How To Add Custom Page Numbers In Google Docs (Easy Guide)

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Published on November 11, 2025

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Adding page numbers to your Google Docs can greatly improve the readability and organization of your documents, especially for longer reports, essays, or books. While Google Docs offers a simple page numbering feature, you can also customize these numbers to start at a specific page, use different formats, or even exclude the title page. This guide will walk you through the process of adding and customizing page numbers to suit your specific needs.

Customizing page numbers in Google Docs allows you to create professional-looking documents tailored to your requirements. Whether you need to start numbering from the second page, use Roman numerals, or simply adjust the position of the page numbers, Google Docs provides the flexibility you need. Let’s explore the easy steps to achieve this.

How Do I Customize Page Numbers in Google Docs?

Adding Basic Page Numbers

Click Insert in the top menu.
Select Page numbers.
Choose your desired position:

Top of page: Numbers will appear in the header.
Bottom of page: Numbers will appear in the footer.

Select whether you want numbers on all pages or to skip the first page.

Starting Page Numbers From a Specific Page

Click Insert in the top menu.
Select Page numbers.
Choose Start at….
Enter the desired starting page number.

Using Different Page Number Formats

Click Insert in the top menu.
Select Header & footer.
Click on the header or footer area where the page number is located.
Click Options.
Select Page numbers.
Choose Format.
Select your desired format (e.g., Roman numerals, letters).
Click Apply.

Excluding Page Numbers on the First Page

Click Insert in the top menu.
Select Header & footer.
Click on the header or footer area where the page number is located.
Check the box labeled Different first page.
Remove the page number from the first page’s header or footer.

Removing Page Numbers

Click Insert in the top menu.
Select Header & footer.
Click on the header or footer area where the page number is located.
Delete the page number from the header or footer.

Tips

For complex documents, use section breaks to apply different page number formats to different sections.
Double-click on the header or footer area to quickly access the page number settings.
Use the “Page count” field in the header or footer to display the total number of pages in your document.

Before customizing, consider these differences between the options:

Feature	Basic Page Numbers	Custom Page Numbers
Starting Page	Limited options	Can start from any page number
Format	Limited options	Roman numerals, letters, etc.
First Page Exclusion	One-click option	Requires manual header/footer editing with section breaks

Mastering Page Numbering in Google Docs

Customizing page numbers in Google Docs is a straightforward process that can significantly enhance the professionalism and organization of your documents. By following these steps, you can easily tailor your page numbers to meet your specific requirements.

FAQ

How do I start page numbers on the second page in Google Docs? You can exclude the first page by checking the “Different first page” box in the header/footer options.

How do I change the page number format in Google Docs? Go to Insert > Header & footer, then click Options > Page numbers > Format to select your desired format.

Can I have different page number formats in the same Google Doc? Yes, by using section breaks, you can apply different page number formats to different sections of your document.

How do I remove page numbers from a specific page? Use section breaks and then uncheck “Link to previous section” in the header/footer options for that page. Then delete the page number.

Why are my page numbers not showing up in Google Docs? Make sure the header or footer is visible and that the page number field hasn’t been accidentally deleted. Also, check if “Different first page” is enabled and the number was removed from the first page.