Microsoft Word is the preferred choice for many, especially those subscribing to the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. After writing a document, novel, or essay, you may want to print it out for later use. Before that, you need to 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 handing it over to other people. Make it easy for others to refer to the material without getting lost in the words. Microsoft uses a slightly different user interface for Mac and Windows. On Android and iPhone, Word is now part of the only Office application that Microsoft released a couple of years ago.
We will cover the three Microsoft Word applications on Mac, Windows, and Mobile. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
1. Microsoft Word for Mac
Microsoft Word for Mac recently got a nice makeover. The app looks and feels native and is also compatible with the latest M1 chip. 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 in context menu.
A dialog box will open to customize the position and alignment of the page number. By default, the position is set to the bottom of the page with the alignment on the right side. You can change the position to the top of the page and set the alignment to Left, Center, Inner, or Outer.
From the same dialog, click Format at the bottom and another Page Number Format menu will open.
Here, you can change the number format from numeric to alphabetic, Roman numerals, etc. Users can also enable Include chapter numbers for better reference and more. After making the relevant changes, hit OK at the bottom and you will see the page number displayed in the Word document.
2. Microsoft Word for Windows
Microsoft recently redesigned all Office applications for Windows 11. The latest Office applications, including Microsoft Word, perfectly sync 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 in Windows and go to the document.
Step 2: Click Insert on the menu bar.
Step 3: Select Page Number and take a look at the page number preview. We like how Microsoft offers a live preview of page numbers from the Page Number menu.
Check the position of the page number and preview and apply it to the Word document.
You can click Format Page Numbers and change the format of the number, enable the chapter number, and much more to format. Click OK at the bottom and apply the page numbers to the Word document.
If you frequently work with page numbers in Microsoft Word, you can open a blank document and add page numbers by following the steps above.
Now, click on the File at the top and go to the Save As menu. Save documents with memorable names on your computer. From now on, whenever you want to work with page numbers in Microsoft Word, you can open saved documents and start making changes. In the end, save it under another name and keep the original document as it is.
3. Microsoft Word application for mobile devices
If you are on the go and want to add page numbers at the last minute, you can do so using the Microsoft Office app on iPhone or Android.
We’ll use the Office iOS app for reference here, but rest assured, you can follow the same steps on Android and get the job done.
Step 1: Open the Office application on iPhone or Android.
Step 2: You will see your recently used documents in the application.
Step 3: Open a document and go to edit mode.
Step 4: Tap on the three-dot menu at the top of the keyboard.
Step 5: Tap Home and select Insert.
Step 6: Scroll down and tap Page Numbers.
Step 7: Check the position of the page number.
You can customize the page number from the Page Number Format menu.
Insert page numbers in Microsoft Word
Whether you’re using Microsoft Word on Mac, Windows, or mobile devices, it’s easy to add page numbers to a Word document. In what types of documents do you need to add page numbers? Share your workflow in the comments below.
