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Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Start Page Numbers on a Specific Page in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

By Erin Wright

Bookshelves in a rustic room with text overlay "How to Start Page Numbers on a Specific Page in Microsoft Word"This tutorial shows how to start page numbers on a specific page in Microsoft Word.

Do you need a refresher on page numbers? Please see “How to Add Page Numbers in Microsoft Word,” which explains how to add and format page numbers, remove the page number from the first page, and start the second page with page number 1.

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

Watch more than 100 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. These steps will also work in Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, and Word for Mac (Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac). These steps don’t apply to Word for the web.

How to Start Page Numbers on a Specific Page

The following steps will work in documents with or without existing page numbers.

  1. Select the Home tab in the ribbon.
Home tab in Word 365
Figure 1. Home tab
  1. Select the Show/Hide button to show your formatting marks.
Show/Hide button in Word 365
Figure 2. Show/Hide button
  1. Select the Layout tab in the ribbon.
Layout tab in Word 365
Figure 3. Layout tab
  1. Place your cursor at the beginning of the page where you want the page numbers to start.
Cursor at the start of the page in Word 365
Figure 4. Cursor at the start of the page
  1. Select the Breaks button in the Page Setup group.
Breaks button in the Layout tab in Word 365
Figure 5. Breaks button
  1. Select the Next Page section break from the drop-down menu.
Next Page section break in Word 365
Figure 6. Next Page section break option

The section break should appear at the bottom of the previous page.

Next Page section break in text in Word 365
Figure 7. Section break on the previous page
  1. Double-click in the header or footer area of the page where you want the page numbers to start. Double-clicking opens the Header & Footer tab, which only appears when the headers or footers are selected.
Header area in Word 365
Figure 8. Header area
  1. Deselect the Link to Previous button to disconnect the headers or footers in the section you just created from the previous section.

When this button is deselected, its background color changes from dark gray to a light gray matching the rest of the ribbon.

Link to Previous button in the Header & Footer Tab in Word 365
Figure 9. Link to Previous button
  1. Select the Page Number button in the Header & Footer group.
Page Number button in the Header & Footer tab in Word 365
Figure 10. Page Number button
  1. Select Format Page Numbers from the drop-down menu.
Format Page Numbers option in the Header & Footer tab in Word 365
Figure 11. Format Page Numbers option
  1. (Optional) Select an option from the Number format menu in the Page Number Format dialog box if you want to use a different format than your existing page numbers.
Number format menu in the Page Number Format dialog box in Word 365
Figure 12. “Number format” menu
  1. Select the Start at radio button.
"Start at" radio button in the Page Number Format dialog box in Word 365
Figure 13. “Start at” radio button
  1. Enter the starting page number in the Start at text box.

You can enter a page number that does not physically exist in your document. For example, if your document is nine pages long, you can still start with page number 90.

"Start at" text box in the Page Number Format dialog box in Word 365
Figure 14. “Start at” text box
  1. Select the OK button.
OK button in the Page Number Format dialog box in Word 365
Figure 15. OK button

If you have existing page numbers, the section you just created should now start with the number you entered into the Page Number Format dialog box.

Page number in header in Word 365
Figure 16. New page number

If you don’t have existing page numbers, continue to add them as shown in “How to Add Page Numbers in Microsoft Word.”

  1. Select the Close Header and Footer button.
Close Header and Footer button in Word 365
Figure 17. Close Header and Footer button
  1. Reselect the Show/Hide button in the Home tab to hide your formatting marks (see figure 2).

Pro Tip: After inserting your new page numbers, remember to update your table of contents.

Related Resources

How to Insert Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word

How to Insert Section Breaks in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

How to Insert Page Breaks in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

Filed Under: Microsoft Word Tagged With: formatting, Microsoft 365, Word 2013, Word 2016, Word 2019, Word 2021, Word 365, Word for Mac

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Technical Writer and Editor Erin WrightHello! My name is Erin. I am a technical writer and editor who shares step-by-step software tutorials and writing tips for the real world on this website and YouTube.

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