While working on a Microsoft Word document, you may have noticed that the page numbers are not always displayed in a continuous sequence. For example, you may see page numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, etc. Why does this happen, and how can you fix it?
This can happen when different sections use different page-number settings. A section can have a fixed starting number, so numbering may restart or jump after a section break. A number typed directly into a header or footer will also fail to update like an inserted page-number field. This often shows up in documents that have been edited by several people, or stitched together from other files, since each piece can bring its own section break with it.
Luckily, you can sort this out in a few clicks and get your page numbers running in a single, continuous sequence again. The steps below walk you through it:
Contents
1. Click on the “Insert” Tab at the Top of the Window
In the desktop Word document, turn on Home > Show/Hide (¶) first so you can spot section breaks. Click in the section where the number first goes wrong, then select Insert on the ribbon. Repeat the numbering check in each later section that restarts or jumps.
2. Select “Page Number” then “Format Page Numbers.”
In Header & Footer, open Page Number > Format Page Numbers. You can also double-click the header or footer containing the wrong number and open Page Number from the Header & Footer tab. The screenshot shows the older ribbon, but the dialog has the same purpose.
3. Make Sure that the “Number format” is set to “1, 2, 3,…”.
In the Page Number Format dialog, choose 1, 2, 3, … only if you want Arabic numerals. This changes how numbers look; it does not fix a sequence that restarts or skips. For that, use the Page numbering setting below the format menu.
4. Tick Off “Continue from previous section” and Click “OK” to Save the Settings.
Under Page numbering, select Continue from previous section, then click OK. Do this in every section where Start at has interrupted the sequence. If a number is missing only on the first page of a section, check Different First Page in that section’s header or footer. If the document jumps from an odd to an odd page, inspect any Odd Page section break; Word may insert a blank even page between them.
Conclusion
That’s it! Once you set each affected section to continue numbering, check the document from the first page to the last. If one section still lacks a visible number, open its header or footer and check whether that section uses a different first-page or odd/even-page header. If you have any other questions or comments, please let us know.