You need a section break every time you need to change page numbering. Section breaks can be inserted from the Layout ribbon > Page Setup group > Breaks button > Section Breaks group > Next Page. To do so, you need to break up your document into multiple sections using section breaks. Sometimes you need to change page numbering in the middle of your document (start over, stop page numbering, start page numbering, change page number style, etc.). Turn on Different First Page Footer: Header and Footer ribbon > Options group > check the Different First Page box.To skip numbering on the first page of your document, you need to enable the Different First Page Footer:

Change the Field Properties as desired.

Insert the field code: Click on Headers & Footers ribbon > Insert group > Quick Parts button > Field button.

Click in the desired location: Put your cursor where you’d like to insert the total number of pages in the header/footer.

When using the recommended method above to insert a page number, you need to add the total page count (if desired) separately:

Insert the page number: On the ribbon, click on the Header & Footer ribbon > Header & Footer group > Page Number button > Current Position > Plain Number.

Click in the desired location: Put your cursor where you’d like to insert the page number in the header/footer.

For the header, click on Insert ribbon > Header & Footer group > Header button > Edit Header.

Open the header/footer: For the footer, click on Insert ribbon > Header & Footer group > Footer button > Edit Footer.

To add a page number using the second (recommended) method above: This is typically a problem for document IDs, file paths, initial blocks, document titles and letterhead. Second (and most importantly), anything that was previously typed in the footer or header will be deleted.

First, Word adds an unnecessary, extra hard return after the page number, which you’re going to have to delete. While the first method may seem easier, there are significant problems with it.

Both options are available from the Insert ribbon > Page Number button or the Header/Footer Tools ribbon > Page Number button. There are two ways to add page numbers: 1) adding it to the top or bottom of the page, or 2) inserting it in the current position. The following tips show you how to add, customize and manipulate page numbers in your Word documents like a pro. Regularly find yourself wrestling with Microsoft Word’s page-numbering feature? In this new tips series, the legal technology training experts at Affinity Consulting Group offer straightforward answers to common questions about popular software programs used in law offices.

Auto populate word document in footer