How to Add a Running Header in Word 2016

To add a running header in Word 2016, choose Insert > Header, select a layout, and type the text you want repeated at the top of your pages. Word places it in the document’s header area and repeats it automatically, so you do not have to enter it on every page. Before starting, decide what the header should say and whether the first page or left- and right-hand pages need different content.

What You’ll Need

A document open in Word 2016 for Windows. The steps are similar in Word 2016 for Mac, though ribbon labels and the position of some header controls can differ.
The wording or details you want to repeat, such as a short document title, your name, a chapter name, or a page number.
Any formatting instructions for the document. If a teacher, publisher, or organization has a required header style, use those directions for alignment, capitalization, and page numbering.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and check the page layout. Open the file in Word 2016 and, if necessary, save a working copy using File > Save As. Look at the page size, margins, and orientation under the Layout tab. A header normally sits inside the top margin, so checking the layout first helps you avoid placing text too close to the edge or overlapping the body text.
Open the header area. Select Insert > Header on the ribbon. Word displays a gallery of built-in header designs. Choose a simple layout, such as a blank header, if you want to control the content and placement yourself. You can also double-click near the top edge of a page to open an existing header or start editing the header area. If Word displays a menu for editing an existing header, choose Edit Header.
Choose a layout that suits the document. A blank header is a good choice for a plain running title. Some gallery designs include a line, shading, or a text placeholder; these are optional and can make the header look more decorative than a formal document requires. Selecting a gallery style opens the header area and displays the contextual Header & Footer Tools Design tab. Do not worry if the insertion point is not exactly where you want it yet; you can adjust alignment and spacing after entering the text.
Enter the repeating text. Click the header’s text area and type the wording you want shown on the pages. Keep it concise: a short title or chapter name is usually easier to scan than a full sentence. If the selected layout has placeholder wording, select that placeholder and replace it. Avoid typing the header into the regular page body; when the header area is active, Word shows a boundary and a label such as Header.
Format and position the header. Select the text and use the Home tab to choose a font, size, color, or emphasis. Use the paragraph alignment buttons to left-align, center, or right-align it. Pressing Tab in some built-in header layouts moves between pre-set positions, but the result depends on the layout. For a simple header, select the text and use the alignment buttons rather than adding multiple spaces. Spaces can shift unpredictably if the font, margins, or page size changes.
Add a page number if you need one. Keep the insertion point in the header, then select Insert > Page Number and choose an option such as Current Position followed by a plain number style. This inserts a page-number field, which updates automatically as pages are added or removed. Do not type a page number as ordinary text: a manually typed number will be identical on every page and will not keep up with document changes. If you use a built-in layout that already has a number field, avoid inserting a second one.
Set whether the first page should be different. While the header is open, go to Header & Footer Tools Design and look in the Options group. Select Different First Page if the cover or title page should have no header or should use different wording. The first page then has its own header area. You can leave it empty or enter alternate text. The regular header will appear on following pages. If you do not select this option, the same header design and content normally appears on the first page too.
Decide whether odd and even pages need separate headers. In the same Options group, select Different Odd & Even Pages only if the document needs one header on odd pages and another on even pages, as in some books. Word then provides separate header areas for each type of page. Enter and format the content in both. If you only want one repeated header throughout a report or essay, leave this option turned off.
Close the header and check the document. Select Close Header and Footer on the contextual tab, or double-click in the main document body. Scroll through several pages to confirm the header repeats, has the right alignment, and does not collide with body text. If you changed the first-page or odd/even settings, inspect those page types separately. Save the document with Ctrl+S on Windows; on Mac, use Command+S.

Common Mistakes

Typing the header into the page body: Text at the top of the first page may look like a header, but it will not automatically repeat. Double-click the top margin and check that Word has opened the header area before typing. If text is already in the body, cut it, open the header, and paste it there.

Entering page numbers by hand: A typed numeral is just text, not a changing page-number field. Use Insert > Page Number so Word can update numbering as the document changes. Also check that you have not inserted a second field on top of a number already supplied by the chosen header design.

