How to Add Page Numbers in Word for APA Style Papers

To add APA-style page numbers in Microsoft Word, choose Insert > Page Number > Top of Page > Plain Number 3. This places an automatic page number at the upper-right corner of each page, including the title page, as APA 7 generally requires. You will need your document open in Word and should know whether you are preparing a student or professional paper, since their running-head requirements differ.

What You’ll Need

A document open in the desktop version of Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows.
Your paper set up with the correct pages and sections, or a draft you can format before submission.
Your assignment instructions or publication requirements. APA 7 normally expects page numbers on every page, but an instructor or publisher may give additional directions.

Step-by-Step

Open your paper and check the page order. Open the document in Word and confirm the title page is the first page. APA page numbering starts with 1 on the title page, then continues 2, 3, and so on. You do not normally leave the title page unnumbered. If your document has a cover sheet that is not part of the paper, check whether your instructor wants it included in the numbering.
Open the page-number gallery. On the Windows ribbon, select Insert > Page Number. In the menu, point to or select Top of Page to see the available header placements. The gallery shows examples rather than requiring you to build a header yourself.
Choose the right-aligned plain number. Select Plain Number 3, which places the page number at the top right. In some Word releases or window sizes, the gallery preview may look slightly different, but choose the simple option showing a number on the right. Avoid decorative styles, lines, or extra text unless your assignment specifically requests them.
Check the title page. Word inserts the number field in the header and applies it through the document. Confirm that the title page displays 1 in the upper-right corner. If you see a number on the second page but not the first, the first-page header setting may be turned on; see the troubleshooting section below.
Close the header and inspect the document. Select Close Header and Footer on the ribbon, or double-click in the main body of the page. Scroll through the paper and check that numbers appear at the top right, remain inside the page margins, and increase in order. Word uses a field for numbering, so it updates automatically when pages are added or removed.
Check whether a running head is required. APA 7 student papers usually need the page number but not a running head, unless the instructor asks for one. Professional papers use a running head: the shortened title in uppercase at the upper left, with the page number at the upper right. If you need both, edit the header and place the running-head text at the left without replacing the number field at the right. Follow the exact instructions from your instructor or publisher if they differ.
Set a different starting number only if instructed. For a standard APA paper, leave numbering set to start at 1 on the title page. If your instructor explicitly requests a different starting number, select Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers, choose Start at, enter the required value, and select OK. Do not change the starting number just to hide the title-page number.
Save and verify the final file. Save the document, then use File > Print to preview several pages, including the title page and the last page. Look for missing, duplicated, or misaligned numbers in the preview. If you submit a PDF, export or save a PDF from Word and check its pages too; headers can look different after a change in layout or page size.

On Word for Mac: The names and layout of ribbon controls can vary slightly by version. Use Insert > Page Number, then choose the top position and a right-aligned plain-number style in the dialog or gallery. If the Mac interface offers a Format control, use it to set the starting number only when needed. The APA placement and title-page numbering rules are the same.

Common Mistakes

Leaving the title page blank: APA page numbering normally begins on the title page. A title page showing no number often means Different First Page is enabled, not that APA calls for an unnumbered first page.
Typing numbers by hand: Manually entered numbers will not update if the paper gains or loses pages. Use Word’s page-number command so the header contains an automatic field.
Putting the number in the body: A number typed at the top of the first page is just text. It will not repeat reliably on later pages. Insert a page-number field in the header instead.
Adding a running head to every student paper: Student papers do not generally need one under APA 7 unless the instructor requests it. A page number alone is usually correct for a student paper.
Restarting numbering after a section break: A section may have its own numbering settings. If a later page unexpectedly returns to 1, check its page-number format and whether it is linked to the previous section.
Choosing a left-aligned style: The APA page number belongs at the upper right. Select the right-aligned option rather than assuming any top-of-page number meets the format.

Tips

Use the built-in field, not copied header text. A page number created from Word’s gallery stays current as the document changes. You can click or double-click the number in the header to see that it is a field.
Format the paper before checking alignment. Margins, paper size, and header position affect where the number appears. For an APA paper, check the assignment’s page setup requirements before adjusting the header position to compensate for a layout problem.
Keep the header simple. A typical student-paper header contains only the page number. Do not add a decorative border, a label such as Page, or a running head unless your instructions call for it.
Use print preview for a quick review. The document view can show editing marks or header boundaries that do not print. Preview the title page, a middle page, and the last page to verify placement and continuity.
Make a copy before changing complex sections. If a paper has appendices, landscape pages, or different headers, save a copy before altering section links. That makes it easier to restore a working layout if a header change affects other pages.

Troubleshooting

The title page has no number. Double-click the top of the title page to open the header. On the Header & Footer tab, look for Different First Page and turn it off if it is selected. Check whether the number appears on page 2; if it does, this setting is a likely cause. Then confirm that the title page shows 1 and the following page shows 2.

Every page shows the same number. The number may have been typed as ordinary text rather than inserted as a field. Remove the repeated text from the header, then use Insert > Page Number > Top of Page > Plain Number 3 to insert an automatic sequence. Avoid copying a visible number from one header to another.

Numbers restart or skip in the middle of the paper. Click in the section where the numbering changes and open Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers. Check that Continue from previous section is selected if numbering should run on. If the page uses a section break, open its header and review whether Link to Previous is enabled. Changing a section’s link can affect its header, so inspect the pages before and after the break afterward.

The number is on the left or too low. Reopen the header and select a right-aligned page-number style. If the number is still misplaced, check the document’s page margins and the header-from-top setting rather than inserting spaces to push it across. Spaces can shift unpredictably when fonts, margins, or page sizes change.

You cannot see the number in the main editing view. Double-click the header area or choose View > Print Layout. The header may not be visible in another view. Also check Print Preview to determine whether the number is actually missing or merely hidden in the current view.

The Mac menu does not match these steps. Word for Mac may present page-number choices in a dialog instead of the same Windows gallery. Look under Insert > Page Number for position and alignment controls, and select the top-right plain-number option. The labels can vary by release, but avoid creating a manually typed number.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the APA title page count as page 1?
Yes. For a typical APA 7 student or professional paper, the title page is page 1 and its number appears in the upper-right corner. Follow a specific instructor or publisher instruction if it explicitly changes this requirement.

Should APA page numbers be at the top or bottom?
Put them at the top right in the page header. A footer number at the bottom does not match the usual APA page-number placement.

Do student papers need a running head?
Usually not. APA 7 generally requires a running head for professional papers, while student papers use page numbers only unless an instructor asks for a running head.

Can I number pages in Word without numbering the title page?
You can turn on Different First Page, but that is not the normal APA setup. Use it only if your instructor or publication’s instructions explicitly say to omit the title-page number.

Will the numbers update when I add pages?
Yes, if they were inserted as Word page-number fields. Word updates the sequence as the document changes. If you typed numbers manually, replace them with the built-in page-number command.

Do I need to restart numbering for the references?
No. References are normally part of the same paper and continue the page sequence. A section break does not, by itself, mean numbering should restart.

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