Add Page Numbers in Word on Mac: Step-by-Step Guide

To add page numbers in Word on a Mac, open the Insert tab, choose Page Number, select where the number should appear, and pick a style. Word adds a page-number field to the document’s header or footer, so the numbers update automatically as pages change. Before you begin, decide whether numbering should start on the first page or after a cover page.

What You’ll Need

A document open in Microsoft Word on your Mac. The instructions apply to current Microsoft 365 versions; labels and button locations can vary slightly in older Word versions.
Access to the document in editing mode. If it is read-only or protected, you may need permission to edit it before changing the header or footer.
A rough idea of the placement you want, such as the bottom-right corner, and whether the first page should display a number.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and check its page layout. Open the file in Word and, if helpful, select View > Print Layout so you can see the pages and their headers and footers. Page numbers are inserted as fields in a header or footer, not as ordinary text in the body. If the document has sections or a cover page, decide how those should be numbered before adding numbers; you can adjust the setup later.
Open the page-number controls. Select the Insert tab on the ribbon and choose Page Number. Depending on your Word version and window size, this may appear as a button or a dropdown. If you do not see it, maximize the Word window or look for a page-number option on the Insert menu in the macOS menu bar. Choose a location such as the top of the page, bottom of the page, or page margins.
Choose a position and design. Select one of the displayed layouts, for example a plain number aligned to the right in the footer. Word inserts the number in the header or footer area and applies the chosen alignment and style. Some layouts include extra decoration or text; for a simple professional document, a plain style is usually easy to read and less likely to clash with existing formatting.
Check the result on more than one page. Scroll through the document and confirm that the number appears in the expected place on several pages. Page numbers are fields, so a multi-page document should show a different number on each page automatically. If you see the same number repeated, you may have typed a digit into the footer instead of inserting a page-number field. Delete the typed digit and insert a number using the Page Number command.
Set the numbering format if needed. To use a different format, such as Roman numerals, or to change the starting number, open Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers. In the dialog, choose a format under Number format. Under Page numbering, choose Continue from previous section or Start at and enter the starting value. The exact command may be available from the header or footer tools after you click into that area; names can differ slightly between Word releases.
Hide the number on the first page, if appropriate. Double-click the header or footer to open the header and footer editing tools. On the Header & Footer tab, select Different First Page. This gives the first page a separate header and footer, so its number can be omitted while later pages keep theirs. If the first page becomes blank but later pages still show numbers, that is expected. To make the second page display 1 rather than 2, use a section break and set the later section to start at 1, as described in the next step.
Start numbering after a cover page. If the cover should have no number and the following page should be page 1, place the cursor at the end of the cover-page content. Choose Layout > Breaks > Next Page to begin a new section on the next page. Double-click the second section’s header or footer, then turn off Link to Previous on the Header & Footer tab. Insert a page number in this section if it does not already have one, then open Format Page Numbers and set Start at to 1. Return to the cover page’s header or footer and remove its number. Confirm that the later section remains numbered.
Close the header or footer and save. Choose Close Header and Footer if the button is shown, or double-click in the main document text. Save the file with Command+S. For a final check, use File > Print or export a PDF and inspect the pages. A number can look aligned in editing view but shift if the document’s margins or printer settings differ.

Common Mistakes

Typing the number instead of inserting a field. A manually typed 1 stays a 1 on every page. Use the Page Number command so Word can update numbering when you add, remove, or rearrange pages.

Removing numbers from every page by accident. Headers and footers are shared across pages in a section. Deleting a number on one page may remove it throughout that section. If only the cover page should be different, use Different First Page or a separate section rather than deleting the number from a regular page.

Forgetting to unlink sections. A new section often inherits its header and footer from the previous section. If you change its number or delete its number before turning off Link to Previous, the change may also affect the earlier section. Check the section’s header or footer tools before making different numbering rules.

Using a page break when a section break is required. A page break moves text to a new page but keeps the same section settings. To start numbering differently after a cover, use Layout > Breaks > Next Page, which creates a new section as well as a new page.

