Change page numbers in different sections in a Word document

In an earlier post I explained that one of the main ways to change the order and formatting of page numbers in different sections is to break the link between the sections.

In this video I walk you through how to use 1, 2, 3 page numbering in the main part of a document and i, ii, iii page numbering in the appendices:

-- Joannie Stangeland

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  • Thanks. Very helpful.

  • I wanted to add different numbers in a book I wrote recently and couldn't figure it out so added them manually! I will bookmark this for future reference, thanks!

  • I can't think of any situation when appendices would be numbered with roman numerals; this is much more common for front matter. For more on that, see word.mvps.org/.../NumberingFrontMatter.htm (Word 2003 and earlier) or www.word.mvps.org/.../front_matter_2007.htm, as appropriate.

  • It is more common for front matter, Suzanne (and I use it for that). Mostly, I just wanted to show the idea of sections with separate numbering schemes. Thanks for the links.

    SueD and Anthony, I'm glad it's helpful.

    -- Joannie

  • Joannie,

    Is there a way to start the numbering of my document with a number other than #1?  I have several folks working on different sections of a small book.  My section will be page 20-39.  The footer automatically starts with #1.  When I manually change the first page to #20, all the other pages become #20 also!  Thought they would consecutively number from 20-39...but no such luck!  Any hints on how to make this happen other than manually changing all of them?

  • Dear Cindy E.,

    To change the starting page number, you need to use the Format Page Number dialog box. Double-click in the footer area, select the page number, right-click, and then click Format Page Number. In the dialog box, change the Start at number to 20.

    Best wishes! It sounds like an interesting project.

    -- Joannie

  • Thanks a lot, this was exactly what I was looking for!

  • Jeroen, glad it helped.

    -- Joannie

  • I would like to begin numbering my pages with 1, 2, 3 but on actual page 3. (the first page being my cover, the second page being my contents, and the third page being my actual Page 1) How can I do this?

  • Dear Cathy L.,

    If you insert a section break between pages 2 and 3 and unlink the headers and footers, you can then add a page number to page 3--and in the Format Page Numbers dialog box, type 1 for the Start at number.

  • Thanks you are a lifesaver. What would normally have been an hour of frustration was solved in under 3 minutes. :-D

  • Karen D,

    Glad to help!

    -- Joannie

  • Thanks so much, I got really frusted following the instructions on the mircosoft support page and when I watched this I realised that they had the wrong instructions for Word 2007! They kept telling me to go to Insert section instead of the page layout section. I was clicking on the page break icon in the wrong place - no wonder it didn't work! My report is due on Friday, thanks again.

  • Thanks, very helpful

  • Hi,  I have a larger doc in word 2007 which is in sections, controlled by page breaks. One section has the page number 12 for all the pages how can I Fix this. Thank you.

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