How to Start Page Numbers on Page 2 in Microsoft Word

Formatting academic papers, formal reports, and book manuscripts in Microsoft Word often comes with a strict structural requirement: the very first page (the title page or cover page) must not display a page number. Furthermore, the true numbering should only begin on the second page, and that second page should be labeled as “Page 1.” By default, Word places sequential numbers on every single page starting at the top. To achieve this specific formatting, you must dive into the Header and Footer tools to unlink the sections and manually adjust the starting integer.

Step 1: Removing the Number from the First Page

The first step is telling Word to treat the title page differently from the rest of the document.

1. Open your Microsoft Word document.
2. Double-click in the blank margin at the very top or very bottom of the first page. This action will open the hidden Header & Footer editing mode.
3. Look at the ribbon menu at the top of the screen. A new, temporary tab named Header & Footer will be highlighted.
4. In the “Options” section of this ribbon, check the box labeled Different First Page.

Checking this box instantly deletes any header or footer (including page numbers) currently sitting on the first page, while leaving the rest of the document untouched.

Step 2: Forcing Page 2 to Display as “Page 1”

While the number has vanished from your title page, if you scroll down to the second page of your document, you will see it is still labeled as “Page 2.” To fix this, you must change the starting value of the sequence.

1. Scroll down to the second page of your document.
2. Click to place your blinking text cursor inside the header or footer area of the second page.
3. On the Header & Footer ribbon menu, locate the Page Number button (usually on the far left side).
4. Click the button and select Format Page Numbers… from the dropdown menu.
5. A small dialog box will appear. Look at the bottom section labeled “Page numbering.”
6. Select the radio button for Start at: and type the number 0 (zero) into the box.
7. Click OK.

By forcing the sequence to start at zero, Word mathematically assigns “Page 0” to your title page (which is hidden because you checked the “Different First Page” box). Consequently, the second physical page of the document naturally becomes “Page 1,” perfectly fulfilling standard formatting requirements.