How to Add Roman Page Numbers in Word (Step by Step)

To add Roman page numbers in Word, choose Insert > Page Number, select where the numbers should appear, then choose Page Number > Format Page Numbers and set Number format to i, ii, iii, …. If only the front matter should use Roman numerals, make it a separate section before changing the numbering.

The steps below are for Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows. Roman numerals are often used for a title page, contents page, preface, or other introductory pages, while the main text uses regular numbers. Before you start, decide where numbering should appear and whether the whole document or just a section needs Roman numerals.

What You’ll Need

A Word document with the pages you want to number. Save a copy first if you are changing an existing document with carefully formatted headers or footers.
The desktop version of Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows is recommended, especially if you need Roman numerals for one section and Arabic numbers for another. Word for the web has fewer section-formatting controls.
A decision about placement, such as the top or bottom of the page, and about whether the first page should show a number.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and decide the numbering scope. If every page should use Roman numerals, you can format the existing page numbers directly. If Roman numerals are only for preliminary pages, such as a contents page or preface, keep reading and create a separate section for the main text. Sections let Word use a different numbering style in different parts of one document.
Insert page numbers. Select Insert > Page Number on the ribbon. Choose Top of Page or Bottom of Page, then select a layout. Word inserts a page-number field in the header or footer; it updates automatically as pages are added or removed. If your document already has page numbers, do not insert a second set. Click an existing number or open its header or footer instead.
Open the page-number format settings. Select Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers. If you are already editing a header or footer, you can also use the Header & Footer tab and choose Page Number followed by Format Page Numbers. The dialog contains the number style and numbering options for the current section.
Choose the lowercase Roman style. Open the Number format list and select i, ii, iii, … for lowercase Roman numerals. Choose I, II, III, … if your required style uses uppercase numerals. Leave the other settings alone if you want numbering to continue from the preceding page in the same section.
Set where the numbering begins. In the same dialog, choose Continue from previous section when the current section should follow the numbering before it. Choose Start at and enter i or 1 when this section should begin a fresh sequence. Word may display the start value as a number in the box; the selected number format determines how it appears on the page.
Apply the settings and inspect the result. Select OK, then close the header and footer with Close Header and Footer or double-click in the main document text. Check several pages, including the first and last, to make sure the sequence displays as i, ii, iii and that the number is positioned as intended. A page number is a field, so do not type over it with a numeral.
For Roman front matter and numbered chapters, add a section break. Click at the end of the last page that should use Roman numerals. Select Layout > Breaks > Next Page. This starts the main text in a new section on the following page. Use a section break, not an ordinary page break: a page break moves text but does not give the two parts independent numbering formats.
Unlink the main section’s header or footer. On a page in the main text, double-click the header or footer that contains the page number. On the Header & Footer tab, select Link to Previous to turn it off if it is active. Word links sections by default, so unlinking is necessary before changing the main section’s page-number format without changing the front matter. If the number is in the footer, unlink the footer; if it is in the header, unlink the header.
Set the main text to Arabic numbering. While editing the main section’s header or footer, choose Page Number > Format Page Numbers. Select 1, 2, 3, … from Number format, then select Start at and enter 1 if the first chapter page should be page 1. Select OK. The front matter should retain its Roman numerals, while the main section begins with 1, 2, 3.
Decide how to handle a title page. If the title page should not display a number, open its header or footer and select Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab. This hides the first page’s number but does not automatically make the next page i. If the first visible front-matter page must be i, put a section break after the title page and set the next section to start at i. Check your institution’s or publisher’s rules before choosing.
Save and review the document. Save the file, then scroll through the section boundary and a few pages on each side. Confirm that there is only one number on each page, that the style changes at the correct point, and that the main text starts at the intended value. Also check after editing or inserting pages, since those changes can move the section break.

