Line numbers in the margin make it easy to point to an exact spot in a document, for example “see line 42.” Lawyers, editors, teachers, screenwriters, and peer reviewers use them all the time. Word can add line numbers to a whole document, restart them on each page or section, skip specific paragraphs, and count by 5s or 10s. This guide covers every option in Word for Windows and Mac, how to format the numbers, and why line numbers sometimes do not show up.
Quick Answer
Go to the Layout tab (called Page Layout in Word 2013 and 2010), click Line Numbers, and choose Continuous. To number only part of a document, restart numbering, or count by 5s, choose Line Numbering Options instead. To remove them, choose None.
How to Add Line Numbers in Word
- Make sure you are in Print Layout view (View > Print Layout). Line numbers don’t appear in Web Layout, Read Mode, or Draft view.
- Click the Layout tab.
- In the Page Setup group, click Line Numbers.
- Choose an option from the table below.
The steps are the same in Word for Mac: Layout > Line Numbers.
Line Number Options Explained
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| None | Removes line numbers from the current section |
| Continuous | Numbers every line from start to finish |
| Restart Each Page | Starts again at 1 on every page, which is common for legal pleadings and scripts |
| Restart Each Section | Starts again at 1 after each section break |
| Suppress for Current Paragraph | Skips the selected paragraphs, such as headings or block quotes |
| Line Numbering Options | Opens settings for the start number, distance from text, and count interval |
Customize Line Numbers (Start At, Count By, Distance)
- Click Layout > Line Numbers > Line Numbering Options.
- On the Layout tab of the Page Setup dialog, click Line Numbers….
- Check Add line numbering, then set:
- Start at: the first number, for example 1 or 100.
- From text: the gap between the numbers and the text. Auto is usually fine.
- Count by: show every line number (1), or only every 5th or 10th line.
- Numbering: Restart each page, Restart each section, or Continuous.
- Click OK twice.
Add Line Numbers to Only Part of a Document
Line numbering is a section setting, so you need section breaks around the part you want numbered:
- Click at the start of the part to number and choose Layout > Breaks > Next Page (or Continuous to stay on the same page).
- Add another section break at the end of the part.
- Click inside the middle section and choose Layout > Line Numbers > Continuous or Restart Each Section.
Alternatively, turn on numbering for the whole document and use Suppress for Current Paragraph on the parts you want to skip.
Change the Font, Size, or Color of Line Numbers
Line numbers use a hidden built-in style called Line Number:
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S to open the Styles pane (or click the small arrow in the Styles group on the Home tab).
- Click Options, set Select styles to show to All styles, and click OK.
- Find Line Number, click its arrow, and choose Modify.
- Change the font, size, or color. Choose New documents based on this template only if you want the change everywhere.
What Gets Numbered (and What Doesn’t)
- Numbered: normal body text lines, including blank lines created by pressing Enter.
- Not numbered: tables, footnotes, endnotes, text boxes, headers, and footers.
- Line numbers print with the document and appear in PDFs saved from Word.
How to Remove Line Numbers
Select the whole document with Ctrl + A (Cmd + A on Mac) so every section is included. Then choose Layout > Line Numbers > None. If some numbers remain, a paragraph may have Suppress line numbers turned off in another section. Repeat the step with each section selected.
Troubleshooting
Line Numbers is greyed out
You are probably in Web Layout, Read Mode, or Draft view, or the document is protected. Switch to Print Layout and check Review > Restrict Editing.
Numbers appear only on some pages
The document has several sections with different settings. Select all and apply the option again.
Numbers skip certain paragraphs
Those paragraphs have line numbers suppressed. Select them, open Home > Paragraph settings, and on the Line and Page Breaks tab, uncheck Suppress line numbers.
Line numbers overlap the text or are cut off
Increase the left margin, or change From text in Line Numbering Options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add line numbers in Word for the web?
Word for the web has limited support for line numbers. Open the file in the Word desktop app to add or change them. Numbers added in the desktop app are kept in the file.
Can I put line numbers on the right side?
Not directly. Word always places them in the left margin, or the inside margin for right-to-left text.
Do line numbers count toward the word count?
No. Line numbers are not part of the text.
Summary
- Switch to Print Layout.
- Choose Layout > Line Numbers > Continuous, or a restart option.
- Use Line Numbering Options for the start number and count interval.
- Suppress paragraphs or use section breaks to number only part of a document.
- Select all and choose None to remove them.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.