Delete a header by opening the header area and clearing the text

To remove a header from a Google Docs document, double-click in the header space at the top of the page, select all the text inside it, and delete it. The header area itself disappears once it is empty. This works the same way whether your header contains text, page numbers, or both.

If you have already closed the header area and cannot see it, go to Insert in the menu bar, then select Header & page number, then Header. This opens the header for editing. Once it is open, select all the content (Ctrl+A on Windows, Cmd+A on Mac), press Delete or Backspace, and the header is gone.

Key Takeaways

  • Double-click at the top of any page to open the header area for editing.
  • Select all text in the header with Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac), then press Delete to remove it.
  • The header disappears from the entire document once the area is empty — you do not need to delete it from each page separately.
  • If you want to keep a header on some pages but not others, use the Different first page or Different odd and even pages option instead of deleting the whole header.

Opening the header when you cannot see it

If your document has a header but you do not see it on the screen, it may be because the view is zoomed in or the header area is collapsed. The fastest way to access it is through the menu. Click Insert at the top, then hover over Header & page number, and click Header.

Google Docs will open the header area at the top of the first page, and the rest of the document will dim slightly to show you are editing the header. You can now select and delete the content. When you are done, click anywhere in the main document body to close the header and return to normal editing.

Removing headers from specific pages only

If you want to keep a header on most pages but remove it from the first page or from certain sections, do not delete the entire header. Instead, use the Different first page option. Open the header, then go to Insert > Header & page number > Header, and look for the Options button on the right side of the header area.

Click Options and check the box next to Different first page. This creates a separate header for page one, which you can leave blank while keeping the header on all other pages. If you need different headers for odd and even pages (for example, in a book-like layout), use the Different odd and even pages option instead.

What happens to page numbers when you delete a header

If your header contained page numbers, deleting the header removes those page numbers from the document. If you want to keep page numbers but remove other header content, edit the header instead of deleting it — select only the text you want gone and leave the page number field in place.

To add page numbers back later without a header, go to Insert > Page number and choose where you want them to appear (top of page, bottom of page, or margins). This places page numbers outside the header area, so they are independent of any header content.

Headers in documents with multiple sections

If you have used section breaks in your document, each section can have its own header. Deleting a header in one section does not affect headers in other sections. To delete a header from a specific section only, double-click in that section's header area and clear the content.

If you want all sections to have the same header, make sure the Link to previous button is active (it appears as a button in the header editing area). If sections are linked, editing the header in one section updates it everywhere. If they are not linked, you must delete the header in each section separately.

Troubleshooting: Header will not delete

If you delete the header content but the header area remains visible, check whether Different first page is turned on. When this option is active, the first page has its own header space that may appear empty while other pages still have content. Open the header on page two to see if content is there, and delete it from that location.

Another reason a header might seem stuck is if the document is in Suggesting mode (used for tracked changes). In this mode, deletions appear as strikethrough rather than disappearing. Click the pencil icon in the top right and switch to Editing mode to make permanent changes. If you are viewing a shared document and do not have editing permission, you will not be able to delete the header at all — ask the document owner to give you editor access.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does deleting a header remove it from all pages at once?

Yes. When you delete the content from a header, it disappears from every page in the document automatically. You do not need to delete it page by page. The only exception is if you have used section breaks and the sections are not linked to each other — in that case, each section's header is separate.

Can I delete a header but keep the page numbers?

Not if the page numbers are inside the header. You would need to delete the header and then add page numbers separately through Insert > Page number. This places them outside the header area. If you want to keep some header content and remove only part of it, edit the header instead of deleting it entirely.

What if I delete the header by mistake?

Press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Z (Mac) when ready to undo the deletion. If you have made other changes since then, you can still undo by pressing the keyboard shortcut multiple times or by clicking the undo arrow in the toolbar until the header reappears.

Why does my header still show after I deleted it?

The header area may still be visible because you are in header editing mode. Click anywhere in the main document body to close the header and return to normal view. If the header content is truly gone but the space remains, this is normal — Google Docs will hide the empty header space once you close and reopen the document.