How to Add Page Numbers in Google Docs

Whether you are formatting an academic essay, drafting a corporate report, or writing a manuscript, page numbers are an essential requirement for professional documents. They ensure that your readers can navigate the document easily and that printed pages remain in the correct order.

Google Docs provides a dedicated tool for adding page numbers, ensuring they are placed perfectly within the margins and update automatically as your document grows. You do not need to manually type numbers at the bottom of every page.

How to Insert Page Numbers

You can add page numbers with just a few clicks, and Google Docs offers several standard placement options.

1. Open your document in Google Docs.
2. Click on the Insert tab in the top menu bar.
3. Hover your mouse over Page numbers.
4. A small sub-menu will appear displaying four visual layout options:
   • Top Right (All Pages): Numbers appear in the top right corner starting from page 1.
   • Top Right (Skip First Page): Numbers appear in the top right, but skip the title page and start counting on page 2.
   • Bottom Right (All Pages): Numbers appear in the bottom right corner starting from page 1.
   • Bottom Right (Skip First Page): Numbers appear in the bottom right, skipping the title page.
5. Click on the visual layout that best suits your document’s requirements.

The page numbers will instantly appear in the header or footer of your document. Because they are dynamic fields, Google Docs will automatically calculate and display the correct number on every subsequent page you create.

Customising Page Number Placement

If you selected the top right layout but actually want the numbers centered at the bottom of the page, you can easily adjust their alignment using standard text formatting tools.

1. Double-click directly on the page number field in the header or footer to open the editing area.
2. Highlight the number itself.
3. Use the alignment buttons in the main toolbar (Left, Center, or Right align) to move the number.
4. You can also change the font, size, and colour of the page number just like normal text.
5. Click anywhere outside the header/footer box to return to editing your main document.

Starting Page Numbers at a Specific Number

Sometimes you need a document’s page numbers to start at a number other than 1. For example, if your document is the second chapter of a larger printed book, the first page might need to start at page 45.

1. Click on Insert in the top menu bar.
2. Hover over Page numbers.
3. Click on More options at the bottom of the sub-menu.
4. A dialogue box will appear. Look under the “Numbering” section and select the Start at radial button.
5. Type the number you want your document to begin with (e.g., 45).
6. Click Apply.