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To start page numbering on a specific page in Word, create a new section at that page, unlink its header or footer from the previous section, then set its page-number format and starting value. For example, to make page 3 display “1,” begin a new section on page 3 and set that section to start at 1.
Restart page numbering on a later page
- Place the cursor immediately before the content on the page where the new numbering should begin.
- Select Layout > Breaks > Next Page. This creates a section break and starts the new section on the following page. A regular page break does not create the separate numbering settings you need.
- Open the header or footer on the first page of the new section—the area where the page number appears.
- On the Header & Footer tab, turn off Link to Previous. Header and footer links are separate, so unlink the one containing the page number.
- Select Page Number > Format Page Numbers. Choose a number style and, under page numbering, select Start at and enter the desired value, usually 1.
- Check the new section’s first number and confirm that the earlier section’s numbering remains as intended. Close Header and Footer when you are done.
Microsoft documents this workflow for Word for Microsoft 365, Word for Mac, and Word 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016. Ribbon labels or placement can vary by version. See Microsoft’s instructions for starting page numbering later in a document.
Choose the method that matches the result you want
Hide the number on the cover page, without restarting the sequence
Use Different First Page in the section’s header and footer settings to omit the number from that section’s first page. This hides the displayed number; it does not automatically make the next page display 1.
Make the second document page display 1
If you want to hide the number on the first page and have the second page display 1, Microsoft’s Different First Page method sets the page-number starting value to 0. Follow Microsoft’s page-numbering instructions for this case.
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Use Roman numerals for front matter and Arabic numbers for the main text
Separate the front matter and main text into sections. In each section, open Page Number > Format Page Numbers and choose the appropriate number format. Set the main-text section to start at 1 if its first page should display 1.
Pick the right section break
- Next Page: Starts the new section on the next page. Use it for a numbering change that begins at a page boundary.
- Continuous: Starts a new section on the same page. It is generally used for layout changes, such as changing column settings.
- Odd Page or Even Page: Starts the section on the next page with the selected parity. Depending on where the break falls, Word may leave an intervening blank page.
If a page break is already at the boundary, replace it with the section break needed for independent numbering. To inspect breaks and other formatting marks, select Home > Show/Hide (¶).
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Use desktop Word for section breaks
Word for the web can insert page breaks but cannot insert section breaks, which this numbering change requires. Open the document in the desktop Word application, add the section break and set the numbering there. Microsoft lists this limitation on its section-break support page.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix common page-numbering problems
Changing the new section changes the previous one
Check that Link to Previous is off in the header or footer that contains the number. If the number is in a footer, changing only the header’s link will not unlink the footer.
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Link to Previous is unavailable
Check that there is a section break before the page where numbering should change. Microsoft advises verifying the break when Link to Previous is dimmed. Turn on Home > Show/Hide (¶) to find section breaks.
A change has affected the earlier section
Undo the change, place the cursor after the section break, and apply the formatting in the new section. Then confirm that the relevant header or footer is unlinked before changing its numbering.
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Only the first page should have no displayed number
Use Different First Page rather than adding a section solely to hide that number. The option can apply to the first page of any section.
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