Title pages and cover pages usually should not show a page number, but Word adds page numbers to every page by default. The fix is a single checkbox called Different First Page. This guide shows how to use it in Word 2013 (the steps are the same in Word 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365), how to start numbering at 1 on the second page, and how to skip numbers on more than one page using section breaks.
Quick Answer
Double-click the header or footer on the first page to open it. On the Header & Footer Tools Design tab (called Header & Footer in newer versions), check Different First Page. The page number disappears from page 1, and the rest of the pages keep their numbers.
Step-by-Step: Remove the Page Number From the First Page
- Open your document and go to the first page.
- Double-click in the header or footer area where the page number appears. The Design tab under Header & Footer Tools opens.
- In the Options group, check Different First Page.
- If the number still appears on page 1, select it in the First Page Footer (or header) and press Delete.
- Click Close Header and Footer, or double-click the body of the document.
Alternative: go to Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers, or open Layout > Page Setup dialog launcher, click the Layout tab, and check Different first page under Headers and footers.
Start Numbering at 1 on the Second Page
After hiding the number on page 1, the second page still shows 2. To make it show 1:
- Go to Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers.
- Under Page numbering, select Start at and enter 0.
- Click OK.
Page 1 is now numbered 0 (and hidden), so page 2 shows 1.
Skip Page Numbers on Several Pages (Section Breaks)
If you have a title page plus a table of contents or abstract, use a section break so numbering starts later:
- Click at the end of the last page that should not have a number.
- Go to Page Layout > Breaks > Next Page (under Section Breaks). In newer versions, it is Layout > Breaks.
- Double-click the footer on the first page of the new section.
- Click Link to Previous to turn it off. This separates the new section's footer from the previous one.
- Insert or keep the page number in this section, then use Format Page Numbers > Start at 1.
- Go back to the first section's footer and delete the page number there.
Turn on Show/Hide ¶ (Ctrl + Shift + 8) on the Home tab to see section breaks.
Use Roman Numerals for Front Matter
For reports and theses, you may want i, ii, iii for the front pages and 1, 2, 3 for the main text. After separating sections as above, open Format Page Numbers in the first section and choose i, ii, iii as the number format. In the second section, choose 1, 2, 3 and Start at 1.
Troubleshooting
The page number disappeared from every page
You may have deleted the number from the main footer instead of the First Page Footer. Click Undo, or reinsert page numbers on page 2 with Insert > Page Number.
Different First Page removed my header too
That setting gives page 1 its own header and footer. Add any header text you want on page 1 in the First Page Header.
Changes affect the wrong section
Make sure Link to Previous is off in the section you are editing. When it is on, edits carry across sections.
Numbers restart unexpectedly
Check Format Page Numbers in each section and choose Continue from previous section where needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I remove the page number from the first page in Word?
Double-click the header or footer and check Different First Page.
Will this affect other pages?
No. Only the first page of that section changes.
How do I do this in Word for Mac?
Double-click the footer, then check Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab.
Can I remove page numbers from the last page?
Yes. Insert a section break before the last page, turn off Link to Previous in its footer, and delete the number there.
Summary
- Double-click the header or footer on page 1.
- Check Different First Page.
- Use Format Page Numbers > Start at 0 to make page 2 show 1.
- Use section breaks with Link to Previous off to skip numbers on several pages.
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.