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?
The reason why this happens is because of the way that Microsoft Word formats page numbers by default. When you insert a section break, the page numbering will start over at 1 (or the number you have specified). You may also end up with messed-up page numbers while adjusting the numbers manually. 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
Select “Insert” from the ribbon’s tabs on the document you want to edit. You will be given many options for what to add to the page.
2. Select “Page Number” then “Format Page Numbers.”
In the “Header & Footer” section, click on the “Page Number” drop-down menu and select “Format Page Numbers” as shown below.
3. Make Sure that the “Number format” is set to “1, 2, 3,…”.
From the “Page Number Format” window, make sure that the “Number format” is set to “1, 2, 3,…”.
4. Tick Off “Continue from previous section” and Click “OK” to Save the Settings.
Also, make sure that “Continue from previous section” is selected under the Page numbering tab. Press “OK” to save the settings and you’re all set!
Conclusion
That’s it! Once you’ve worked through the steps above, your Word document should renumber every page in order, even across section breaks. We hope this helped! If you have any other questions or comments, please let us know.
