Page numbers go in the header or footer, and you add them through the Insert menu

In Apple's Pages app, page numbers live in the header or footer — the space at the top or bottom of every page that repeats automatically. You reach them through the Insert menu, not by typing directly on the page. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're using Pages on a Mac, iPad, or iPhone, but the principle is the same: you tell Pages where to put the number, and it fills in the correct number on each page without you having to type it.

Page numbers are useful when you're sharing a document with others or printing something longer than a few pages. They let readers refer to a specific page in conversation, and they help you keep pages in order if you print and the pages scatter. In a digital document you're only reading on screen, they matter less — but they don't hurt either.

Key Takeaways

  • Page numbers in Pages live in the header or footer, which you access through the Insert menu, not by typing on the page itself.
  • On a Mac, you click Insert, then Header and Footer, then choose where you want the number to appear.
  • On iPad or iPhone, you tap the paintbrush icon, then Document, then Header and Footer.
  • You can choose to hide the page number on the first page, and you can change the number format from Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) to Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) or letters.
  • Once you add a page number, it updates automatically on every page — you do not need to add it to each page separately.

Adding page numbers on a Mac

Open your document in Pages and go to the Insert menu at the top of the screen. Click Insert, then look for the option called Header and Footer. A dropdown menu will appear with choices: Header, Footer, or both. Click whichever one you want — most people choose Footer because it keeps the bottom of the page less cluttered, but either works.

Once you've chosen, a box will appear at the top or bottom of your page. Click inside that box and go back to Insert. This time, look for Page Number. Click it, and Pages will insert a number that automatically updates on every page. The number on page 1 will be 1, on page 2 will be 2, and so on. You can type text around the number if you want — for example, you could type "Page " before the number so it reads "Page 1" instead of just "1".

If you want to remove the page number from the first page (a common choice for title pages), click Insert again, then Header and Footer, then Options. Check the box that says "Hide on first page." The number will disappear from page 1 but stay on all other pages.

Adding page numbers on iPad or iPhone

Open your document and tap the paintbrush icon in the top right corner. This opens the formatting panel. Scroll down and tap Document. You'll see an option for Header and Footer — tap it to expand that section.

Tap the toggle next to Header or Footer (or both) to turn it on. A box will appear on your page. Tap inside the box, then tap Insert at the top of the keyboard. Look for Page Number and tap it. The number will appear and update automatically across all pages, just as it does on Mac.

To hide the number on the first page, stay in the Header and Footer section and look for the option "Hide on first page." Tap the toggle to turn it on.

Changing the number format

By default, Pages uses Arabic numerals — the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4. If you want a different format, you can change it. On a Mac, click Insert, then Page Number, and a submenu will appear with options: Arabic numerals, Roman numerals (i, ii, iii), uppercase Roman numerals (I, II, III), lowercase letters (a, b, c), or uppercase letters (A, B, C). Click the format you want.

On iPad or iPhone, tap the page number itself (not the box around it), then tap Insert. The same format options will appear. Tap the one you want. This is useful if you're numbering the introduction of a book with Roman numerals and the main content with Arabic numerals — you can change the format at the point where the content changes.

Starting page numbers at a number other than 1

If your document is part of a longer work — for example, if you're writing chapter 3 of a book and chapter 2 ended on page 47 — you can tell Pages to start numbering at a different number. On a Mac, click Insert, then Page Number, then Page Number Options. A box will appear where you can type the starting number.

On iPad or iPhone, tap the page number itself, then tap Insert, then Page Number Options. Type the number you want to start with. From that point forward, the numbering will count up from the number you entered.

Removing page numbers

If you decide you don't want page numbers after all, the process is straightforward. On a Mac, click Insert, then Header and Footer, then click the header or footer you added. The box will be selected. Press Delete or Backspace, and the entire header or footer — including the page number — will disappear.

On iPad or iPhone, tap the header or footer box, then tap Delete. The box and its contents will be removed. If you only want to remove the page number but keep the header or footer for other text, select just the page number and delete it, leaving the rest of the box intact.

Troubleshooting common issues

If your page number isn't showing up, check that you've actually inserted it into the header or footer box — not just typed it on the page itself. Page numbers must live in the header or footer to update automatically. If you typed a number directly on the page, it will stay the same on every page, which defeats the purpose.

If the page number appears on the first page and you don't want it there, make sure you've turned on the "Hide on first page" option. This is straightforward to miss, especially on iPad or iPhone where the option is nested inside the Header and Footer settings.

If you're working on a document with multiple sections and want different numbering in each section, Pages handles this through section breaks. Insert a section break where you want the numbering to change, then adjust the page number settings for that section. This is an advanced feature, but it's available in the Insert menu under Section Break.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put page numbers in the header instead of the footer?

Yes. When you go to Insert and choose Header and Footer, select Header instead of Footer. The page number will appear at the top of every page. Some people prefer this for formal documents, though footer is more common.

What if I want the page number to say "Page 1 of 10" instead of just "1"?

On a Mac, click in the header or footer box, type "Page ", then Insert, then Page Number. Then type " of " and go to Insert again. Look for Page Count (not Page Number) and click it. This will show the total number of pages. On iPad or iPhone, follow the same steps but tap instead of click.

Do page numbers show up when I print the document?

Yes. Page numbers in the header or footer will print just as they appear on screen. If you want to print without page numbers, you'll need to remove them from the header or footer before printing, or delete them after printing.

Can I use a different page number format in different parts of the same document?

Yes, but it requires using section breaks. Insert a section break where you want the format to change, then adjust the page number format for that section. This is available through Insert, then Section Break, but it's a more advanced feature.

What's the difference between a header and a footer?

A header appears at the top of every page, and a footer appears at the bottom. They're identical in function — the only difference is placement. You can use both in the same document if you want information at both the top and bottom of each page.