How to Link Sections in Word: Headers, Footers and Page Numbers

In Microsoft Word, “linking sections” usually means controlling whether a section’s header and footer follow the previous section. Every new section starts linked (Word shows Same as Previous), so changes flow through the whole document. This guide shows how to add section breaks, link or unlink headers and footers, restart page numbers, and fix the common problems, in Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021/2019/2016 and Word for Mac.

Quick Answer

Double-click the header or footer in the section you want to change. On the Header & Footer tab, click Link to Previous to turn it on (linked) or off (independent). When it is on, the header shows a Same as Previous label.

Step 1: Add Section Breaks

Headers can only differ between sections, so first split the document where you need a change.

1. Click where the new section should begin.
2. Go to Layout > Breaks.
3. Under Section Breaks, choose Next Page (new section on a new page), Continuous (same page), Even Page or Odd Page.
4. Turn on Home > Show/Hide ¶ (Ctrl+Shift+8) to see the Section Break markers.

Step 2: Link or Unlink the Header and Footer

1. Double-click the header area of the first page of the new section. The label will read something like Header -Section 2-.
2. On the Header & Footer tab (called Design under Header & Footer Tools in older versions), click Link to Previous.
3. Highlighted = linked (Same as Previous appears). Not highlighted = unlinked.
4. Click Go to Footer and repeat. Headers and footers are linked separately.
5. Edit the header or footer. Unlinked sections keep their own text; linked sections update together.
6. Click Close Header and Footer or press Esc.

Tip: unlinking copies the current content into the section, so nothing disappears until you edit it.

Step 3: Restart or Continue Page Numbers

1. In the new section’s header or footer, click Page Number > Format Page Numbers.
2. Choose Start at and type 1 to restart, or Continue from previous section.
3. Change the number format (i, ii, iii or 1, 2, 3) here too, which is useful for front matter.

Page numbering is set per section even when the footers are linked.

Different First Page and Odd/Even Pages

Different First Page and Different Odd & Even Pages create additional headers in each section (First Page Header, Even Page Header and so on). Each has its own Link to Previous setting, so check every one when a header will not change.

Word for Mac

The steps are the same: Layout > Breaks, then double-click the header and use Link to Previous on the Header & Footer tab.

Other Ways to “Link” in Word

• Link to a section heading: select text, press Ctrl+K, choose Place in This Document and pick a heading or bookmark.
• Cross-reference: References > Cross-reference inserts a clickable reference to a heading, figure or bookmark that updates automatically.
• Link text boxes: select a text box, then Shape Format > Create Link and click an empty text box so text flows between them.

Heading styles often include bold. See how to remove bold formatting from text or a style.

Section breaks are also how you change a running head partway through. See how to make a running header in Word.

Related: How to Remove the Header From the 2nd Page in Word.

Troubleshooting

• Link to Previous is grayed out: you are in Section 1, which has no previous section.
• Changing one header changes all of them: the section is still linked. Turn off Link to Previous in that section (and in the next section if it should stay different).
• Header disappeared after deleting a break: deleting a section break makes the text before it take the formatting of the following section. Press Ctrl+Z to undo.
• Landscape page: put Next Page breaks before and after the page, then set Layout > Orientation for that section only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I link a later section back to a section that isn’t directly before it?

No. Link to Previous always refers to the section immediately before. To reuse text, copy it or use a building block.

Does Word for the web support this?

Word for the web can edit headers and footers and has some options for different first and odd/even pages, but section-level linking is most reliable in the desktop app.

How do I see which section I’m in?

Right-click the status bar and turn on Section.

Summary

1. Insert a section break from Layout > Breaks.
2. Double-click the new section’s header or footer.
3. Toggle Link to Previous on the Header & Footer tab.
4. Set page numbering in Format Page Numbers.