Sometimes, you don’t want your Word document’s page numbers to start on the first page. For example, you may want the first page to be a cover page or title page and begin numbering from the second or third page. Microsoft Word 2013 makes it easy to start page numbering later in your document.
This step-by-step guide will help you set it up quickly and correctly.
Why Start Page Numbering Later?
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To skip the cover or title page
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To have separate sections with different numbering
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For professional documents like reports, theses, or eBooks
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To maintain clean and organized formatting
Step 1: Insert a Section Break
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Open your Word 2013 document.
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Place the cursor at the end of the page before you want numbering to start.
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Go to the Page Layout tab.
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Click Breaks → Under Section Breaks, select Next Page.
This creates a new section where numbering can start independently.
Step 2: Insert Page Numbers
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Click anywhere in the new section.
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Go to the Insert tab → Click Page Number.
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Choose the location and style for your page numbers (Top, Bottom, etc.).
Step 3: Unlink from Previous Section
By default, Word links sections together, so numbering continues from the first section. You need to break this link.
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Double-click the header or footer where the page number appears.
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In the Header & Footer Tools Design tab, click Link to Previous to turn it off.
This ensures numbering starts fresh in this section.
Step 4: Set the Starting Page Number
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With the page number selected, click Page Number → Format Page Numbers.
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In the dialog box, select Start at: and enter the number you want (usually 1).
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Click OK.
Now, numbering will begin on this page, leaving previous pages unnumbered.
Step 5: Finalize Your Document
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Close the header/footer by clicking Close Header and Footer.
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Scroll through your document to ensure numbering starts exactly where you want it.
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Adjust formatting if necessary for consistent look.
Tips for Professional Documents
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Use different header/footer styles for separate sections if needed.
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Always insert section breaks, not page breaks, when changing numbering.
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Check for extra blank pages caused by section breaks.
Final Thoughts
Starting page numbering later in Word 2013 is simple once you understand sections and links. By following these steps, you can create polished documents where the cover, introduction, or table of contents remains unnumbered while the main content is numbered correctly.