How to Make Page Numbers Continuous in Word on a Mac

This tutorial shows how to add page numbers in Word for Mac. We will also look at how to format page numbers, remove the page number from the first page, and start the second page with page number 1.

Table of Contents

• How to Add Page Numbers
• How to Format Page Numbers
• How to Remove the Page Number from the First Page
• How to Start the Second Page with Page Number 1

If you want to start your page numbers on a specific page, please see "How to Start Page Numbers on a Specific Page in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)."

This tutorial's companion video shows all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 150 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac. These steps will also work in Word 2021 for Mac, Word 2019 for Mac, and Word 2016 for Mac.

Are you on a PC? Please see "How to Add Page Numbers in Microsoft Word."

How to Add Page Numbers

Important Note: Page numbers added to the top of the page or the bottom of the page will be inserted into the header or footer. The page numbers will replace any existing text placed in the same location within the header or footer. Therefore, you should add page numbers before adding other elements to the header or footer.

1. Select the Insert tab in the ribbon.

Figure 1. Insert tab

2. Select the Page Number button.

Figure 2. Page Number button

3. Select Page Number from the drop-down menu.

Figure 3. Page Number option

4 Select Bottom of page (Footer) or Top of page (Header) from the Position menu in the Page Numbers dialog box.

Figure 4. Position menu

5. Select an option from the Alignment menu:

• • Left
  • Center
  • Right
  • Inside (This option places the numbers on right and left sides so the numbers will appear inside near the binding when the document is bound.)
  • Outside (This option places the numbers on the left and right sides so the numbers will appear on the opposite side of the binding when the document is bound.)

Figure 5. Alignment menu

6. Select Show number on first page if you want a page number on the first page of your document. (If you deselect this option, the second page will still start with page number 2 unless you change your starting number, as shown in next section.)

Figure 6. Show number on first page option

7. Select the OK button.

Figure 7. OK button

Your page numbers should appear immediately.

If you want to remove the page numbers, return to the Page Numbers button and select Remove Page Numbers from the drop-down menu.

Figure 8. Remove Page Numbers option

How to Format Page Numbers

This section shows how to change the number format, include chapter or section numbers, and start on a specific page.

1. Select the Insert tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
2. Select the Page Number button (see figure 2).
3. Select Format Page Numbers from the drop-down menu.

Figure 9. Format Page Numbers option

4. Select an option from the Number format menu in the Page Number Format dialog box. The options include numerals, letters, and Roman numerals.

Figure 10. Number format menu

5. Select Include chapter number if you want to include chapter or section numbers with your page numbers. This option only works if you already have heading numbers.

Figure 11. Include chapter number option

5.a. Select a heading level to start with in the Chapter starts with style menu.

Figure 12. Chapter starts with style menu

5.b. Select a separator to appear between the heading level number and the page numbers in the Use separator style menu. The options are hyphen, period, color, em-dash, and en-dash.

Figure 13. Use separator menu

6. Select Continue from previous section if you want your sections to have continuous page numbers. (If you do not want the page numbers to continue from the previous section, select Start at.)

Figure 14. Continue from previous section option

7. (Alternative to step 6.) Type a number into the Start at text box. This option will default to page 1. However, if you enter another number, such as 5, the page number 5 will appear on the first page of the document or first page of the section.

Figure 15. Start at text box

8. Select the OK button.

Figure 16. OK button

Your page number formatting should be applied immediately.

How to Remove the Page Number from the First Page

You may want to remove the page number from the first page because it is a title page or a cover page.

1. Double-click inside the header or footer area to open the Header & Footer tab. (This tab only appears while you are working in the header or footer area.)

Figure 17. Header area

2. Select the Different First Page option.

Figure 18. Different First Page option

The page number on the first page should disappear.

3. Select the Close Header & Footer button.

Figure 19. Close Header and Footer button

How to Start the Second Page with Page Number 1

After removing the page number from the first page, as shown in the previous section, you can start the second page with page number 1.

1. Select the Page Number button in the Header & Footer tab or in the Insert tab (see figure 2).
2. Select Format Page Numbers from the drop-down menu (see figure 9).
3. Enter the number 0 into the Start at text box in the Page Number Format dialog box.

Figure 20. Zero in the Start at text box

4. Select the OK button (see figure 16).

The page number on the second page should be changed to number 1.

5. Select the Close Header and Footer button if you were working in the Header & Footer tab (see figure 19).

Related Resources

How to Insert and Remove Page Borders in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

How to Create Custom List Numbers in Word for Mac

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Source: https://erinwrightwriting.com/page-numbers-in-word-for-mac/