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document formatting

How to Add a Header, Footer, and Page Numbers in Google Docs or Word

Learn how to add repeating text and page numbers in Google Docs or Word, and when to use page layouts, sections, and separate first-page or odd/even content.

By ThatPainter Team 2 min read
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To add repeating text and page numbers, use your editor’s header and footer tools: in Google Docs, choose Insert > Page elements; in Microsoft Word, choose Insert > Header or Footer. The steps vary by editor, and Google Docs requires a paged layout for headers, footers, and page numbers.

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What headers, footers, and page numbers do

A header appears above the main text area on each page; a footer appears below it. They are useful for supplementary details such as a document title, date, identifier, or page number. Keep essential instructions and content in the main body so readers do not miss them.

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Add a header, footer, or page number in Google Docs

Check the page layout first

Google Docs supports headers, footers, and page numbers in Pages format. They cannot be displayed or added in Pageless format. If the document is pageless, switch it to Pages format before continuing.

Insert the header or footer

  1. On a computer, open the document in Google Docs and make sure it is in Pages format.
  2. Choose Insert > Page elements > Header or Footer.
  3. Enter the text you want repeated in the header or footer.

Insert page numbers

  1. Choose Insert > Page elements > Page number.
  2. Use the additional options to apply numbering to the whole document or particular pages or sections, or to start numbering on a chosen page.

Section-specific numbering controls may require a section break. Google’s instructions are in Google Docs Editors Help.

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Add a header, footer, or page number in Microsoft Word

Insert or edit a header or footer

  1. Choose Insert > Header or Insert > Footer.
  2. Select a built-in design, or customize the area yourself. Some built-in designs include page numbers.
  3. To edit an existing header or footer, double-click it.

To remove one, choose Remove Header or Remove Footer. See Microsoft Support’s instructions for inserting a header or footer.

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Use different content on the first page or alternate pages

When the first page needs distinct header or footer content, use Different First Page. For documents where left- and right-hand pages need separate content, Word supports different headers or footers on odd and even pages; see Microsoft Support’s odd- and even-page instructions.

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Choose the right setup for your document

  • Google Docs layout: Use Pages format if you need headers, footers, or page numbers; Pageless format does not provide them.
  • Numbering scope: In Google Docs, decide whether numbering should apply across the document or only to selected pages or sections, and whether it should start on a chosen page.
  • First page: In Word, use Different First Page when the opening page needs different content.
  • Facing pages: In Word, use separate odd- and even-page content if the document’s layout calls for it.
  • Accessibility: Keep information readers must not miss in the main document body.
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Keep important information accessible

Microsoft Support advises: “Avoid writing important information in the Header or Footer sections of the document.” It explains that screen-reader users may miss information placed there and recommends built-in title and heading styles, with important content in the main body. See Microsoft’s Word accessibility guidance.

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