How to Add Separate Page Numbers in Word by Section

To give different parts of a Word document their own page-number sequence, divide the document with a section break, open the header or footer in the new section, turn off Link to Previous, then use Page Number > Format Page Numbers to choose a starting number or format. Repeat for each section that needs independent numbering. Save a copy first if the document is important; changing section breaks can affect its layout.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows. The steps also apply to many recent desktop versions of Word.
A document with its sections planned. Decide where each new numbering sequence should begin and whether it should start at 1 or use a different number.
Optional: a plan for the numbering style, such as Roman numerals for introductory pages and Arabic numerals for the main text.

Step-by-Step

Place the cursor where the new sequence should begin. Click at the end of the content immediately before the first page that needs different numbering. If the new sequence should start on a fresh page, put the cursor after the last character on the preceding page. A section break controls the layout and numbering of the section that follows it, so position it before the first page of that section. Turn on formatting marks from Home > Paragraph > Show/Hide ¶ if it helps you see where paragraphs and breaks are.
Insert a section break. In the Windows ribbon, select Layout > Breaks, then under Section Breaks choose Next Page. Word starts a new section on the next page. Use this option for the common case of starting a new numbered chapter, body section, or appendix on a fresh page. A Continuous section break is also available in the same menu, but it starts the section on the same page; use it only when that is the layout you actually want. Do not choose a Page Break: that moves text to another page but does not create an independently numbered section.
Open the header or footer on the first page of the new section. Double-click the top margin if the page number belongs in the header, or the bottom margin if it belongs in the footer. The Header & Footer tab appears while the header or footer is active. Check the section label Word shows, such as “Footer – Section 2,” to confirm you are editing the new section rather than the earlier one. If the number is in a footer, make the changes in the footer; header and footer links are managed separately.
Turn off Link to Previous for the relevant area. On the Header & Footer tab, select Link to Previous so it is no longer highlighted or selected. This breaks the connection between the current section’s header or footer and the preceding section. If the page number is in the footer, unlink the footer; if it is in the header, unlink the header. If both contain content that must differ, unlink both. The label “Same as Previous” should disappear when the link is off. This does not automatically remove the existing number; it lets you change the current section without changing the previous one.
Choose whether to keep, remove, or replace the existing number. If the current section already shows a page number, click it and delete it only after unlinking, so you do not remove the number from the previous section. If there is no number, leave the header or footer open and continue to the insertion step. When you want a different placement or design, remove the old field in this section and insert a new one. Avoid typing a number as ordinary text: a typed “1” will not update when pages are added or removed.
Insert a page-number field. With the correct header or footer active, choose Insert > Page Number, then select a position such as Top of Page or Bottom of Page and a layout. Word inserts a page-number field that updates automatically. If a number was already present and you want to retain its position and style, you can skip this step and format the existing field instead. Close the header and footer with Header & Footer > Close Header and Footer, or double-click in the document body.
Set the section’s numbering style and starting number. Click in the new section’s header or footer again, then choose Page Number > Format Page Numbers on the Header & Footer tab. In the dialog, select a format under Number format, such as 1, 2, 3 or i, ii, iii. Under Page numbering, select Start at and enter the first number for this section, often 1. Choose Continue from previous section only when you want the sequence to carry on. Select OK. These settings apply to the current section, provided it is no longer linked to the previous one.
Repeat for each additional sequence, then check the whole document. At the next point where numbering must change, insert another section break and repeat the unlinking and formatting steps. Scroll through the pages around every break and check the first and last number in each section. For example, front matter can use i, ii, iii, while the main text starts at 1, 2, 3. In that setup, add a section break before the main text, unlink its header or footer, and set its format to Arabic numerals with Start at 1.

On Mac: The section-break principle is the same. Place the cursor at the section boundary and use Layout > Breaks > Next Page. Double-click the header or footer, then use the Header & Footer tab’s Link to Previous control to unlink it. Use Insert > Page Number or the page-number control in the ribbon to add a field, and open the page-number formatting options to set the style and starting value. Ribbon labels and their placement can vary slightly by Word for Mac release, but look for the same section, link, and page-number controls. Word for the web has fewer advanced layout controls; if you cannot find section-break or numbering-format options, open the file in the desktop app.

