How to Create a Cover Page in Microsoft Word (Built-In and Custom)

This tutorial shows how to create a cover page in Microsoft Word. First, we’ll create a cover page using a built-in design. Then, we’ll create a custom cover page that can be reused. Next, we’ll delete a cover page. Plus, the bonus section at the end shows how to remove page number zero from a cover page.

Quick Links:

How to Create a Built-In Cover Page
How to Create a Custom Cover Page
How to Delete a Cover Page
How to Remove Page Number Zero from a Cover Page

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 250 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365 on a PC. These steps will also work in Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, and Word 2010. However, your interface may look slightly different in those older versions of the software.

How to Create a Built-In Cover Page in Microsoft Word

You can quickly create a cover page using a built-in design.

Select the Insert tab in the ribbon.

Insert tab in Word 365 — Figure 1. Insert tab

Select Cover Page in the Pages group.

Cover Page button in Word 365 — Figure 2. Cover Page button

Choose a built-in design from the gallery in the drop-down menu. (Hover over More Cover Pages from Office.com for additional options.)

Built-In Cover Page Menu in Word 365 — Figure 3. Built-in cover page designs

(Optional) To insert your cover page somewhere other than the top of your document, right-click the built-in design, and then choose a location from the shortcut menu.

Cover page shortcut menu in Word 365 — Figure 4. Cover page shortcut menu

Place your cursor in the sample text, and then type your information.

Cover page sample text in Word 365 — Figure 5. Cover page sample text

Pro Tip: To delete a section of sample text, right-click it, and then select Remove Content Control from the shortcut menu.

Remove Content Control option in Word 365 — Figure 5. Remove Content Control option

The built-in cover page should now be part of your Word document.

How to Create a Custom Cover Page

You can create a custom cover page that can be reused in other Word documents.

Open a blank document. (Pro Tip: Press Ctrl + N to open a blank document.)
Create your cover page, including images if necessary.
Select all the text and images that should be included in the cover page.

Selected text and image for custom cover page in Word 365 — Figure 6. Selection for custom cover page

Select the Insert tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
Select Cover Page in the Pages group (see figure 2).
Select Save Selection to Cover Page Gallery from the drop-down menu.

Save Selection to Cover Page Gallery option in Word 365 — Figure 7. Save Selection to Cover Page Gallery option

Type a unique name into the Name text box in the Create New Building Block dialog box. (Cover pages are part of Word’s building block system of reusable content.)

Name text box in the Create New Building Block dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 8. Name text box

(Optional) Add additional information into the Description text box, if necessary.

Important Note: I strongly recommend leaving the default settings for the other options in this dialog box.

Select the OK button.

OK button in the Create New Building Block dialog box — Figure 9. OK button

Your custom cover page should now be added to the Cover Page Gallery.

Close the document used to create your custom cover page. (You don’t have to save this document.)
Select Save in the alert box asking if you want to save changes to Building Blocks.dotx.

Save button in building blocks alert blocks in Word 365 — Figure 10. Save button

Open the document to which you want to add the custom cover page.
Select the Insert tab (see figure 1).
Select Cover Page in the Pages group (see figure 2).
Select your custom cover page from the gallery.

Custom cover page in the Cover Page Gallery in Word 365 — Figure 11. Custom cover page in the gallery

Your custom cover page should now be added to your current document.

Pro Tip: How to Delete a Custom Cover Page from the Cover Page Gallery

Right-click the custom cover page in the Cover Page drop-down menu, and then select Organize and Delete from the shortcut menu.

Organize and Delete option in Word 365 — Figure 12. Organize and Delete option

Caution: Your custom cover page will be automatically selected when the Building Blocks Organizer dialog box opens. Take care not to select another item.

Select the Delete button in the Building Blocks Organizer dialog box.

Delete button in the Building Blocks Organizer in Word 365 — Figure 13. Delete button

Select the Yes button in the question dialog box asking if you are sure you want to delete the selected building block.

Building block question dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 14. Yes button

Select the Close button in the Building Blocks Organizer dialog box.

Close button in the Building Blocks Organizer Dialog Box in Word 365 — Figure 15. Close button

Your custom cover page should now be removed from the Cover Page Gallery.

How to Delete a Cover Page in Microsoft Word

The following steps show how to remove a cover page from an individual document.

Select the Insert tab (see figure 1).
Select Cover Page in the Pages group (see figure 2).
Select Remove Current Cover Page from the drop-down menu.

Remove Current Cover Page option in Word 365 — Figure 16. Remove Current Cover Page option

Your cover page should be removed from your document.

How to Remove Page Number Zero from a Cover Page

If your document has page numbers, the page number zero may show up unnecessarily on the cover page. The following steps show how to remove page number zero.