3 Easy Ways to Add Headers and Footers to a Word Document

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions.

This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.

This article has been viewed 389,133 times.

This wikiHow article teaches you how to create your custom headers and footers in Microsoft Word. You can start with one of Word's pre-made header and footer templates or start yours from scratch. Both headers and footers can include custom text, page numbers, images, and special formatting. You can also use a unique header or footer on a single page, and/or remove just one header or footer without affecting the rest of your document.

• Click Insert >Header (or Footer) >Edit Header (or Edit Footer).
• Headers and footers can contain custom text, page numbers, dates, and logos.
• Double-click a header or footer to make edits or change its settings.

Insert a Header or Footer

• If you've already inserted a header or footer and want to edit it, simply double-click it now.

• On the menu, you'll see different header and footer styles that you can use as a starting point—all are fully editable. You can select one of these now to add it to your document if you'd like. To edit the header or footer after placing it, just double-click it on the page.
• You can also browse more pre-made headers and footers in a variety of colors by clicking More Headers from Office.com.

• Every time you double-click a header or footer to edit it, the Header & Footer tab will automatically open.

• Click Format Page Numbers on the menu to choose a different number format, such as Roman numerals or letters. You can also choose to add other numbering elements here, such as chapter numbers and headings. [1] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source

header or footer." width="460" height="345" />

• Alternatively, you can add a text box to the header or footer, and then type your text into the box. To do this, click the Insert tab, select Simple Text Box, then resize the box to fit inside your header or footer. Once added, you'll be taken to the Shape Format tab, where you can select a color and style for the text box.

• Highlight the text you want to change in your header or footer.
• Click the Home tab.
• Select a different font, size, style, or color from the toolbar.

lines and shapes." width="460" height="342" />

• Click the Insert tab.
• Click the Shapes menu.
• To add a colored horizontal line, click the first line in the Lines section, then draw your line by dragging the mouse. Or, you can choose a rectangle or another shape from the list. Once drawn, the Shape Format tab will open.
• Choose a preset line or shape color from the Shape Styles menu, or click Shape Outline to select a color from the palette.
• Use the Shape Effects menu to add effects like a shadow, glow, or bevel around your shape.

header or footer." width="460" height="345" />

• Date & Time: This allows you to select a date and/or time format to place in the header or footer.
• Document Info: Use this option to include certain information about your document in the header or footer, such as the document's title, author name, and file path. [2] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
• Quick Parts:Quick Parts are reusable text and properties that you can add to any part of your document, including headers and footers.
• Pictures or Online Pictures: You can use either of these options to place an image into your header or footer. [3] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source For best results, stick to a small image, such as a decorative horizontal bar or logo.

• If you added a header and want to add a footer as well (or vice-versa), return to the Insert tab and select Header or Footer as necessary.
• To delete your header or footer, click the Insert tab, select Header or Footer, then click Remove Header or Remove Footer.

Remove a Header or Footer from the First Page

header or footer on the first page." width="460" height="345" />

• You can also use this method to use a different header or footer for the first page from the rest of the document.

Check the box next to "Different First Page." It's on the Header & Footer tab, which opens automatically. This unlinks the header on the first page from the other headers in your document.

• To remove it from the first page, click the Header or Footer icon in the toolbar, then click Remove Header or Remove Footer.
• Alternatively, you can just modify the text or formatting of the header or footer without affecting the rest of the document.
• If you'd like, you can check the box next to Different Odd & Even Pages to use different headers/footers on even and odd pages. For example, if you want odd pages to contain the title of your document and even pages to display a page number.
• The Show Document Text option just toggles the actual text of your document on or off so can see what the header or footer looks like without the document.

Click Close Header & Footer . It's the red-and-white "X" icon on the far-right side of the Header & Footer tab. This saves your changes.

Change or Remove One Header or Footer

• Don't double-click the header or footer itself—just click before the first letter or object on the page to place the cursor there.

Click Next Page . This adds a section break to the top of the current page. You won't notice any changes just yet.

header or footer." width="460" height="347" />

• To delete the header/footer, click either Header or Footer, then click Remove Header or Remove Footer.
• Alternatively, you can edit the header or footer as needed.

• Click Close Header and Footer in the toolbar.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page on which you changed or removed the header or footer.
• Click the mouse cursor at the end of the page.
• Click the Layout tab.
• Click Breaks.
• Click Next Page. You now have a new section break.

header or footer on the next page." width="460" height="345" />

Click Link to Previous in the toolbar. Now that you've unlinked this header or footer, you can recreate it to match the headers/footers from the first part of the document.

header or footer." width="460" height="342" />

Recreate the header or footer. If you're using a header or footer preset, simply click the Header or Footer menu, then choose the same preset you were using. If it included page numbers, they'll still be correct. If you created a custom header or footer for the first part of your document, you can simply copy it from another page and paste it into this header or footer.

Click Close Header & Footer . It's the red-and-white "X" icon on the far-right side of the Header & Footer tab. This saves your changes.

Community Q&A

How can I put my name in a footer on the left on every page and put the page number on the right, having it change on each page?

There are pre-designed footers like this available. If this is not in your list, simply select a footer design that has two text fields on the left and right. Then go to "edit footer" mode and put the name on the left. Select the text field on the right. In the "Header & Footer Tools" tab, select "Quick Parts." From the dropdown, select "Fields." This will open a dialog box. Select "Page" from the field names list. Select a page number format and click "OK." You will get an updating page number field on the right.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

Go to Edit Footer, and place your cursor somewhere in the first line of words you have in the footer. Select the "Home" tab. In the "Paragraph" section, select the "Borders" dropdown. From the dropdown menu, select "Top Border", and you will get a border above the footer.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

Double click on the line, or right click it and select "Format Horizontal Line" to get the dialog box with edit options.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

Browse through Microsoft Word's collection of templates before you start adding your own header and footer to documents. The pre-set templates can save you a lot of time.

Adding footnotes to your document is not the same thing as adding a footer. To add a footnote, click the References tab and select Insert Footnote.

You Might Also Like

4 Simple Ways to Rotate Text Direction & Position in Word

4 Quick Ways to Create a 3D Object in Microsoft Word

3 Easy Ways to Create Borders in Microsoft Word

3 Easy Ways to Adjust the Page Margins in Microsoft Word

3 Simple Ways to Insert a Hyperlink in Microsoft Word

Easily Add Page Numbers to a Word Document on Any Platform

How to Add Check Boxes to Word: 10 Simple Steps

How to Add Backgrounds in Microsoft Word: Watermarks, Images, & Colors

How to Alphabetize in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)