want alternating layouts, edit the odd-page and even-page headers separately; changing one may not change the other.

The header is present but not visible in the printed page. Check the print preview and confirm that the header text is not white, hidden behind an object, or outside the printable area. Open Layout > Margins to review the page margins, then adjust the header position or content if necessary. Printer hardware can impose its own unprintable edges, so a header very close to the paper edge may not print fully.

The header is pushing the body text down. Open the header and reduce unnecessary blank paragraphs or oversized graphics. You can adjust its position using the header position controls on the Header & Footer tab, but make small changes and check the result across several pages. If the document has different margins in different sections, verify each section separately.

You cannot edit the header. Double-click in the top margin area or select Insert > Header > Edit Header if that command appears. If editing is still blocked, the document may be read-only, protected, or open in a viewing mode. Check whether editing is enabled or ask the document owner for permission. In Word for the web, open the document in the desktop app if the required header controls are not available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Word repeat a header on every page automatically?
Yes. A header normally repeats on every page in its section. Different first-page or odd-and-even settings, and unlinked sections, can create exceptions.

How do I make the header different on the first page?
Open the header, select Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab, and edit the first-page header separately. Leave it blank if the title page should have no header.

Can I have a different header in each section?
Yes. Turn off Link to Previous in the section where the header should change, then edit that section’s header. Keep the link on when you want it to match the preceding section.

Can I put page numbers in the header?
Yes. While editing the header, use Header & Footer > Page Number or the available Insert > Page Number command and choose a position. Word adds a field that updates automatically.

How do I remove a header?
In Word for Windows, select Insert > Header > Remove Header. In Word for Mac, open the Header menu on the Insert tab and choose the remove option if shown, or open the header, select its contents, and delete them. In a document with multiple sections, check each section because headers may be unlinked.

Will the header show when I save as a PDF?
Normally, yes. Use File > Save As or File > Export to create a PDF, then inspect the PDF pages. If the header is missing, check section settings and print layout before exporting again.

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

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