What you need to know before you start

Creating letterhead in Word means building a template that holds your name, address, phone number, and logo in the same place every time you open a new letter. Word does this well because it lets you lock those elements in the header — the space at the top of every page — so they stay put while you type the letter itself below.

The process takes about 10 to 15 minutes and requires only the built-in tools Word already has. You do not need to buy add-ons or learn design software. Once you finish, you save the file as a template, and every new letter you create will have your letterhead already in place.

The main decision you face is whether to use Word's header feature (the simplest route for text-only letterhead) or the table method (better if you want your logo, name, and contact details arranged side by side). Both work. The header method is faster; the table method gives you more control over layout.

Key Takeaways

  • Letterhead in Word lives in the header, which appears at the top of every page automatically once you set it up.
  • The fastest approach is to type your information directly into the header, format it, and then save the file as a Word template (.dotx) rather than a regular document.
  • If you want a logo, address, and name arranged in columns, use a borderless table in the header instead of plain text.
  • Once saved as a template, opening that file creates a new blank document with your letterhead already in place, ready for you to type the letter body.
  • You can add a horizontal line under your letterhead using Word's border feature to separate it visually from the letter text.

Opening the header and typing your information

Start with a blank Word document. Double-click at the very top of the page, in the white space above where you normally type. Word will open the header area and show you a dashed box where you can now type. The main document behind it will dim slightly — this is normal and means you are in header-editing mode.

Type your name on the first line. Press Enter and add your street address. Press Enter again and add your city, state, and zip code. On the next line, add your phone number and email address. Do not worry about formatting yet — just get the text in.

Once all your information is typed, click somewhere in the main document (below the header area) to exit header-editing mode. You will see your letterhead appear at the top of the page. If it looks cramped or the text is too small, double-click the header again to go back and adjust.

Formatting your letterhead text

Double-click the header again to re-enter editing mode. Select all the text in the header by pressing Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac). Now you can change the font, size, and alignment all at once.

Most letterheads use a professional font like Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman in 11 or 12 point size. Your name is often larger — try 14 or 16 point — while the address and contact details stay at 11 point. To make your name larger, select just that line and increase its size using the font size dropdown in the toolbar.

Center-align your letterhead by selecting all the text and clicking the center-align button in the toolbar. This is the standard look, though left-aligned letterhead also works if you prefer. Once you are happy with how it looks, click in the main document to exit the header.

Adding a line under your letterhead

A horizontal line separates your letterhead from the letter body and makes the page look more polished. Double-click the header to enter editing mode again. Click at the end of your last line of contact information and press Enter once to create a small space.

Go to the Home tab in the toolbar. Find the Borders button (it looks like a small grid or box with lines). Click the dropdown arrow next to it and select "Horizontal Line." Word will draw a line across the page. If you want to adjust how thick the line is or change its color, right-click the line itself and choose "Borders and Shading" from the menu.

Click in the main document to exit the header. You should now see your letterhead with a line underneath it at the top of every page.

Using a table for a more complex layout

If you want your logo on the left, your name in the center, and your contact details on the right — all in one row — a table works better than plain text. Double-click the header to enter editing mode. Go to the Insert tab and click Table. Choose a 1-row, 3-column table (or however many columns you need).

Click in the left cell and paste or type your logo (if you have one as an image file, use Insert > Pictures). Click in the middle cell and type your name, formatted large and bold. Click in the right cell and type your address and phone number, left-aligned or right-aligned as you prefer.

To remove the table borders so it does not look like a grid, select the entire table by clicking and dragging across all cells. Go to the Design tab (which appears when a table is selected) and click Borders. Choose "No Border." The table structure stays — it just becomes invisible, and your information appears neatly arranged across the top of the page.

Saving your letterhead as a template

Once your letterhead looks the way you want, you need to save it as a template so that every new letter you create starts with it already in place. Go to File > Save As. In the dialog that opens, find the dropdown that says "Save as type" and change it from "Word Document (.docx)" to "Word Template (.dotx)".

Give your file a clear name like "Personal Letterhead" or "Business Letterhead." Word will automatically save it in your Templates folder. Click Save. You can now close this file.

The next time you want to write a letter, go to File > New and search for your template by name. Click it, and Word opens a new blank document with your letterhead already at the top. Type your letter below the letterhead, and when you save, it saves as a regular .docx document, not a template — so your original template stays clean and ready for the next letter.

Troubleshooting common problems

If your letterhead appears on every page but you only want it on the first page, double-click the header and look for a checkbox that says "Different First Page" on the Design tab. Check that box, and the letterhead will disappear from pages 2 and onward. This is useful for multi-page letters where you want the letterhead only at the start.

If your letterhead text is too close to the body of your letter, double-click the header and add an extra line break or two at the end. If the letterhead is too far down the page, go to File > Page Setup and adjust the "Top margin" to a smaller number — this moves the header closer to the top edge.

If you inserted a logo image and it is too large, double-click the header, click the image, and drag one of its corner handles to resize it. Hold Shift while dragging to keep the image proportional. If the image is too small, drag a corner handle outward to enlarge it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different letterhead on different pages of the same document?

Not easily. Headers explore to the entire document or to sections you create. If you need different letterhead partway through a document, you would need to insert a section break and set up a different header for that section — a more advanced technique. For most purposes, one letterhead throughout is the standard approach.

What if I want to add a colored background or border to my letterhead?

Double-click the header and select all your text. Go to Design > Page Borders (or Home > Borders, depending on your Word version). You can add a colored border around the entire header area or shade the background. Keep colors light so the text remains readable when printed.

How do I update my letterhead after I have already created letters with it?

Open the template file itself (not a letter created from it) by going to File > Open and navigating to your Templates folder. Make your changes, save the template, and close it. New letters created from the template will have the updated letterhead. Existing letters you already wrote will not change — they have their own copy of the old letterhead.

Can I create multiple letterhead templates for different purposes?

Yes. Save each one as a separate .dotx template with a different name — for example, "Personal Letterhead" and "Business Letterhead." When you go to File > New, you will see both templates listed, and you can choose which one to use for each new letter.

What happens if I accidentally edit the letterhead while writing a letter?

If you double-click the header by mistake while typing a letter, you enter header-editing mode and can change the letterhead. straightforward click back in the main document to return to writing. If you made unwanted changes to the letterhead, press Ctrl+Z to undo them. The letterhead in your template file stays unchanged — only this particular letter is affected.