Using spaces to push text across the page: A string of spaces is not a reliable way to position a title and page number. Use paragraph alignment, a built-in layout, or the layout’s tab positions. If precise columns are needed, use a suitable header layout or a table rather than guessing with spaces.

Assuming every page uses the same header settings: Different First Page, Different Odd & Even Pages, and section breaks can make headers vary. Check the relevant option and inspect each kind of page. In a document with sections, a header can also be connected to the previous section, which affects whether edits carry over.

Making the header too large or too close to the edge: Large type, extra paragraph spacing, or a narrow top margin can make the header look crowded or push the body text down. Keep the header modest and check the printed-page view rather than judging only from the editing screen.

Tips

Keep the running text short enough to identify the document without competing with the page content. A report might use a brief title on the left and a page number on the right; a chaptered document might use a chapter name. Follow the style guide if one exists, because academic and publishing requirements can specify exact wording, placement, or whether a title page should be unnumbered.

Use a page-number field even if the document currently has only a few pages. It saves corrections if you later add sections, images, or appendices. After adding it, click in the header and confirm it looks like a number field rather than a number you typed. When selected, a field may appear with gray shading on screen; that shading is not normally printed.

Remember that headers are managed separately in each section. If you use a section break to change page orientation or layout, Word may link that section’s header to the previous one. The Link to Previous control appears on the contextual header tab when you are working in a later section. Leave it enabled to share the previous section’s header; turn it off before making a header unique to that section. Check all affected sections after making changes.

For a polished result, use the same font family and a restrained size, and make sure the header is readable in print. Use File > Print to preview pages before printing or sharing a PDF. The print preview can reveal a clipped header, unexpected blank first-page header, or a number appearing in the wrong corner.

Troubleshooting

The header appears on only one page. First confirm you entered the text in the actual header, not in the body. Then check whether the document contains section breaks. Headers repeat within their section, but a later section may have a different or empty header. Click inside a page in the affected section, open the header, and review whether Link to Previous is enabled. If the later section should match the earlier one, link it to the previous section or copy the content into its header.

The first page has no header. Open the header and inspect Different First Page on the Header & Footer Tools Design tab. If the option is selected, Word uses a separate first-page header. Enter the text in that area if you want it there, or clear the option if the first page should match the rest. Remember that a title page is often intentionally different.

The header is missing on even or odd pages. Check whether Different Odd & Even Pages is selected. When it is, Word keeps separate content for the two page types. Navigate to an even page and an odd page, open each header, and fill in the appropriate one. If the pages should all match, turn off the option and confirm the result across the document.

The page number is wrong or repeats. If the same numeral appears everywhere, it may have been typed as text. Delete it and insert a page-number field through Insert > Page Number. If numbering restarts unexpectedly, inspect section breaks and the page-number format for the section. Use Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers to review options such as continuing from the previous section or starting at a chosen number.

The header overlaps the document text or looks cut off. Open the header and reduce its font size or paragraph spacing. If necessary, adjust the top margin or header position using the controls on the Layout tab or the header tools, then review the print preview. If the problem affects only one section, check its page setup separately because sections can have different margins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a running header automatically appear on every page?
Yes. Text entered in the header repeats on pages in that section, unless settings such as Different First Page or Different Odd & Even Pages create separate header versions. Section breaks can also give different parts of a document different headers.

Can I put the document title and page number on the same line?
Yes. Choose a header layout with separate positions, or place the insertion point in the header and add a page number field using Insert > Page Number > Current Position. Use the layout’s tab stops or alignment controls to position the items; avoid using repeated spaces.

How do I remove a running header?
Choose Insert > Header > Remove Header in Word 2016 for Windows. If the document has multiple sections with independent headers, repeat the removal in each section where the header should be deleted. Check first-page and odd/even settings too.

Can the first page have no header while later pages do?
Yes. Open the header and select Different First Page on the Header & Footer Tools Design tab. Leave the first-page header empty and add the running text to the header on the next page. This setting is useful for title pages.

Are the steps different on a Mac?
The basic process is the same: use the Insert tab to add a header, type in the header area, and use the header and footer controls to set page options. Word 2016 for Mac can arrange or label ribbon controls differently from Windows. Use the Mac ribbon’s header options if a Windows contextual-tab label is not shown.

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