Restarting page numbering in Word 2016 is a breeze once you know where to look. Essentially, you’ll be inserting a section break and then starting the page numbering over from a specific page. After reading this overview, you’ll know exactly what steps to take to reset your page numbers wherever you need to in your document.
Step by Step Tutorial: How to Restart Page Numbering in Word 2016
Before we dive into the steps, it’s important to know that this process allows you to have different sections in your document with their own page numbering. This is perfect for when you want to start a new chapter or section on a fresh page number.
Step 1: Insert a Section Break
Insert a section break where you want to restart the page numbering.
Inserting a section break is crucial because it tells Word that you’re beginning a new section. This is what allows you to have different page numbering in the same document. To do this, place your cursor at the beginning of the page where you want to restart numbering, go to the Layout tab, click on Breaks, and choose Next Page under Section Breaks.
Step 2: Unlink the Sections
Unlink the previous section’s footer from the current one.
Once you have your section break in place, you’ll need to unlink the footer of this section from the previous one. Double-click on the footer area on the page where you want to restart the numbering. Then, on the Design tab that appears, click on Link to Previous to deselect it. This ensures that the numbering in the new section doesn’t continue from the last section.
Step 3: Restart Page Numbering
Restart the page numbering at the number you choose.
Now that you’ve unlinked the sections, you can restart the numbering. With the footer still open, go to the Page Number button on the Design tab, click on it, select Format Page Numbers, and then choose ‘Start at’ to specify the number you want the new section to start with. Hit OK, and voila! You’ve restarted the numbering.
After completing these steps, you’ll see that the page numbering has been reset on the page you selected and will continue consecutively throughout the rest of the document or until you decide to restart it again in another section.
Tips: How to Restart Page Numbering in Word 2016
- Always remember to insert a section break where you want new numbering to start.
- Make sure to unlink the sections if you don’t want the numbering to continue from the previous section.
- If you make a mistake, you can always undo it by pressing Ctrl + Z.
- You can preview your document’s layout and page numbers by using the Print Preview feature.
- Practice makes perfect, try restarting page numbering in a test document to get the hang of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a section break, and why do I need it?
A section break is used to divide a document into different sections, each of which can have its own page formatting. It’s necessary for restarting page numbering because it allows you to have separate numbering schemes within the same document.
Can I restart page numbering at any number?
Yes, when you restart the page numbering, you can choose any number you want the new section to start with.
Will restarting the page numbering affect the entire document?
Restarting the page numbering will only affect the section where the break was inserted. The previous sections will maintain their original numbering.
Can I remove a section break if I change my mind?
Yes, you can remove a section break by placing your cursor just before the break and hitting Delete.
What if I want to have different styles of numbers in my document?
You can format the page numbers to have different styles (like Roman numerals or letters) by going to the Page Number > Format Page Numbers option in the footer design tab.
Summary
- Insert a section break.
- Unlink the sections.
- Restart page numbering.
Conclusion
Restarting page numbering in Word 2016 is a simple yet powerful tool to organize your document in a more readable way. Whether you’re working on a thesis, a business report, or a multi-chapter book, knowing how to manipulate the page numbering system in Word can make your document look more professional and easier to navigate. With the steps outlined in this article, you can confidently tackle the task of restarting page numbering wherever necessary in your document.
Just remember to insert those section breaks, unlink the footers, and set your new starting number. Practice a few times, and before you know it, you’ll be a pro at managing page numbers in Word 2016. So, go ahead and give it a try on your next big writing project!
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.