Page numbers help readers navigate multi-page documents, academic papers, reports, and manuscripts. Google Docs makes it easy to add page numbers to your header or footer with just a few clicks. This guide covers all the ways to insert page numbers, including how to start numbering from page 2 and add "Page X of Y" formatting.
2Page Number Placement Options
Google Docs offers several placement templates when you insert page numbers.
| Template | Position | First Page |
|---|---|---|
| Top-right (all pages) | Header, right-aligned | Included |
| Top-right (from page 2) | Header, right-aligned | Skipped |
| Bottom-right (all pages) | Footer, right-aligned | Included |
| Bottom-right (from page 2) | Footer, right-aligned | Skipped |
For more customization, click More options in the page number menu to access additional settings like starting number and alignment.
3Skip the First Page
Title pages, cover pages, and documents with headers often need page numbers to start from the second page. Here are two ways to skip the first page.
Method A: Use the Template
When you go to Insert → Page elements → Page number, select one of the templates labeled "starting from page 2." These templates automatically skip the first page.
Method B: Use Page Number Options
- 1Double-click the header or footer area to open it for editing.
- 2Click Options on the left side of the header/footer toolbar.
- 3Select Page numbers from the dropdown.
- 4Uncheck Show on first page.
- 5Click Apply.
Note: When you skip the first page, the second page will still show "2" by default. See the next section to make the second page display as "1."
4Make Page 2 Display as Page 1
For documents with a title page, you may want the second physical page to be labeled as "page 1." This is common for academic papers, reports, and manuscripts.
Steps to Change Starting Number
- 1Double-click the header or footer to open it.
- 2Click Options → Page numbers.
- 3Uncheck Show on first page.
- 4In the Start at field, enter 0.
- 5Click Apply.
This tells Google Docs to start counting from 0 on the first page (which is hidden), so the second page displays as page 1.
5Add Page Count (Page X of Y)
You can display the total number of pages alongside the current page number, like "Page 3 of 10." This helps readers understand how long a document is.
Steps to Add Page Count
- 1Double-click the header or footer where you want the page count.
- 2Type "Page " then go to Insert → Page elements → Page number.
- 3After the page number is inserted, type " of ".
- 4Go to Insert → Page elements → Page count.
The result will look like "Page 3 of 10" and will update automatically as you add or remove pages.
6Add Page Numbers on Mobile
The Google Docs mobile app has limited page number options compared to desktop, but you can still add basic page numbering.
Android & iOS
- 1. Open your document in the Google Docs app.
- 2. Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top right.
- 3. Select Page setup.
- 4. Tap Headers and footers.
- 5. Toggle on page numbers and choose placement.
Mobile Limitations
- • Fewer placement options
- • Cannot add page count (X of Y)
- • Limited starting number control
- • Use desktop for full customization
7Remove Page Numbers
To remove page numbers from your Google Doc:
- 1Double-click the header or footer containing the page number.
- 2Select the page number (it may highlight as a single element).
- 3Press Delete or Backspace.
- 4Click outside the header/footer to exit editing mode.
Deleting the page number on one page removes it from all pages in the document.
8Troubleshooting Common Issues
"Page number" option is grayed out
You may be using pageless format. Go to File → Page setup and select Pages (not Pageless) to enable page numbering.
Page numbers appear on all pages when I want to skip the first
Double-click the header/footer, click Options → Page numbers, and uncheck "Show on first page." Click Apply to save changes.
Different headers/footers on different pages
Use section breaks (Insert → Break → Section break) to create separate sections with different headers and footers. Uncheck "Link to previous" to make each section independent.
Page numbers not updating
Try refreshing the page (Ctrl+R or Cmd+R). Page numbers should update automatically when you add or delete pages.