How to insert page number excluding cover page

Adding page numbers in a Word document is important because it helps keep the content organized and easy to navigate. When a document is long, page numbers make it simple to locate specific sections or take a printout of a particular page.

Page numbering also adds a professional touch to reports, projects, assignments, and booklets. Whether the document is in digital form or printed on paper, page numbers are equally useful in both cases.

That’s why including page numbers in a Word document is not just helpful—it’s essential.

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What Is a Cover Page in Word and Why Skip Numbering It

In Microsoft Word, the first page of a document is usually the cover page. It typically includes important information such as the title, author’s name, date, and the name of the institution.

This page is designed separately to give the document a professional look. Generally, a cover page does not include a page number because it is not considered part of the main content.

To keep the document clean, well-organized, and professional, the cover page is left without numbering. That’s why it’s often necessary to remove the page number from the cover page.

Step-by-Step Guide to Insert Page Numbers excluding cover page 

There are two main methods you can use to remove page numbers from the cover page in Microsoft Word:

• Using the Different First Page option
• Using Section Breaks

Method 1: Remove Page Number Using "Different First Page" Option

Follow these steps to remove the page number from the cover page using "Different First Page" Option:

1. Open the Word document where you want to remove the page number from the first page.

2. Double-click on the page number on the first page (the cover page).

This will open the Header or Footer edit mode, and you’ll see the Design tab appear on the ribbon.

3. In the Options group of the Design tab, check the box that says “Different First Page.”

As soon as you check this box, the page number will automatically disappear from the first page, while it remains on the following pages.

Click on Close Header and Footer to exit the edit mode.

Now you’ll see that the page number is removed from the cover page but is still visible on the rest of the pages.

Method 2: Remove Page Number Using Section Breaks

Follow these steps to remove the page number from the cover page using section breaks:

1. Open the Word document where you want to remove the page number from the cover page.

2. Place the cursor at the end of the cover page. Then, go to the Layout tab in the top ribbon, click on Breaks, and choose Next Page under Section Breaks.

3. This will divide the document into two sections — the first section contains only the cover page, and the second section includes the rest of the document.

4. Now go to the second page (the page after the cover page), and double-click in the Header or  Footer area. Under the Design tab, in the Navigation group, click 'Link to Previous' to disconnect it from the previous section.

5. Go back to the cover page and delete the page number.
The page number will be removed only from the cover page, while it will stay intact on all other pages.

Using this method, you can successfully exclude the cover page from page numbering while keeping page numbers on the remaining pages of the document.

When to Use "Different First Page" vs. Section Breaks

Use "Different First Page" When:

Use the Different First Page option when your document is short, and you only want to remove the page number from the cover page while keeping the same formatting for all other pages. This method is quick and simple.

Examples include:

• Assignments
• Resumes
• Short reports
• One-page documents

Use Section Breaks When:

Use Section Breaks if your document is long and divided into multiple sections (such as chapters), and you need different headers or footers in each section. It’s especially helpful when:

• The cover page should not have a page number
• The rest of the document should continue numbering
• You want the numbering to start from 1 on the second page

Examples include:

• Thesis
• Project reports
• Books
• Research papers

This method is more professional and best suited for large documents.

Troubleshooting: Page Number Not Hiding on the Cover Page?

If the page number still appears on the cover page, it could be due to one of the following reasons:

• You forgot to enable the "Different First Page" option.
• You manually deleted the page number in the header or footer without separating sections properly.

Optional: Start Page Numbering from 1 on the Second Page

When you use the “Different First Page” option, Word will automatically start numbering from 2 on the second page (since it treats the cover page as page 1 but hides the number). However, sometimes you may want the second page to display page number 1 instead.

Follow the steps below to do this.

1. Open the Word document where you want to remove the page number from the cover page and start numbering from 1 on the second page.

3. Go to the Insert tab in the ribbon and click on Page Number → then select Format Page Numbers.

4. A new window named Format Page Numbers will open. Check the option labeled "Start at:" and enter 0 in the box. Then click OK.

5. Now, the cover page will be labeled as page 0, and the second page will be labeled as page 1.

6. Next, follow the same steps as earlier to remove the page number from the cover page using the Different First Page option.

To do this, double-click on the page number (0) on the cover page. This will open the Header or Footer in edit mode and show the Design tab.
In the Options group of the Design tab, check the box for "Different First Page."

Once you enable this option, the page number (0) will automatically be removed from the cover page, and page number 1 will appear on the second page.
Finally, click on Close Header and Footer to exit the editing mode.

Now, the cover page will have no page number, and the second page will correctly start with page number 

 If you want to show different headers on different pages, check this guide: Add header on specific pages in MS Word

Note:

If you’re okay with page numbering starting from 2 on page 2, you can skip the above steps. However, for formal documents, it is common to start page numbering from 1 on the second page.