How to Add a New Header Section in Microsoft Word

To give part of a Word document its own header, place a section break where the new header should begin, open that section’s header, and turn off Link to Previous before editing. A section break lets you change headers independently; simply inserting a header usually applies it throughout the document’s section. The steps below are for Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, with Mac notes where the commands differ.

What You’ll Need

A Word document you can edit. If it is important, save a copy first so you can easily undo larger layout changes.
A clear idea of where the new header should start and what it should say. A section break can also change page layout, so decide whether the new section should start on a new page.
Access to Word’s ribbon. The instructions use the desktop app; Word for the web has fewer section-layout controls, so use the desktop app for the most reliable results.

Step-by-Step

Save a working copy and show formatting marks if helpful. Save the document before changing its structure. To see where section breaks and paragraph marks are, go to Home > Show/Hide ¶ on Windows. On Mac, use Home > ¶ or the equivalent Show/Hide button. These marks do not print; they help you confirm where Word has placed a break.
Put the cursor at the start of the content that needs the new header. Click immediately before the first character of the page or paragraph that should use the new header. If the new section should begin after existing text, click at the end of that text instead. The break divides the document at the cursor, so check its position before inserting it. For a header that changes at the start of a chapter, place the cursor before the chapter title.
Insert a section break. In Word for Windows, choose Layout > Breaks, then select Next Page under Section Breaks. This begins a new section on the following page and is usually the clearest choice for a chapter or document part with a different header. On Mac, use Layout > Breaks > Next Page. Do not select a Page Break if you need an independently editable header: a page break moves text but does not create a new section.
Choose a continuous break only when the layout requires it. If the new section must begin on the same page, go to Layout > Breaks > Continuous (on Mac, Layout > Breaks > Continuous). This creates a new section without forcing the following text onto another page. Continuous breaks are useful for changes such as columns, but they can make header placement less intuitive. Check the affected pages in Print Layout or Print Preview after using one. If the header needs to start clearly at the top of a new page, use Next Page instead.
Open the header in the new section. Scroll to the first page of the new section and double-click in the blank area at the top of the page. Alternatively, choose Insert > Header and pick a layout, or select Edit Header if a header already exists. Word opens the Header & Footer tools. Look for a label such as “Header – Section 2” to confirm you are editing the intended section. The section number may be different in your document.
Turn off Link to Previous before changing the header. On the Header & Footer tab, find Link to Previous in the Navigation group and click it to switch it off. When headers are linked, the new section inherits the preceding section’s header; edits can therefore appear in both places. After unlinking, the “Same as Previous” label should disappear. If the document uses separate first-page or odd/even headers, check the relevant header type too, as each can have its own linking behavior.
Add or replace the header content. Click in the header area and type the new text, such as a chapter name, report title, or department. You can use the Home tab to format font, size, alignment, and spacing. To add a page number, use Insert > Page Number and select a position and style. If you want the new section to have a page number sequence that restarts, use Page Number > Format Page Numbers and choose Start at; otherwise leave numbering set to continue from the previous section.
Check the previous section and the pages that follow. Scroll to a page before the break and confirm its header did not change. Then inspect the new section and the next section, if there is one. A new section can continue into later pages until another section break appears. When finished, click Close Header and Footer, or double-click in the main document text. Save the file and check Print Preview to verify that the header is positioned and repeated as intended.

Common Mistakes

Using a page break instead of a section break. A page break moves text to another page but does not create a separate header scope. If you need the header to change independently, use Layout > Breaks > Next Page under Section Breaks.

Editing before unlinking. A new section is usually linked to the previous section by default. If you type a different title before turning off Link to Previous, the earlier header may change too. Undo the edit if needed, unlink the new section, and then make the change again.

Removing the wrong break. Deleting a section break can merge sections and change headers, margins, orientation, or columns. Turn on Show/Hide marks and select only the break you intend to remove. If the layout changes unexpectedly, immediately use Undo rather than trying to repair several settings at once.

Assuming the header ends at the next page. A section continues until another section break or the end of the document. If a later chapter should have another header, it needs its own section break and header settings.

Tips

Use descriptive header text. A short chapter name or document part can help readers orient themselves. Keep it brief enough to fit alongside page numbers or other header elements.
Use built-in header layouts when convenient. Choose one from Insert > Header to start with common alignment and formatting. You can replace the sample text and adjust the layout rather than building every element from scratch.
Keep headers consistent across sections when appropriate. If the design should remain the same, leave Link to Previous on. Turn it off only when you need that section’s header to differ. This prevents unnecessary duplication and makes later edits easier.
Consider first-page and odd/even options deliberately. On the Header & Footer tab, Different First Page gives the first page of a section a distinct header. Different Odd & Even Pages allows separate headers for facing pages. These settings can make a header appear missing when it is actually assigned to another page type.
Inspect the whole document after layout changes. Section settings may affect margins, orientation, columns, and page numbering as well as headers. Review at least the page before the break, the first page of the new section, and the next section’s first page.

Troubleshooting

The new header also changed earlier pages. Reopen the header on the first page of the new section. Confirm the section label, then switch off Link to Previous. If the earlier header already changed, restore its original text after unlinking. Check the first-page and odd/even header variants too; the page you edited may not be the same header type used on the earlier page.

The header does not appear on the page you expected. Turn on formatting marks and confirm that the section break is before the intended content. Check whether Different First Page is enabled, since the first page may have a separate blank header. Also look for Different Odd & Even Pages if the header appears on only alternate pages. In a long document, verify that you are editing the correct section rather than a nearby one.

The new section starts on an unwanted blank page. A Next Page section break deliberately starts the section on a new page. If an extra page appears, look for an additional page break, multiple paragraph marks, or a preceding section break. With Show/Hide turned on, remove only the unintended extra mark. If the section must start on the current page, consider a Continuous section break, then check the resulting header and layout carefully.

The header text is too close to the page edge or overlaps content. Double-click the header, then use the Header & Footer tab’s position controls, or adjust the document’s top margin through Layout > Margins. Make small changes and check Print Preview, since printer settings and page size can affect the final result. Avoid moving the header by adding many blank lines; that can shift content unpredictably.

The header looks different in Word for the web. Open the file in the desktop Word app to access the full section-break and header controls. After making changes, save the document and reopen or refresh the web version. If the desktop file is shared, make sure your edits have finished syncing before checking from another device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a header to just one page?
Yes. Put that page in its own section by inserting section breaks before and after it, then unlink its header from the previous section and edit it. Check the following section as well, because it may inherit the changed header unless you separate or configure it independently.

What is the difference between a page break and a section break?
A page break starts text on a new page but keeps the same section settings. A section break creates a separate part of the document, allowing different headers, footers, margins, orientation, or columns. Use a section break when the header needs to differ.

Will adding a new header section change my page numbers?
Not by itself. Page numbering usually continues across sections. To restart numbering, open the header or footer in the section, choose Page Number > Format Page Numbers, and set Start at. Review the numbering in Print Preview afterward.

Can I keep the same header design but change only its wording?
Yes. Turn off Link to Previous in the new section, then replace the wording while keeping the existing formatting. You may need to preserve or reapply elements such as alignment, logos, and page-number fields.

How do I remove a new header section?
If you want to remove the separate section, turn on formatting marks and delete its section break carefully. This merges the sections and may also change layout settings. If you only want to remove the header text, edit and clear the header instead of deleting the break.

Can I do this in Word for the web?
Some basic header editing is available online, but the desktop app provides the most complete control over section breaks and linked headers. If you cannot find the required break or linking option, open the document in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac.

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

More in How-to basics

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

Spotted an error in this guide? Let us know.