Add Page Numbers in Word Without Numbering the Cover

To add page numbers in Word without numbering the cover, insert a section break after the cover, unlink the next section’s footer from the previous one, and add page numbering starting at 1. If you only want to hide the cover’s number and are happy for the next page to display 2, use Word’s Different First Page setting instead.

Choose how the numbering should work

There are two common meanings of “exclude the cover page.” You may want the cover to have no visible number while the following page displays 2, reflecting its position in the document. Or you may want the cover to have no number and the following page to display 1, as is common in reports and assignments. Decide which result you need before changing the document, because the quickest method depends on that choice.

The first option is a display change: Word continues counting the cover as page 1, but hides its number. The second option separates the cover from the rest of the document so you can begin a new page-number sequence. A section break is the more dependable approach when you need page 2 to show 1, or when the cover needs a different header or footer.

Hide the cover number while keeping the original count

For a simple document where the page after the cover should be numbered 2, use Different First Page. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows:

Double-click the header or footer area on the cover page. The Header & Footer tab appears.
Select Different First Page. Word gives the first page a separate header and footer, so a number in the regular footer can appear on later pages but not on the cover.
If a number is not already present, choose Insert > Page Number, then select a position and style, such as Bottom of Page.
Check the cover and the next page. If the cover still shows a number, remove the number from the first-page header or footer only.

This setting hides the first page’s number; it does not change the page count. Therefore, the second physical page normally displays 2. If it must display 1, use a section break and set the numbering for the new section to start at 1.

Start page 2 at page number 1 with a section break

This method creates one section for the cover and another for the main document. It allows the main document to use its own page-number settings. The following steps assume the cover occupies exactly one page and that numbering should appear in the footer.

Click at the end of the cover’s content. To see paragraph marks and breaks while working, select Home > Show/Hide ¶. On Windows, Ctrl+Shift+8 toggles formatting marks; on Mac, use Command+8.
Select Layout > Breaks > Next Page. This inserts a section break and starts the next section on a new page. Use a section break, not just a page break: a page break starts a new page but does not create separate numbering settings.
Go to the footer on page 2 by double-clicking near the bottom of that page. On the Header & Footer tab, select Link to Previous to turn it off. If Word shows Same as Previous, the sections are still linked. Turn off linking in the area where the number will go; headers and footers have separate links.
With the page 2 footer active, select Insert > Page Number and choose the position and style you want. For example, select Bottom of Page and choose a plain number style.
Select Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers. Under Page numbering, choose Start at and enter 1, then select OK.
Review the cover, page 2, and at least one later page. The cover should have no number, page 2 should show 1, and page 3 should show 2.

If the cover already has a number, remove it from the first section after you have confirmed that the second section is unlinked. Removing a number while sections are still linked can remove it from both sections. If the cover has its own header or footer design, check that it remains intact after changing the numbering.

Choose a number style and position

Word inserts page numbers as fields, which update to match each page rather than behaving like ordinary typed text. Use Insert > Page Number to choose a location, such as the top or bottom of the page, and a built-in layout. Select Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers to change the number format or starting value. Depending on the document, available formats can include standard numerals and Roman numerals.

For a report with a cover followed by introductory pages and then a main section, you can number the sections differently. For instance, a front section might use Roman numerals while the main text uses 1, 2, 3. Add section breaks where the numbering scheme changes, unlink each section’s header or footer as needed, and set its format and starting number separately. This is useful only when the document’s requirements call for it; extra section breaks can make later editing more complicated.

Different First Page or section break?

Use Different First Page when the sole requirement is to leave the cover unnumbered but keep the document’s normal count. It is quick and does not require creating another section. For example, the cover is unmarked and the next page displays 2. It also provides a separate first-page header and footer, which can be useful for a title page.

Use a section break when numbering after the cover must start at 1, when the cover needs independent header or footer content, or when the document uses more than one numbering style. Section breaks provide more control, but they also introduce links between sections that you must manage. For a short document with no special numbering rule, the simpler setting is usually easier to maintain.

