How to Add Page Numbers in Word Bottom Right Corner

To add page numbers at the bottom right in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select Insert > Page Number > Bottom of Page, then choose Plain Number 3 or another right-aligned design. Word inserts an automatic page-number field in the footer, so the numbers update when pages are added or removed. Before starting, decide whether the first page should show a number and whether numbering should run continuously through the document.

What You’ll Need

A Word document open in the desktop version of Microsoft Word. The instructions below use Microsoft 365 for Windows.
A moment to check whether your document has section breaks or a cover page. These can affect which pages display numbers and how numbering continues.
If the document is important, save it before changing the layout. Adding page numbers is normally easy to undo, but saving first gives you a safe checkpoint.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and check its page layout. Open the file in Word and, if useful, select View > Print Layout so you can see the pages and their footers. If the document contains a title page or multiple sections, decide how you want those pages numbered before inserting anything. You can still adjust the settings afterward, but planning avoids having to repair section numbering later.
Open the page-number menu. Select the Insert tab on the ribbon. In the Header & Footer group, select Page Number. Point to Bottom of Page to open the gallery of footer designs. Do not choose Top of Page, Page Margins, or Current Position if you specifically want the number in the bottom-right footer area.
Choose a right-aligned style. Select Plain Number 3 in the Bottom of Page gallery. In the standard Word gallery, this places a simple page number at the right side of the footer. If the gallery preview or labels look different in your version, choose the plain design whose preview shows the number at the far right. Word adds the number to the footer and opens the Header & Footer editing area.
Check the result on more than one page. Scroll to another page, or use the page navigation controls, and check that the number appears at the bottom right there too. The inserted value is a field, not text you typed manually, so Word calculates the correct number for each page. If you only see the number on one page, check for a section break or a different first-page setting rather than adding the number again.
Close the footer when you are done. Select Close Header and Footer on the contextual ribbon, or double-click in the main body of the document. The footer stays in place while you continue editing. To change it later, double-click near the bottom of a page to reopen the footer tools.
Hide the number on a cover page if needed. Double-click the footer to open the Header & Footer tab, then select Different First Page. The first page gets a separate footer, so its number is hidden while later pages can still show numbers. This setting does not automatically make the second page display 1; by default, it will generally display 2 because the cover page is still counted.
Adjust the starting number or number style if required. With the footer active, select Page Number > Format Page Numbers. In the dialog, choose a format such as 1, 2, 3 or i, ii, iii. To begin a section at a particular value, choose Start at and enter the number you want. Use Continue from previous section when the numbering should carry on from the preceding section, then select OK.

On Word for Mac, page-number insertion is similar, but the interface may not show the same gallery. Select Insert > Page Number, then use the dialog to set the position to the bottom and the alignment to the right. The names and layout of the controls can vary slightly by release. To hide a first-page number, open the header or footer controls and turn on Different First Page. Word for the web also supports page numbers, though its ribbon and available formatting choices may be more limited than the desktop app.

Common Mistakes

Typing a number instead of inserting a page-number field. A manually typed 1 stays 1 on every page and does not respond to edits. Always use the Page Number gallery or the page-number command so Word inserts a field that updates automatically.

Choosing the wrong location or alignment. Word offers numbers at the top, bottom, margins, and cursor position. If the number appears at the top or near the left edge, remove that numbering and insert a right-aligned Bottom of Page style instead. The gallery preview helps distinguish the options.

Assuming Different First Page restarts numbering. This option creates a distinct first-page footer; it hides the first-page number but usually leaves the next page numbered 2. If page two must display 1, change the numbering start value or use a section break and configure that section carefully.

Editing one section and expecting every section to change. Documents with section breaks can have separate footers. A change may affect only the current section, especially if Link to Previous is turned off. Check each section before concluding that Word has lost the numbering.

Tips

Keep the number readable and unobtrusive. A plain number in the bottom-right corner is usually suitable for reports, essays, and business documents. If you want a label such as Page 1, choose a gallery design that includes it or add text beside the field while editing the footer. Avoid adding decorative elements unless they match the rest of the document.

Use the footer controls instead of dragging the number around. The built-in right-aligned style places the number consistently relative to the page margins. If it needs to sit farther from the edge, adjust the footer position or page margins through the layout settings rather than inserting spaces or repeatedly pressing Tab. Spaces can shift unpredictably when fonts or page sizes change.

Review the document in Print Layout before sharing. Page numbers can look different from the editing view in a browser or draft view. Check the first page, a middle page, and the final page. Also preview or export to PDF if the recipient will read a PDF, since this lets you confirm that the footer is visible and not clipped.

Be deliberate with section breaks. Section breaks are useful when a document needs different headers, footers, or numbering styles, such as Roman numerals for introductory pages and regular numbers for the main text. If all pages should use the same numbering, avoid creating extra sections unnecessarily. When sections are needed, confirm whether each footer is linked to the previous one and whether numbering continues or restarts.

Troubleshooting

The number is missing from the first page. Double-click the footer and inspect Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab. If it is selected, the first page has its own footer, which may be blank by design. Turn the option off to show a number there, or leave it on if the page is a cover. Remember that hiding the number does not remove that page from the count.

Numbers appear on some pages but not others. Look for section breaks by selecting Home > Show/Hide (the paragraph-mark button). Click in a page from the section with the missing number and open its footer. If the footer is separate, insert a page number in that section or select Link to Previous to match the prior section. Linking is not always appropriate when sections need different footer designs.

Every page displays the same number. The number may have been typed as ordinary text rather than inserted as a field. Delete the repeated text, then use Insert > Page Number > Bottom of Page and select a right-aligned design. If the field looks stale after editing, select it and update it, or save and reopen the document; Word normally recalculates page fields as the layout changes.

The number is on the left, centered, or too high. Reopen the footer and check the chosen style and footer position. For a clean fix, remove the misplaced number and insert Plain Number 3 from the Bottom of Page gallery again. If the footer itself is too close to the page edge, use the Header & Footer options or page-layout settings to adjust its position, rather than adding blank lines.

Numbering restarts unexpectedly. Click in the affected section, select Page Number > Format Page Numbers, and check whether Start at is selected. Choose Continue from previous section for continuous numbering. If the restart is intentional, keep Start at and enter the required number. Make the change in each relevant section, since section settings can differ.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I put page numbers in the bottom right in Word?

On Windows, select Insert > Page Number > Bottom of Page > Plain Number 3. That standard style places an automatic page number at the right side of the footer.

Can I number every page except the first?

Yes. Open the footer and select Different First Page. The first page number is hidden while subsequent pages keep their numbers. The following page normally displays 2; set the section’s start number to 0 if you need the visible second page to display 1.

How can I start numbering at 1 on the second page?

Turn on Different First Page, then select the second page’s footer and open Page Number > Format Page Numbers. Set the numbering to start at 0 if the first page is counted but its number is hidden, so the next page displays 1. Check the result because section breaks can change which footer settings apply.

Can I use Roman numerals for the page numbers?

Yes. Select Page Number > Format Page Numbers and choose a Roman numeral format. If only the introductory pages should use Roman numerals, place them in a separate section, then set the main section to regular numbers and choose whether it continues or restarts.

Will the page numbers update when I add or delete pages?

Yes, when inserted as Word page-number fields. Word recalculates them as the document’s pagination changes. Manually typed digits will not update, so replace them with a field if the numbering stops matching the pages.

Try it: the Formula Explainer: paste any formula and see each function and reference in plain English.

More in Formulas & functions

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

Spotted an error in this guide? Let us know.