How to Add 1 of 1 Page Numbers in Word for Printing

To show a running page count such as “1 of 1” in Microsoft Word, add a PAGE field for the current page and a NUMPAGES field for the document’s total pages. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, open the header or footer, insert those fields with the Insert tab, and update them before printing. The count changes automatically when the document’s page total changes.

What You’ll Need

A Word document that you can edit. The steps below are for Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows; the Mac difference is noted where it matters.
A location for the numbering, such as the bottom of the page. If you have a title page, decide whether it should display a number too.
A moment to check the result in Print Preview. Word calculates page totals based on the document’s current layout and printer settings.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and choose where the number should go. Save a copy first if you are changing a document with carefully formatted headers or footers. Double-click near the top or bottom margin of a page to open its header or footer. For a conventional page number, the footer is usually the easiest place to read. You can also start from the ribbon: choose Insert > Page Number, then choose a header or footer location. If you use that gallery, skip to step 6 to check whether the chosen design already includes both numbers.
Position the insertion point. If you opened the footer by double-clicking, click where you want the count to appear. To center it, click the centered paragraph position or press Ctrl+E on Windows. To put it at the right, use Ctrl+R. On Mac, use Command+E to center or Command+R to right-align. These shortcuts align the paragraph; they do not insert page-number fields.
Insert the current-page field. On Windows, choose Insert > Quick Parts > Field. In the Field dialog, select Page from the field-name list, then choose a number format if needed and click OK. Word inserts the current page number at the cursor. The field may display 1, 2, or another number depending on which page you are editing. Do not type a number manually: a typed digit will not update when pages are added or removed.
Add the word “of” between the fields. Click immediately after the inserted page number if the cursor is not already there, then type a space, the word of, and another space. The footer should now have the page field followed by the text “of”. Keeping spaces on both sides makes the finished count readable, for example, “1 of 1”.
Insert the total-pages field. Leave the insertion point after the second space. Again choose Insert > Quick Parts > Field, select NumPages, and click OK. Word adds the document’s total page count. When the document has one page, the two fields should display “1 of 1”. If the document has four pages, the same footer displays “1 of 4” on the first page and “4 of 4” on the last.
Close the header or footer and inspect the pages. Choose Header & Footer > Close Header and Footer, or double-click in the body of the document. Scroll through several pages to confirm that the count appears in the same location and that each current-page number changes. The tab name may differ slightly in some Word builds, but the close command is available while the header or footer is active.
Update the fields and verify the final layout. If a value looks out of date, click the field, right-click it, and choose Update Field. You can also select the field and press F9 on Windows. On a Mac, Control-click a field and choose Update Field; depending on the keyboard settings, you may need to press Fn+F9 to use the function key. Open File > Print and check the preview before printing. If the page count changes after editing, update the fields again or check the preview, where Word may recalculate them.

Mac note: The Page and NumPages fields are available in Word for Mac, though the ribbon layout differs from Windows. Open the header or footer, place the cursor, and use Insert > Field to select the field name. You can also use the Insert > Page Number gallery for a ready-made design. Check the exact gallery preview: a design labeled as a page number may show only the current page, not “page of total”.

Common Mistakes

Typing “1 of 1” as ordinary text. That will stay the same on every page and will not reflect later edits. Insert fields for both numbers so Word can calculate them.
Using Page twice. Two PAGE fields show the current page twice, such as “1 of 1” on the first page and “2 of 2” on the second. The second field must be NumPages, which represents the total number of pages in the document.
Choosing NumPages when you need a section count. NumPages counts the whole document. If you need the number of pages in just one section, the field is called SectionPages. That is a different count and will not necessarily match the document-wide total.
Forgetting a special first-page or section setting. A title page may use a different first-page footer, and separate sections can have unlinked headers or footers. A number added to one footer may not appear in every section if those settings are in use.
Assuming a number typed in the footer will update itself. Only the field is dynamic. If you replace a field with a number while editing, the displayed count becomes fixed text.