A common misconception is that deleting the number from the cover automatically renumbers the next page as 1. It does not: hiding a number and changing the numbering sequence are separate actions. To make page 2 display 1, set the new section’s page numbering to start at 1, or use the appropriate first-page and numbering settings for your document.

Common problems and how to fix them

The cover number disappears, but page 2 still shows 2. That is the expected result when you use Different First Page without changing the numbering sequence. Add a section break after the cover and set the following section to start at 1 if that is the required numbering.
Removing the cover number removes every number. The sections may still be linked, or you may have deleted the number field from a footer shared across the document. Undo the change if possible, turn off Link to Previous in the later section, and then remove the number from the cover section.
Page 2 shows the wrong number. Open its footer and choose Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers. Confirm that Start at is set to 1 for the section that begins on page 2. Also check that the section break is in the right place.
A blank page appears after the cover. Turn on Home > Show/Hide ¶ and inspect the end of the cover. A Next Page section break already starts the next section on a new page; an extra page break or several empty paragraphs may push it onto another page. Remove only the unintended break or paragraphs.
Numbers appear in the wrong place or style. Double-click the header or footer, select the number field, and use the Header & Footer options or Insert > Page Number to choose another layout. Avoid typing a number manually, because typed text will not update on later pages.

When diagnosing a numbering issue, look at the section boundaries as well as the visible digits. With formatting marks on, Word displays section breaks in the document. A misplaced break can make a page inherit settings from an unexpected section, while a linked footer can cause an edit to affect more pages than intended.

Apply the change to an existing document

In a document that already has page numbers, first identify where its section breaks are and which footer contains the numbers. Double-click a numbered footer and check the Header & Footer tab for Link to Previous. If the file has multiple sections, inspect each one: a change made in one section may not automatically affect the others, and a linked section may share its header or footer with the section before it.

Before removing or replacing fields, save a copy of the document, especially if it has a complex layout. Then make one change at a time and check the pages around each section break. If page numbering becomes inconsistent, use the undo command immediately or restore the copy, then review the section links and each section’s Format Page Numbers settings.

Word on Mac and Word for the web

In Word for Microsoft 365 on Mac, the same underlying approach applies: insert a section break after the cover, turn off Link to Previous in the next section’s header or footer, and set its numbering to start at 1. The ribbon layout can differ slightly by version, but look under Layout for Breaks and under Insert for Page Number. Command+8 toggles formatting marks on Mac; Ctrl+Shift+8 is the Windows shortcut.

Word for the web can handle basic page-number insertion, but section-specific controls may be limited compared with the desktop app. If you cannot find the section break, unlinking, or page-number format controls needed for this task, open the file in the desktop version of Word. After making the change, save the document and check the resulting page numbers in the version people will use to read or print it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make page 2 show 1 in Word?
Insert Layout > Breaks > Next Page after the cover. In the footer on page 2, turn off Link to Previous, then insert a page number and use Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers to set Start at 1.

Can I hide the number on the cover without a section break?
Yes. Double-click the cover’s header or footer and select Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab. This hides the first-page number, but by itself it leaves the next page numbered 2.

Why does Word show page 2 after I hide the cover number?
Word still counts the cover as the first page. Hiding its number changes what is displayed, not the numbering sequence. Create a separate section and start that section at 1 if the following page should display 1.

Should I use a page break or a section break?
Use a section break when you need the next page to have independent numbering or header and footer settings. A page break only moves content to a new page; it does not create a separate section.

Can the cover have a different header or footer from the rest?
Yes. Different First Page gives the first page a separate header and footer within its section. A section break provides further control when the cover and main document need independently configured headers, footers, or numbering.

Will page numbers update if I add or remove pages?
Yes, when you use Word’s page-number field rather than typing digits into the footer. The field reflects the page’s position and the numbering settings for its section; check the sequence after moving section breaks or changing those settings.

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

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