How to Hide Page Numbers on the First 8 Pages in Word
Question details
The user needs to hide page numbers on the first eight pages of a book layout document while maintaining continuous numbering that resumes on page nine.
- Product
- Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Formatting a book document where different odd and even headers are used, requiring specific pages at the beginning to remain unnumbered.
- Observed behavior
- Page numbers need to be removed from pages 1 through 8, but page 9 must continue the sequence normally without restarting the count at 1.
Enable the 'Show/Hide' paragraph marks (Ctrl+*) in your Home tab so you can easily see where your page breaks and section breaks are located.
Use a Section Break and Unlink Headers/Footers
This is the most standard and reliable method for isolating page numbers, allowing you to delete them from the first section while keeping them in the second.
Because book layouts use 'Different Odd & Even Pages', you must remember to unlink the header or footer for both the odd pages and even pages in your second section before deleting anything from the first.
Place your cursor at the very end of page 8. Go to the 'Layout' (or 'Page Layout') tab, click on 'Breaks', and select 'Next Page' under Section Breaks.
Scroll down to page 9 and double-click inside the header or footer area (wherever your page numbers are located) to open the Header & Footer tools.
In the Header & Footer ribbon, ensure the 'Link to Previous' button is deselected. Because your document uses different odd and even pages, you must do this twice: once on page 9 (Odd Page Header) and once on page 10 (Even Page Header).
Scroll back up to the first section (pages 1 to 8), highlight the page number, and delete it. Since the sections are unlinked, the numbering on page 9 and beyond will remain intact and continuous.
Use Conditional Field Codes
If you want to avoid adding section breaks entirely, you can use a formula to display page numbers only when the page number is greater than 8.
Easily Manage Complex Page Layouts in WPS Writer
WPS Writer offers an intuitive and seamless experience for handling complex book formatting tasks, including section breaks and custom page numbering rules.
- 1. Insert Section Break: Open your document in WPS Writer, place your cursor at the end of the eighth page, go to the 'Page Layout' tab, click 'Breaks', and choose 'Next Page Section Break'.
- 2. Edit Header/Footer: Double-click the header or footer area on the ninth page to reveal the Header and Footer tab.
- 3. Unlink Sections: Click the 'Link to Previous' icon in the ribbon to disable it for both odd and even pages in the new section.
- 4. Remove Initial Numbers: Navigate to the first section (pages 1-8) and delete the page number. The rest of your document will remain perfectly numbered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does deleting a page number on page 1 remove it from the entire document?
By default, Word links headers and footers across the entire document. When 'Link to Previous' is active, any change (like deleting a page number) made in one header is applied universally. You must separate the document with section breaks and disable 'Link to Previous' to isolate changes.
What does the 'Different Odd & Even Pages' setting do?
This setting allows you to format left (even) and right (odd) pages differently, which is essential for printing books. When enabled, the document has separate header and footer layers for odd and even pages, meaning you must unlink both layers separately when using section breaks.
Can I restart my page numbering at 1 on page 9?
Yes. After you have inserted a section break and unlinked your headers/footers, go to page 9, select your page number, right-click and choose 'Format Page Numbers'. Under 'Page numbering', select 'Start at' and enter 1.
