Formatting Issues

How to Start Page Numbering at 7 on Page 7 in Word for Mac

WPS Editor Sep 29, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to remove page numbers from the first 6 pages of a book document and begin numbering on page 7, displaying the number 7.

How to Start Page Numbering on a Specific Page in Word for Mac

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Formatting a book document with mirrored margins or pages where the front matter should not display page numbers, but the page count must remain continuous.
Observed behavior: The user wants to hide the page numbers on the first six pages and ensure the seventh page visibly displays the number 7, without breaking the mirrored page layout.

Before you start

Ensure your document is fully typed and laid out before adjusting page numbers, and enable the 'Show/Hide ¶' feature in the Home tab to easily see exactly where your section breaks are placed.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Section Breaks to Isolate and Format Page Numbers

This method uses a 'Next Page' section break to separate the unnumbered front matter from the numbered body pages, allowing independent header and footer control.

By default, Microsoft Word links all pages in a document into a single section. To apply different numbering rules to different parts of your document, you must split it using section breaks and disable the link between them.

Insert a Section Break

Place your cursor at the very end of page 6. Go to the 'Layout' tab on the ribbon, click 'Breaks', and select 'Next Page' to create a new section that begins on page 7.

Unlink the Sections

Scroll down to page 7 and double-click the header or footer area (wherever your page number is located) to open the Header & Footer tab. Click the 'Link to Previous' button to turn it off. If your document has numbers in both the header and footer, you must unlink both separately.

Remove Prior Page Numbers

Scroll back to page 6 (or any page within the first section), double-click the header or footer, and highlight the page number. Press Delete to remove the numbers from pages 1 through 6.

Format Page 7

Return to page 7. Go to 'Header & Footer' > 'Page Number' > 'Format Page Numbers'. In the dialog box, select 'Start at' and manually enter '7'. Click OK to apply the formatting.

Use Section Breaks to Isolate and Format Page Numbers

Handling Mirrored Margins: If you have 'Different Odd & Even Pages' enabled for a book layout, you actually have two separate sets of headers/footers. You must unlink both the 'Odd Page Header' and the 'Even Page Header' from the previous section to prevent numbering issues.

WPS Writer Solution

Easily Customize Page Numbering with WPS Writer

WPS Writer provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface for managing complex document layouts, including section breaks and custom page numbering, making book formatting a breeze.

1. Insert a Break: Open your document in WPS Writer. Place your cursor at the end of page 6, go to the 'Page Layout' tab, click 'Breaks', and select 'Next Page Section Break'.
2. Unlink from Previous: Double-click the footer on page 7. On the Header and Footer tab that appears, click 'Link to Previous' to disable the connection to the first section.
3. Delete Old Numbers: Scroll to page 6, double-click the footer, and delete the page number. The numbers on pages 1-6 will vanish.
4. Set Starting Number: On page 7, click 'Page Number' in the Header and Footer tab, choose 'Format Page Numbers', choose 'Start at', and type '7'.

Free and lightweight word processing softwareFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats and layoutsSimplified interface for inserting section breaks and unlinking headersCross-platform support for Mac, Windows, and Linux

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my page numbers disappear on all pages when I deleted one?

This happens if your document sections are still linked. You must disable the 'Link to Previous' option in the Header & Footer tab for your new section on page 7 before you delete the page numbers from the first section on page 6.

Can I start numbering at 1 on page 7 instead?

Yes. Follow the exact same steps to insert a section break and unlink the headers/footers. When you get to the 'Format Page Numbers' step on page 7, simply set the 'Start at' value to 1 instead of 7.

Does 'Different Odd & Even Pages' affect section breaks?

Yes. If this setting is enabled for a book layout, Word maintains separate headers and footers for odd and even pages. You will need to unlink both the odd and even headers/footers from the previous section to ensure page numbers do not bleed through.

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