Common Mistakes

Changing the format without creating sections. If you change the number format in a document that has no section break, the change can apply to the whole document. Use Layout > Breaks > Next Page to separate front matter from the main text before assigning different styles.

Leaving Link to Previous on. A new section’s header or footer is linked to the previous section by default. If you change the number format while it is still linked, Word may also change the previous section. Turn off Link to Previous in the header or footer that contains the page number before formatting the new section.

Using a page break instead of a section break. A page break only moves the following content to another page. It does not allow separate page-number formats. Use a next-page section break when numbering needs to restart or change style.

Typing numbers by hand. Manually entering i, ii, or 1 may look right at first, but the values will not update when pages change. Insert Word’s page-number field so the sequence stays automatic.

Hiding the cover number and assuming numbering restarts. Different First Page hides the number on the first page; it does not change the count. If the next page should display i rather than ii, create a separate section after the cover and set that section to start at i.

Tips

Use lowercase Roman numerals for the usual academic front-matter style, but follow the format guide for your school, journal, or organization. Uppercase Roman numerals are available in the same number-format list.
For a more consistent layout, insert page numbers using Word’s built-in designs instead of typing them into the header or footer. You can still adjust alignment and appearance after insertion.
When reviewing, turn on formatting marks with Home > Show/Hide ¶ if you cannot tell where a section starts. Section breaks are labeled in the document and can be easier to spot in this view.
Make sure you are editing the correct section before opening the format dialog. The section number and the header or footer you are working in determine which pages are affected.
On Word for Mac, the same basic controls are available, but ribbon labels or their locations may vary slightly by release. Look under Insert for page-number options and use the header-and-footer controls to unlink sections. The Windows shortcut Alt+N, NU can open the Page Number menu; Mac ribbon shortcuts differ and depend on macOS settings, so using the menu is the reliable option.

Troubleshooting

Every page changed to Roman numerals. Check whether the document has a section break before the main text. If it does, open the main section’s header or footer and turn off Link to Previous, then set that section’s number format to Arabic. If there is no section break, add one at the boundary and configure each section separately.

The main text starts at ii or another unexpected value. Open Page Number > Format Page Numbers while in the main section. Select Start at and enter 1 to restart the Arabic sequence. If the issue is in the front matter, set that section to start at 1 with the Roman format selected.

The number is missing from the first page. Check whether Different First Page is selected. If it is, Word uses a separate first-page header or footer. You can leave the number hidden, or add a page-number field to that first-page header or footer if it should be shown.

The number appears twice or in the wrong place. Open the header and footer and remove the extra page-number field, leaving one in the desired location. If the page number is in the wrong section, check the section break and whether the header or footer is linked to the previous section.

You cannot find the format or section controls online. Word for the web can handle basic editing and page numbers, but its options for section-specific numbering may be limited. Open the document in the Word desktop app for Microsoft 365 and make the section and format changes there.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make page numbers i, ii, iii in Word?
Choose Insert > Page Number to insert a number, then open Page Number > Format Page Numbers and select i, ii, iii, … from Number format.

Can I use Roman numerals for the contents pages and regular numbers for the chapters?
Yes. Insert a next-page section break between the front matter and main text, unlink the main section’s header or footer, then set the first section to Roman numerals and the main section to Arabic numbers.

How can I start the main text at page 1?
In the main text section, open Page Number > Format Page Numbers, choose the Arabic format, select Start at, and enter 1. Make sure that section is not linked to the previous one.

Can the title page have no number while the next page is i?
Yes. Add a section break after the title page, set the following section to Roman numerals starting at 1, and leave the title-page number hidden. This keeps the first visible page of the front matter at i.

Will Roman page numbers update when I add or remove pages?
Yes, if you used Word’s page-number field. Word updates field-based page numbers as the document changes. Manually typed numerals do not update automatically.

Can I use uppercase Roman numerals?
Yes. In the Number format list, choose I, II, III, … instead of the lowercase option. The setting applies to the section you are formatting.

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