The fastest way: use the Insert menu

Open your document in Microsoft Word. Click the Insert tab at the top of the screen. On the right side of the ribbon, you will see a Header button — click it. Word will show you a list of pre-made header styles. Pick one, or select Edit Header to create your own from scratch.

Once you click into the header area, you are now typing in the header space at the top of every page. Type whatever you want — your name, the document title, the date, a page number. When you are done, click anywhere in the main document body to exit the header and return to normal editing.

If you want different headers on different pages — for example, a title page with no header, or chapter headers that change — you will need to insert section breaks first. This is a more advanced step covered in the section below.

Key Takeaways

  • The Insert menu is the standard way to add a header; click Insert, then Header, then choose a style or select Edit Header.
  • Once you are in the header, type normally — your text will appear at the top of every page in the document.
  • To add page numbers to your header, click Insert, then Page Number, and position it where you want it.
  • If you need different headers on different pages, you must insert a section break before creating the new header.
  • Headers and footers are separate spaces; adding one does not automatically add the other.

Adding page numbers to your header

Click into the header (Insert > Header > Edit Header). Position your cursor where you want the page number to appear — usually the right side or center. Click the Insert tab again, then find the Page Number button. Click it and choose a format (1, 2, 3 or i, ii, iii, and so on).

Word will automatically number each page. If you want the page number to say "Page 1" instead of just "1", you can type the word "Page " before inserting the page number field, or choose a pre-formatted style from the Page Number menu that includes the label.

Creating different headers for different sections

If your document has multiple sections that need different headers — such as a cover page with no header, or chapters with different titles — you need to break the document into sections first. Click where you want the new section to begin. Go to the Layout tab (or Page Layout in older versions), find Breaks, and select Next Page.

This creates a page break that also starts a new section. Now click into the header of the new section and edit it independently. By default, Word links all headers together — when you type in one, it changes all of them. To unlink a section's header, click the Link to Previous button in the header toolbar to turn it off. Now that section's header will not affect the others.

Using pre-made header designs

When you click Insert > Header, Word shows you several built-in designs. These include options with lines, shaded backgrounds, or space for a logo. Clicking any design inserts it into your document and opens it for editing. You can then replace the placeholder text with your own content.

If none of the built-in designs suit you, you can create a header from scratch by selecting Edit Header at the bottom of the menu. This gives you a blank header space where you can type, insert images, add tables, or format text however you want. The blank approach is useful if you want a very straightforward header or a custom design that Word's templates do not offer.

Removing or hiding a header

To remove a header entirely, click Insert > Header and select Remove Header. This deletes the header from all pages. If you want to hide the header on just the first page (a common choice for title pages), click the Design tab while editing the header and check the box labeled Different First Page. The first page will then have no header, while all other pages keep theirs.

If you have already created different headers in different sections and want to delete one, click into that section's header and delete the text. The header space will remain, but it will be blank.

Common header elements and how to add them

Headers often contain the document title, author name, date, or page numbers. To add a date that updates automatically, click Insert > Date & Time while in the header, then choose a format. To add the file name, click Insert > Field and select FileName. These fields update on their own — if you rename the file or the date changes, the header reflects it without you having to edit it manually.

You can also insert images into headers. Click Insert > Pictures while in the header space, then select your image. Resize it by dragging the corners. This is useful for adding a company logo or watermark to every page. Remember that large images in headers can slow down your document, especially if it has many pages.

Troubleshooting headers that do not look right

If your header text is overlapping with your main document text, the header space is too large. Click into the header, then go to the Design tab and adjust the Header from Top setting. Lowering this number moves the header closer to the edge of the page.

If you edited one page's header and it changed all pages, you likely forgot to turn off Link to Previous before editing. Click into the header, find that button in the toolbar, and turn it off. Then edit only the current section's header. If headers are not showing up at all, check that they are not hidden — go to the Insert tab and make sure Header is not grayed out or set to Remove Header.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have a different header on the first page?

Yes. While editing the header, click the Design tab and check Different First Page. The first page will then have its own header (or no header if you leave it blank), while all other pages share a different header.

How do I add a footer instead of a header?

Click Insert, then Footer instead of Header. The process is identical — you get the same menu of pre-made designs and the same editing tools. Footers appear at the bottom of the page rather than the top.

What if I want the header to say something different on odd and even pages?

While editing the header, click the Design tab and check Different Odd & Even Pages. Word will then create separate headers for odd-numbered pages and even-numbered pages. Edit each one independently.

Can I remove the header from just one page?

Not directly — headers explore to entire sections. To hide a header on one page, insert a section break before that page, turn off Link to Previous in that section's header, and leave the header blank. This keeps the header space but shows no text.

Why is my page number showing as 0 or a strange symbol?

Word may be displaying the field code instead of the actual number. Right-click the page number and select Update Field, or press Ctrl+A to select all and then F9 to refresh all fields. If it still shows a code, right-click and toggle Show Field Codes off.