Assuming the printed first page must be numbered 1. If the first page is unnumbered but the next one shows 2, Word is counting the cover page. That is normal when you only select Different First Page. Set up a new section and choose Start at 1 if the page after the cover must display 1.

Tips

Keep the page number in a consistent position throughout a document unless a style guide or template requires otherwise. A small number in the footer or outer top corner is easy to find without drawing attention away from the text. If your document already has a designed header or footer, choose a number layout that complements it. Inserting a layout can change existing header or footer content, so review that area immediately and undo the insertion if it disrupts the design.

Use Different First Page for a simple title page when the second page should retain its natural number, usually 2. Use a section break when the second page needs to restart at 1, when front matter needs Roman numerals, or when different sections need separate headers and footers. This distinction prevents many numbering surprises.

Make layout changes before finalizing page numbers. Adding a large image, changing margins, or editing text can move content onto additional pages. The fields update, but the page count and where a section begins may change. After substantial edits, scroll through the document and check the first page of each section, the last page, and any page with a different header or footer.

If a document will be shared with people using different software, save a copy as a PDF after checking the Word version. A PDF preserves the page layout for viewing and printing, while the Word file remains editable. Keep the original Word document if you expect to revise the content or its numbering later.

Troubleshooting

I cannot find Page Number. Make sure the document is open in Word rather than a preview window, and select the Insert tab. Widen the window if the ribbon is compressed, since some commands may be hidden in a dropdown. You can also inspect the macOS menu bar’s Insert menu. If the document is in read-only mode, switch to editing or save an editable copy if you have permission.

The number appears on the cover page. Double-click the cover’s header or footer and select Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab. If the option is already selected, check that you are editing the correct section and that the cover is actually the first page of that section.

The number on the next page is wrong. If it shows 2 when it should show 1, open the number-format settings for the section containing that page and set the page numbering to start at 1. If changing it also alters the cover or another section, turn off Link to Previous in the affected header or footer, then set the numbering again.

Numbers disappear or change in another section. Click into the affected header or footer and inspect whether Link to Previous is on. Also check whether Different First Page or Different Odd & Even Pages is enabled, because these options create distinct header and footer areas. Make the intended change in the correct area, such as the first-page footer or an even-page header, rather than assuming every page uses one shared footer.

The number is in the wrong place or overlaps text. Double-click the header or footer, select the number, and adjust its paragraph alignment or choose another built-in layout from Insert > Page Number. If it sits too close to the page edge, review the document’s margins and header or footer position in the layout controls. Avoid dragging the number into place if a layout or alignment control can position it consistently.

Every page shows the same digit. Click the displayed digit while editing the footer. If it behaves like ordinary text, remove it and insert a page-number field from the ribbon. If it is a field but still appears unchanged, update fields by selecting the document text with Command+A and pressing Fn+F9 on many Mac keyboards; the function-key behavior can depend on macOS settings. Recheck the pages in Print Layout or a PDF.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add page numbers without numbering the title page?
Yes. Turn on Different First Page in the header and footer tools. This hides the number on the first page while keeping numbering on the following pages. If the next page should display 1 instead of 2, create a new section after the title page and set that section to start at 1.

How do I make page two display 1?
Insert a Next Page section break after the first page, unlink the new section’s header or footer from the previous one, and set its numbering to Start at 1 in Format Page Numbers. Hide or remove the number in the first section if the cover should be unnumbered.

Can page numbers use Roman numerals?
Yes. Open Format Page Numbers and choose a Roman numeral style in Number format. For a document with Roman numerals in the front matter and standard numbers in the main text, use separate sections and set the format independently in each section.

Will the numbers update when I add pages?
Yes, if you inserted page numbers using Word’s Page Number command. The field updates as the document changes. Manually typed digits do not update, so check that you used an inserted page-number field rather than entering the number as regular text.

How do I remove page numbers later?
Choose Insert > Page Number > Remove Page Numbers if that option appears in your version. In some releases, use the header and footer tools or open the relevant footer and remove the page-number field. Documents with multiple sections may need the number removed from more than one section; check the whole document afterward.

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.