Template Issues

How to Add Custom Header and Footer Templates to Word Galleries

Maira Mehtab Oct 8, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to save custom header and footer designs into the built-in Insert galleries, but needs guidance on the process and troubleshooting why the save option might be disabled.

How to Add Custom Header and Footer Templates to Word Galleries

Product: Word Processing Software
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Saving frequently used custom header and footer designs as reusable templates in the document gallery.
Observed behavior: Users need to add custom designs to the gallery, but the 'Save Selection to Header/Footer Gallery' option is sometimes grayed out due to unselected content or corporate IT policies.

Before you start

Ensure you have the exact text, images, or shapes you want to save inserted into your current header or footer before attempting to save the selection.

Solution 1Recommended

Save a Custom Header or Footer to the Gallery

Select your custom design and save it as a building block so it appears in the built-in gallery for future use.

Headers and footers in the Insert menu are stored as building blocks. They can be saved into a separate global template loaded from the Startup folder, or directly into the current document template so they are only available for documents created from that specific template.

Access the Header or Footer

Double-click the top or bottom margin of your document to open the Header & Footer editing mode.

Select the Content

Highlight all the text, shapes, or images inside the header or footer that you want to save. The save option will not work unless the content is actively selected.

Save to Gallery

Navigate to the Insert tab, click on Header (or Footer), and select 'Save Selection to Header Gallery' (or Footer Gallery) at the bottom of the dropdown menu.

Name and Store the Template

In the Create New Building Block dialog box, enter a name for your custom design. Choose whether to save it in the global Building Blocks template or your specific document template, then click OK.

Save a Custom Header or Footer to the Gallery

Sorting Tip: To make your custom template appear at the very top of the gallery list, start its name with an underscore (e.g., '_MyCustomHeader').

Solution 2

Troubleshoot a Disabled 'Save Selection' Option

Resolve issues when the 'Save Selection to Gallery' option is grayed out or unavailable.

Easily Manage Document Templates with WPS Office

WPS Writer offers an incredibly intuitive way to create, save, and manage custom headers, footers, and page templates. Fully compatible with Microsoft Word formats, WPS Office allows you to handle professional document formatting effortlessly.

1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document where you want to create a custom header or footer.
2. Design the Header/Footer: Double-click the header or footer area, and insert your desired text, company logo, or page numbers.
3. Save as a Template: Click the 'Menu' button in the top left corner, hover over 'Save As', and select 'WPS Writer Template (*.wpt)'.
4. Reuse Your Design: Whenever you need this specific layout, simply create a new document using this saved template, and your custom headers and footers will be ready to go.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) header, footer, and template formatting.Intuitive and user-friendly interface for designing custom page elements.Lightweight, fast, and completely free to use.Easily save and deploy custom templates without dealing with complex building block restrictions.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are custom headers and footers stored?

Custom headers and footers are stored as building blocks. Depending on your choice during saving, they are kept either in a global template (loaded from the Startup folder so it's available for all documents) or within a specific document template.

Why is the 'Save Selection to Header Gallery' option grayed out?

This option is typically unavailable for two reasons: either you have not highlighted the actual content inside the header/footer before opening the menu, or your organization's IT policy has restricted the ability to modify template galleries.

How can I make my custom header easy to find in the gallery?

When naming your custom header or footer in the building block dialog box, start the name with an underscore (for example, '_CustomDesign'). Because the gallery sorts alphabetically, this will force your design to appear near the top of the list.

Document & File Issues