How to Place Odd Page Numbers on the Right in WPS Writer Book Layout
Question details
The user needs to format a long document for book printing so odd page numbers appear on right-hand pages and even page numbers appear on left-hand pages, and to verify the result before printing.
- Product
- WPS Writer / Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Formatting a book with mirrored margins, a binding gutter, and duplex printing.
- Observed behavior
- Print Layout view makes the facing-page arrangement appear confusing, and odd pages or page 1 may look shifted or incorrectly placed.
Open the document in WPS Writer and switch to Print Layout view so you can see headers, footers, and section breaks. Check the document sections and note where page numbering should begin before changing page setup.
Use Mirrored Margins and a Gutter for Facing Pages
Best for book documents that will be printed double-sided; this makes odd pages sit on the right and reserves space for the binding.
Mirrored margins treat left and right pages as pairs: the inside margin becomes the binding edge and the outside margin becomes the page edge. WPS Writer applies this in Print Preview and duplex printing even when Print Layout view does not show true facing pages.
Go to the Page Layout tab and click Margins > Custom Margins.
In the Page Setup dialog, choose Mirror margins from the Multiple pages drop-down list, then set the gutter to the width needed for binding.
Set Apply to Whole document or This point forward, then click OK.
Go to the Insert tab, click Header & Footer, open Header/Footer Options, and select Different Odd & Even Pages.
In an odd-page footer or header, insert the page number and align it right; in an even-page footer or header, insert the page number and align it left if required.
Start Page Numbers on an Odd Page Section Break
Use this when page 1 or a new chapter must begin on a right-hand page after front matter.
Set Up a WPS Writer Book Layout with Odd Pages on the Right
Use WPS Writer's page layout tools to apply mirrored margins, a binding gutter, and odd/even page numbering. This keeps the standard book convention that odd page numbers appear on right-hand pages and even page numbers appear on left-hand pages when printed double-sided.
- 1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the Word document you want to format as a book.
- 2. Set mirrored margins and gutter: Click the Page Layout tab, choose Margins > Custom Margins, select Mirror margins from Multiple pages, and set the gutter width.
- 3. Enable odd/even headers and footers: Go to Insert > Header & Footer > Header/Footer Options and check Different Odd & Even Pages.
- 4. Insert and align page numbers: Place the cursor in an odd-page header or footer, insert the page number, and align it to the right; repeat for even pages with left alignment.
- 5. Verify with Print Preview: Click File > Print Preview and page through the document to confirm odd numbers appear on the right before printing duplex.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does page 1 still appear on the left in Word or WPS Print Layout view?
Print Layout view may not display true facing-page order. Use Print Preview after enabling mirrored margins; the printed duplex output places odd page numbers on right-hand pages.
How do I start a new chapter on a right-hand page?
Click at the beginning of the chapter, go to Page Layout > Breaks, select Section Break: Odd Page, then use Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers to start numbering at 1.
Can I use different page-number positions for odd and even pages?
Yes. In WPS Writer, go to Insert > Header & Footer > Header/Footer Options, enable Different Odd & Even Pages, and then set the alignment separately in each header or footer.
Will my Microsoft Word book layout settings remain when I edit in WPS Writer?
Yes. WPS Writer supports .docx files and preserves page setup, section breaks, and header/footer settings, including mirrored margins and odd/even page numbering.