Common Mistakes

Using a page break instead of a section break: A page break moves text but leaves the document in the same section, so numbering settings remain connected. Replace it with Layout > Breaks > Next Page when a new sequence is required.

Forgetting to unlink the section: If Link to Previous remains on, changing or deleting the page number can affect the previous section too. Check the header and footer independently; unlink the one that contains the number before making changes.

Unlinking the wrong section: Word applies a section’s settings to the pages in that section, not just the page where you click. Check the section label in the active header or footer and verify the break is before the intended first page.

Typing numbers manually: Manually entered digits do not renumber when the document changes. Use Word’s Page Number command to insert a field.

Confusing Different First Page with a restart: Different First Page hides or changes header and footer content on the first page of a section. It does not by itself create a new numbering sequence. Set Start at in Format Page Numbers to restart.

Tips

Turn on Show/Hide ¶ while arranging sections. Section breaks are visible in the document, making it easier to find an accidental break or confirm the boundary is in the right place.
Choose Next Page for a new chapter or front-matter boundary when it must begin on a new sheet. Odd Page and Even Page section breaks can force a chapter to start on a particular side, sometimes creating a blank page; use them only when that is intentional.
For a simple front-matter/main-text setup, use Roman numerals in the first section and Arabic numerals in the next. Unlink the second section before choosing its format and Start at 1.
Remember that a document section can have separate first-page, odd-page, and even-page headers or footers. If Different First Page or Different Odd & Even Pages is enabled, check each applicable header or footer; a number may be missing because you are viewing a distinct header area.
After major edits, update your checks by scrolling through the document or using Print Preview. Adding pages before a section can affect continued numbering, even though a section set to Start at 1 should retain its chosen starting value.

Troubleshooting

The numbering continues instead of restarting: Double-click the number in the section that should restart. Confirm the header or footer is unlinked, open Page Number > Format Page Numbers, select Start at, and enter the desired value. Choosing Continue from previous section preserves the sequence and will not restart it.

Changing one section changes another: Undo immediately with Ctrl+Z on Windows (Command+Z on Mac) if the change affected the wrong area. Then select the correct section’s header or footer, turn off Link to Previous, and try again. If the number is in a header, changing the footer’s link will not solve the problem, and vice versa.

The number disappears on the first page: Check whether Different First Page is selected on the Header & Footer tab. If you want a number on that page, turn the option off for that section or insert a page-number field in its separate first-page header or footer. Do not turn it off across the document without checking other sections, because the setting can affect the section you are editing.

There is a blank page or the next section starts in the wrong place: Show formatting marks and inspect the break. A Next Page break intentionally moves the following section to a new page; an Odd Page or Even Page break may add a blank page to reach the required side. Replace the break with the appropriate section-break type if the layout does not need that behavior. Be careful deleting a section break: Word can apply the formatting from the section after the break to the content before it.

The page number displays as a code or does not refresh: If you see a field code instead of a number, press Alt+F9 on Windows to switch field-code display, or use Option+F9 on Mac where supported. To update a selected field, press F9 on Windows; on Mac, use the corresponding Update Field command or select the field and refresh it. A page-number field normally displays its value automatically when you view or print the document.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I restart page numbering in the middle of a Word document?
Yes. Insert a section break before the page where the new sequence starts, unlink that section’s relevant header or footer, and set Page Number > Format Page Numbers > Start at to the number you want.

Can one section use Roman numerals and another use regular numbers?
Yes. Each section can have its own number format. Unlink the later section, select the desired format in Format Page Numbers, and set its starting value separately.

Do I need a section break before and after the pages I want numbered differently?
Usually, add a break at the start of the differently numbered part and another at its end if the following part must return to the earlier numbering setup. Each boundary that separates independent numbering behavior needs a section break.

Can I hide the number on the first page but keep numbering from the next page?
Yes. Enable Different First Page for that section to hide the first-page header or footer number, then check the next page. The hidden page still counts in the sequence unless you separately change the section’s numbering settings.

Why does Word show the same number on several pages?
Check that you inserted a page-number field rather than typing a digit, and look for a section break or separate first-page header that affects the pages. If the same typed number was copied into several footers, remove it and insert a field with Insert > Page Number.

Will these steps work in Word for the web?
Basic page numbering is available in Word for the web, but some section and formatting controls may be limited or unavailable. For separate numbering formats or precise restarts, open the document in desktop Word for Windows or Mac.

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

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