How to Create a Header Template in Word

To create a reusable header template in Word, design the header in a document, then save the file as a Word Template (.dotx). New documents made from that template will start with the same header, so you do not have to rebuild it each time. Use the desktop version of Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows for the steps below; a Mac can also save Word templates, although some ribbon labels differ.

What You’ll Need

The desktop version of Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac. Word for the web can edit many headers, but the desktop app is the more reliable choice for creating and saving a reusable .dotx template.
Your header content, such as a business or project name, logo, contact details, or document title. Have a suitable image file ready if you plan to use a logo.
A folder where you can find the finished template. Word can save it in its custom templates folder, or you can choose a convenient location.

Step-by-Step

Start a clean document. In Word, select File > New > Blank document. If you already have a document with the right page size, margins, and styles, you can use it instead, but remove text that should not appear in every new file. A template stores more than its header: it can also retain body text, formatting, and other page settings. Starting clean helps prevent unwanted content from appearing when you reuse it.
Open the header area. Select Insert > Header, then choose a layout from the gallery or select Edit Header to start with a plain header. You can also double-click near the top margin of the page to open the header. Word displays the header area separately from the main document and opens the contextual Header & Footer tab. On some Windows builds, the contextual controls may appear under Header & Footer Tools.
Add and arrange the content. Click inside the header and type the text that should repeat, such as a company name or a short document label. For a logo, use Insert > Pictures, choose the image source, and select the file. Keep the image small enough to fit within the page margins. To align a logo and text neatly, you can use a simple table: choose Insert > Table, create a row with the required number of cells, and place each item in its own cell. Remove visible borders using the table border controls if you want a clean, borderless layout.
Format the header for readability. Select the text and use the Home tab to choose a font, size, color, and alignment. Keep the design easy to scan and consistent with the rest of the document. Check that text and images do not run into the page edge or overlap. If you use a table to position items, adjust its column widths rather than adding long runs of spaces; spacing can shift when someone opens the template on another computer or edits the text.
Set header spacing and page options. With the header open, use the Header & Footer tab to adjust the header’s position from the top of the page if needed. The exact control is usually labeled Header from Top. Turn on Different First Page if the first page should have a separate or empty header. Turn on Different Odd & Even Pages only if you need different headers on facing pages, such as in a booklet. These options affect how headers repeat, so preview more than the first page before saving.
Close the header and check the document. Select Close Header and Footer on the contextual tab, or double-click in the main body. Look at the page in Print Layout and check that the header is positioned correctly and appears on the pages where you expect it. If the document has several pages, add temporary sample text to create them, then check the first, second, and later pages. Delete the sample text before saving the template.
Save the file as a Word template. Select File > Save As > Browse. In the Save As dialog, open the Save as type list and choose Word Template (*.dotx). Give the file a clear name, such as Company Letterhead, and save it. Word may select the Custom Office Templates folder automatically; if you choose another folder, note its location so you can find the template later. Use .dotx for a template without macros. Macro-enabled templates use the separate .dotm format.
Create a document from the template. In Word for Windows, select File > New and look for the Personal or Custom templates section; the label can vary by Word build. Select your template to create a new document, then check that its header appears. If the template is in a folder that does not show in that section, locate the .dotx file in File Explorer and double-click it to create a new document based on it. Save the new document as a regular Word document, typically .docx, so your original template remains unchanged.

On a Mac: The header controls are available from the Insert tab, though their grouping and labels can vary slightly by Word version. To save a reusable template, use File > Save As and choose Word Template (.dotx) as the file format. To reuse it, open it through Word’s template choices or open the saved template file. Confirm that the file you are editing is a new document, not the original template, before entering document-specific text.

Common Mistakes

Saving as .docx instead of .dotx. A regular document can contain a header, but it is not saved as a reusable Word template. In Save As, check the file type before you finish.
Typing the header in the page body. Text near the top of a page is not necessarily in the header area. Double-click in the top margin and confirm Word shows the header boundary and contextual tab before adding repeating content.
Leaving example text in the template. Any sample text saved in the document body can appear in every new file. Remove placeholders you do not want users to see, or label useful prompts clearly so they are replaced.
Using spaces to line up items. Repeated spaces may look aligned on one screen but shift when fonts, margins, or content change. Use alignment, a small table, or tab stops instead.
Assuming every page uses the same header. Different First Page and Different Odd & Even Pages create separate header areas. If one page seems to have a missing header, check these settings and inspect the relevant page type.

Tips

Keep the design restrained. A logo, short name, and perhaps a fine rule are often easier to reuse than several lines of small text.
Use a high-quality logo image, but avoid making it unnecessarily large. A large image can push content down or make the header feel crowded.
Use Word’s built-in alignment tools or a table to position items. Avoid using the spacebar to create columns, because spacing is fragile when someone edits the header.
Give the template a descriptive filename and store it where the people who need it can access it. If several versions exist, include a date or version label in the filename.
Test the template by creating a new document from it, not just by viewing the original. Try a long title or a different number of pages to see whether text wraps or overlaps.
If you want a line or color band to repeat, add it as a paragraph border, table border, or appropriate graphic in the header. Check how it prints and avoid placing important details too close to the page edge.

Troubleshooting

The header is missing from the second page. Open the header on that page and check whether Different First Page is enabled. If the first page is intentionally different, add the repeating design to the regular header area on page two. Also check whether the document has section breaks: headers in separate sections can be independent.

The header changes in one section but not another. Double-click the header in the affected section and inspect Link to Previous on the Header & Footer tab. If the sections should share a header, turn on Link to Previous. If they need different headers, leave it off and edit that section’s header deliberately. Be careful: changing this setting can affect how headers are connected across section breaks.

The logo is cropped, too large, or hard to move. Select the image and use its picture formatting controls to resize it, preferably by dragging a corner handle so its proportions stay intact. If text wrapping makes placement awkward, try an in-line image or place it in a table cell. Reopen the template-based document after adjusting the original template to make sure the change is saved where you intended.

The template is not listed under File > New. Confirm it was saved as .dotx and check the folder used in the Save As dialog. The Personal or Custom section may not display templates stored in arbitrary folders. Open the file from its saved location to use it, or save it in Word’s custom templates folder and restart Word if it does not appear immediately.

New documents keep changing the original design. You may be editing the .dotx file itself rather than a document created from it. Start a new file through File > New or double-click the template file, then use Save As to save the working document as .docx. Keep a backup copy of the .dotx before making major template changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a header template without a logo?
Yes. A header can contain only text, a line, or another simple layout. Add a logo only if it serves a clear purpose and fits comfortably within the page margins.

Will the header appear on every page?
Normally, a header repeats on pages in the same section. Different First Page, Different Odd & Even Pages, and section breaks can change that behavior, so check those settings if a page looks different.

Can I add page numbers to the header?
Yes. Open the header and use Insert > Page Number to choose a position or format. Preview the first and following pages, especially if you use a different first-page header or separate sections.

Can I edit the header after saving the template?
Yes. Open the .dotx template for editing, change the header, and save it. Documents you already created from an earlier version will not automatically adopt the new design; make the change in each existing document if needed.

Can Word for the web create a reusable .dotx template?
Word for the web can handle many routine header edits, but template creation and file-format options are more limited than in the desktop app. Use Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac to save the reusable .dotx file.

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