Add a Header to a Word Document in Microsoft 365

To add a header in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, open the document and choose Insert > Header, then select a built-in design or choose Edit Header to create your own. Type the header text, format it if needed, and select Close Header and Footer when you are done.

What a Word header does

A header is content placed in the top margin area of a page. Word repeats it across pages by default, making it useful for a document title, a company or school name, a chapter label, a logo, or identifying information such as an author. A header is separate from the main body of the document, so changing its text does not insert that text into the paragraphs below it.

Headers are also distinct from page margins. The top margin controls where the body text begins; the header position controls how far the header sits from the top edge of the page. These settings affect one another visually: a large header can take up space near the top, while a small top margin can leave less room for it. A header is normally included when you print or export the document to PDF, provided the printer or page setup does not crop the printable area.

Add a basic header in Word for Windows

In the desktop version of Word included with Microsoft 365, use the ribbon to add a header:

Open the document and select the Insert tab.
Select Header in the Header & Footer group.
Choose a design from the gallery. If you want a plain area to fill yourself, select Blank or a simple blank-style option.
Click the placeholder text in the header and replace it with your own wording. If there is no placeholder, click in the header area and type.
Select Close Header and Footer on the contextual tab, or double-click in the main document body.

The gallery includes layouts with different alignments and visual treatments; the available choices can depend on the Word version and document setup. Choosing a built-in design does not lock you into it. You can edit its text, remove unwanted elements, or change formatting after inserting it. To reopen the header later, double-click near the top of a page or use Insert > Header > Edit Header.

Choose a built-in design or make a simple one

A built-in header can save time when you want a familiar layout, such as a document name on the left and a page number on the right. Some designs include placeholder text, lines, colors, or fields. Replace the sample text rather than assuming it will update automatically. If the design includes a page number, check that the number is a field and not simply a typed numeral; a field updates as pages are added or removed.

For a minimal header, choose a blank option and type only what you need. Use the paragraph alignment controls on the Home tab to align the text left, center, or right. For a more precise left-and-right layout, Word’s tab stops or a small borderless table can position items on the same line. A table may be easier to control than repeated spaces, which can shift when fonts or margins change. Keep the design restrained if the document will be printed in black and white or viewed on small screens.

Edit and format the header

When you enter the header, Word displays a contextual Header & Footer tab, sometimes shown as Header & Footer under a broader contextual ribbon heading. The tab provides header-specific options, including settings for different first pages and odd and even pages. The regular Home and Insert tabs remain available, so you can change the font, insert a picture, or add a page number while the header is active.

Select text in the header to change its font, size, color, or emphasis just as you would in the document body. To adjust its vertical placement, use the Header from Top setting on the Header & Footer tab. This changes the header’s position relative to the page edge; it is not the same as changing the document’s top margin. If body text begins too high or low, adjust the page margins separately through Layout > Margins.

Word can insert dynamic information as fields. For example, use Insert > Date & Time to add a date and, when offered, choose an option to update it automatically. For page numbers, use Insert > Page Number and choose a location in the header. A field is preferable to typing a page number by hand because Word can update it when pagination changes. If a field appears not to refresh, select it and use Update Field from its context menu, or select the document and press F9 on Windows.

Control which pages display a header

By default, the same header appears on every page in a section. Word provides two common exceptions on the Header & Footer tab:

Different First Page: gives the first page of a section its own header and footer. Use it when a cover page should have no header or should show different information.
Different Odd & Even Pages: creates separate headers for odd-numbered and even-numbered pages. This is useful for book-style layouts where a running title or author name alternates sides.

Turning on one of these options does not automatically remove all content. It creates a distinct header area that you can edit, so check the first page and subsequent pages after enabling it. If the first-page header is blank, that is because its separate area has not been filled in. Likewise, odd and even headers may need to be entered independently.

To start a new header partway through a document, insert a section break rather than relying on an ordinary page break. Put the cursor where the new section should begin and choose Layout > Breaks > Next Page in Word for Windows. Then open the header in the new section and turn off Link to Previous on the Header & Footer tab if the new section should have different content. If the link remains on, changes can carry through from the preceding section. Headers are linked by default between sections, so this setting is a common source of confusion.

Add page numbers, images, or other details

A header can contain more than plain text. Page numbers are common in reports and longer documents, while a small logo can help identify a business or organization. To insert a picture, place the cursor in the header and choose Insert > Pictures, then select the appropriate source and file. Resize the image with its corner handles to preserve its proportions, and check that it does not push the header text onto an unwanted second line.

Think about accessibility and output before adding decorative elements. Give meaningful images alternative text using the picture’s context menu and View Alt Text or the available alt-text option. Avoid using an image as the only way to communicate essential information, since it may not be readable by assistive technology and can be hard to see in print. Also check the header in Print Preview and in the exported PDF; an element that looks aligned in the editing view can sit differently when the page is rendered.

Common header problems and how to fix them

The header appears on every page, including the cover: enable Different First Page and edit the first-page header area. Do not just delete the text from the regular header, or it will disappear from the other pages too.
Changing one section changes another: open the later section’s header and turn off Link to Previous before editing. Check both odd and even headers if that option is enabled.
The header is too close to the page edge: increase the Header from Top value, and confirm the printer supports the page’s printable area. A printer may not print right to the physical edge.
The header seems to have vanished: double-click near the top of a page to reopen it, then check whether the page uses a different first-page or odd/even header. Also confirm that the text is not white or otherwise blending into the page.
A page number stays the same: it may have been typed as ordinary text instead of inserted as a field. Delete it and use Insert > Page Number.

One easy-to-miss point is that deleting a header’s words does not necessarily remove the header area or its settings. If you want to remove the header itself, use Insert > Header > Remove Header. In documents with multiple sections, inspect each section: removing a header in one place may not remove independently configured headers elsewhere.

Word on Mac and Word for the web

On Word for Mac, the basic process is similar: choose Insert > Header, select a layout, and type in the header area. Ribbon and gallery labels can vary slightly with the app version and window layout, but the header is edited by double-clicking its area, and the contextual Header & Footer controls provide options such as a different first page. Keyboard shortcuts also differ between Windows and Mac, so use the ribbon command if a shortcut you know does not work.

Word for the web supports basic header editing, but the desktop app offers a fuller set of layout and section controls. If you need a distinct header after a section break, a complex odd/even arrangement, or detailed positioning, open the file in the desktop version of Word. The web version may display features created in desktop Word even when it does not offer the same level of control to change them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I put a header on only the first page in Word?
Open the header, select the Header & Footer tab, and check Different First Page. Add or remove text in the first-page header separately from the header used on later pages.

How do I remove a header from a Word document?
Choose Insert > Header > Remove Header. If the document has multiple sections with separate headers, review each section because its header may be configured independently.

Can I put a page number in the header?
Yes. Click in the header and choose Insert > Page Number, then select a position and style. Use a page-number field rather than typing a number so Word can update it as the document changes.

Why does my header repeat on every page?
Repeating is the default behavior within a section. Use Different First Page for a distinct first page, or create a section break and unlink the later section if it needs different header content.

Can I add a logo to a Word header?
Yes. Place the cursor in the header, choose Insert > Pictures, and select the image. Resize it and check the document in Print Preview so it does not overlap text or extend beyond the printable area.

Check the finished document

Before sharing or printing, review the first page, a middle page, and the last page. In a document with sections or alternating headers, inspect at least one page of each type. Confirm spelling, alignment, page-number behavior, and whether the header is meant to appear on the cover. Finally, use Print Preview or export a PDF to check how the header sits on the finished page. A quick review catches layout problems that may not be obvious while editing the body text.

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

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

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