How to Add Page Num­bers in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is the preferred choice for many, especially those subscribed to the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. After writing a document, novel, or essay, you may want to print it out for further use. Before that, you should add page numbers to the document for easy reference. Here’s how you can add page numbers in Microsoft Word.

Adding page numbers to a Word document is useful when you are handing it out to others. It makes it easy for others to refer to the material without being lost in words. Microsoft uses a slightly different UI for Mac and Windows. On Android and iPhone, Word is now part of the single Office app that Microsoft released a couple of years ago.

We will cover all three Microsoft Word applications on Mac, Windows, and Mobile. Without further ado, let’s get started.

1. Microsoft Word for Mac

Microsoft Word for Mac recently received a nice visual makeover. The app looks and feels native and supports the latest M1 chip as well. Follow the steps below to add page numbers in Microsoft Word on Mac.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word on Mac.

Step 2: Open a Word document in which you want to add page numbers.

Step 3: Click on the Insert menu at the top.

Step 4: Select Page Number and insert Page Number from the context menu.

It will open a dialog to customize page number position and alignment. By default, the position is set at the bottom of the page with alignment on the right side. You can change the position to the top of the page and set the alignment to Left, Centre, Inside, or Outside.

From the same dialog box, click on Format at the bottom, and it will open another Page Number Format menu.

Here, you can change the Number format from numerical to alphabetical, Roman numbers, etc. Users can also enable Include chapter numbers for better reference and more. After making relevant changes, hit Ok at the bottom, and you will see page number appearing on the Word document.

2. Microsoft Word for Windows

Microsoft recently redesigned all the Office apps for Windows 11. The latest Office apps, including Microsoft Word, sync perfectly with the clean aesthetics of the new Windows 11.

Here are the steps to add page numbers in Microsoft Word on Windows.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word on Windows and go to the document.

Step 2: Click on Insert in the Menu bar.

Step 3: Select Page Number and glance over the page number preview. We like how Microsoft offers a live preview of page numbers from the Page Number menu itself.

Check the page number position and preview and apply it to the Word document.

You can click on Formate Page Numbers and change number format, enable chapter number, and much more for formatting. Click Ok at the bottom and apply page numbers to the Word document.

If you are frequently dealing with page numbers on Microsoft Word, you can open a blank document and add page numbers using the steps above.

Now, click on the File at the top and go to the Save As menu. Save the documents with memorable names on your computer. From now on, whenever you want to work with page numbers in Microsoft Word, you can open the saved documents and start making changes. In the end, save it as another name and keep the original document as it is.

3. Microsoft Word App for Mobile

If you are on the go and want to add page numbers at the last minute, you can do so by using Microsoft Office app on iPhone or Android.

We will use the Office iOS app as a reference here but rest assured, you can follow the same steps on Android and get the job done.

Step 1: Open the Office app on iPhone or Android.

Step 2: You will see your recently used documents in the app.

Step 3: Open a document and go to the editing mode.

Step 4: Tap on the three-dot menu on top of the keyboard.

Step 5: Tap on Home and select Insert.

Step 6: Scroll down and tap on Page Numbers.

Step 7: Check the page number position.

You can make page number customization from the Format Page Numbers menu.

Insert Page Numbers in Microsoft Word

Whether using Microsoft Word on Mac, Windows, or mobile, it’s easy to add page numbers to a Word document. In which type of documents do you need to add page numbers? Share your workflow in the comments below.