Tips

Use a built-in design when it matches your needs. Choose Insert > Page Number and inspect the available “Page X of Y” designs. They can save time, but some include the word “Page” or use a different layout. Choose a design that looks right, or insert the two fields separately for the exact “1 of 1” wording.
Keep the footer consistent. Use the same font and size as the rest of the footer, and leave enough space between the number and the edge of the printable area. If you want the count centered, align the footer paragraph rather than adding a row of spaces.
Make a title page choice deliberately. To hide numbering on the first page, activate the header or footer and select Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab. This hides the first page’s header or footer content, so add a number to the first-page footer only if you want one there. The later pages can still display their own current number and total.
Remember that total pages can change. Editing text, changing margins, switching paper size, or using a different printer can reflow a document. Check the count after substantial layout changes, especially when producing a final PDF or printed copy.
Use the right field for your wording. The fields alone produce a compact count such as “1 of 1”. If you want “Page 1 of 1”, type “Page ” before the PAGE field, then add “ of ” and the NUMPAGES field.

Troubleshooting

The footer shows “1 of 1” on every page. The first value is likely ordinary typed text or a field that was copied incorrectly. Open the footer, click the first number, and update it. If it does not behave like a field, remove just that number and insert the Page field again. Confirm that the second value is NumPages, not another Page field.

The total seems wrong. Check whether you inserted NumPages, which counts every page in the document, or SectionPages, which counts pages in the current section. Then open File > Print and compare the number of pages shown in the preview. If the preview itself has an unexpected total, look for blank pages, section breaks, page breaks, or content that has flowed onto an extra page. A different paper size or printer can also change pagination.

The number is missing on the first page. Open that page’s footer and check whether Different First Page is selected. If it is, the first page has its own footer area. Add the fields there if the first page should show a count, or leave it empty if the title page should be unnumbered. Do not assume that editing the ordinary footer will also edit the first-page footer.

Some sections have numbers and others do not. Click in a footer in the affected section and check whether Link to Previous is active. Sections can have separate footer content, so insert or correct the fields in each unlinked footer, or link the sections if their footer design should be shared. Also check whether the document uses different odd and even page footers.

The fields display codes such as { PAGE } instead of numbers. Word may be set to show field codes. Right-click the field and choose Toggle Field Codes, or select it and press Shift+F9 on Windows. On Mac, Control-click the field for the toggle option if available, or use the Word keyboard shortcut settings. If the code is visible in the document but the field is valid, switching back to field results should show the number.

The values do not refresh after an edit. Right-click each field and choose Update Field, then inspect Print Preview. If you are editing a header or footer, click within that area before selecting or updating its fields. Avoid replacing the field result by typing over it; reinsert the field if necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make Word show exactly “1 of 1”?
Insert a PAGE field, type a space, “of”, and another space, then insert a NUMPAGES field. With a one-page document, the result reads “1 of 1”.

Will the numbers change when I add pages?
Yes. PAGE and NUMPAGES are fields, so they can reflect the new page and total. If the displayed result looks stale, update the fields and check Print Preview.

Can I show “Page 1 of 1” instead?
Yes. Type “Page ” before the PAGE field and leave “ of ” between the PAGE and NUMPAGES fields. The resulting footer reads “Page 1 of 1”.

Does “1 of 1” count pages in the whole file?
When you use NUMPAGES, yes: it counts the pages in the entire Word document. Use SectionPages only when you specifically want the total for the current section.

Can I leave the first page unnumbered?
Yes. In the header or footer tools, select Different First Page. Leave the separate first-page footer blank and keep the fields in the regular footer for the following pages.

Why does Word show “1 of 2” when I expected one page?
Check the page count in Print Preview. A blank second page, a section break, or content pushed onto another page can increase the total. Adjust the layout if needed, then update the fields and confirm the preview again.

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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