Remove page numbers by going to Insert, then Header and Footer, then Page Number, then Remove Page Numbers

The fastest way to delete page numbering in Microsoft Word is through the Insert menu. Click Insert at the top of your document, find the Header & Footer section, click Page Number, and then select Remove Page Numbers. This works in Word 2016, Word 2019, Word for Microsoft 365, and Word Online.

If you cannot see a Remove Page Numbers option, it means your document does not have page numbers yet. Page numbers only appear in the header or footer area of your document — the space at the very top or very bottom of each page. If you see numbers at the margins or in the main text area, those are not page numbers and require a different approach.

The removal is when ready and applies to your entire document at once. You do not need to delete page numbers from each page individually.

Key Takeaways

  • Page numbers live in the header or footer area, not in the main text of your document.
  • Use Insert > Header & Footer > Page Number > Remove Page Numbers to delete them all at once.
  • If you only want to remove page numbers from certain pages, you can break the document into sections and remove them from specific sections only.
  • Deleting page numbers does not affect the rest of your document's formatting or content.

Why page numbers appear in the header or footer

When you insert page numbers in Word, they go into the header (top of page) or footer (bottom of page) by default. These areas are separate from your main document text. That is why you cannot straightforward select and delete a page number the way you would delete regular text — Word treats headers and footers as special zones.

This separation is actually useful. It means page numbers stay consistent across your entire document without you having to type them on each page. But it also means you have to access them through the Insert menu rather than just highlighting and pressing Delete.

Step-by-step removal in Word for Windows and Mac

For Word 2016, 2019, or Microsoft 365 on Windows: Open your document. Click the Insert tab at the top. In the Header & Footer group, click Page Number. A dropdown menu appears. At the bottom, click Remove Page Numbers. The page numbers disappear from your entire document.

For Word on Mac: Open your document. Click Insert in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Click Page Number. A dropdown menu appears. Click Remove Page Numbers. The page numbers disappear from your entire document.

For Word Online: Open your document. Click Insert at the top. Click Page Numbers. Click Remove Page Numbers. If you do not see a Remove option, click elsewhere in the document to close the menu, then try again — Word Online sometimes requires a second attempt.

Removing page numbers from only some pages

Sometimes you want to keep page numbers on most pages but remove them from your title page or first page. Word lets you do this by breaking your document into sections and removing page numbers from specific sections only.

To do this, place your cursor at the beginning of the page where you want page numbers to stop. Go to Layout (or Page Layout in older versions), click Breaks, and select Next Page. This creates a section break. Now go to Insert > Header & Footer > Page Number and remove the page numbers from this new section only. The page numbers remain on earlier sections.

This approach requires a bit more work but gives you precise control. If you only need to hide the page number on your title page, many templates offer a simpler option: go to Insert > Header & Footer, check the box for Different First Page, and leave the first page's header or footer blank.

What happens to your document after you remove page numbers

Removing page numbers does not change anything else in your document. Your text stays the same, your formatting stays the same, and your margins stay the same. The only thing that disappears is the automatic numbering that appeared at the top or bottom of each page.

If you change your mind and want page numbers back, you can add them again using the same Insert menu. Word does not prevent you from adding and removing page numbers as many times as you need.

Common reasons page numbers do not disappear

If you clicked Remove Page Numbers and the numbers are still there, one of a few things may have happened. First, check that you are looking at the actual page numbers in the header or footer, not numbers you typed manually into the document text. Manual numbers require you to select and delete them like any other text.

Second, if your document uses sections, you may have removed page numbers from only one section. Click in the header or footer area of a different page and check whether page numbers are still there. If they are, repeat the removal process on that section.

Third, if you are using Word Online and the Remove option does not appear, try refreshing your browser and opening the document again. Word Online occasionally requires a refresh to show all menu options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove page numbers from just the first page?

Yes. Go to Insert > Header & Footer, check Different First Page, and leave the first page's header or footer blank. Page numbers will appear on all other pages but not on page one.

What if I see numbers in the margin but they are not in the header or footer?

Those are likely line numbers, not page numbers. Line numbers are used in legal and academic documents to mark each line. Remove them by going to Layout > Line Numbers and selecting None.

Do I have to remove page numbers before printing?

No. Whether you print with or without page numbers is your choice. Removing them from the document itself is permanent, but you can always add them back later if you need them.

Will removing page numbers affect my document's page count?

No. Page numbers are only visual markers. Removing them does not change how many pages your document actually contains or how it prints.

Can I remove page numbers from a PDF I created in Word?

No. Once you save a Word document as a PDF, the page numbers are locked into the image. You would need to remove them from the Word document first, then save it as a PDF again.