Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Inserting the Total Number of Pages in Your Document.
It is not unusual to put a page number in your headers or footers, and the different ways of accomplishing that task are covered in other issues of WordTips. You can also, however, insert a field that indicates the total number of pages in a document. This can be used in a header or footer or directly within the text of your document. To insert the total number of pages in your document, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Field dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (980) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Inserting the Total Number of Pages in Your Document.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!
The TC field is normally used in constructing manual Tables of Contents. The way the field works, however, makes it a natural ...
Discover MoreCan you calculate dates using fields? Yes, but you probably don't want to except as a learning experience. An easier way is ...
Discover MoreOnce you save a document on disk, it is stored in a particular folder (or location) on that disk. You may want that location ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2017-03-30 19:34:04
DonnaH
QUESTION: Your explanation is great for just the page number which I have no problem with. But...how do you change the Y of Page X of Y?
I have inserted Page X of Y and have a cover and TOC before page numbering is to begin. I get how to set up the page number (x) and start it at one on the correct page. My question is how do I get the total number of pages (y) to only include the total number of pages of the document, not to include the cover and TOC.
Thanks...
2017-01-08 01:10:25
maldoror
Word 15 for Mac does not have a NumPages field, so total page number can't be displayed.
2015-12-28 22:42:13
Gramps
I tried Damear's suggestion (Ctrl - F9) and it worked. Easier than shuffling the document through Word 2003.
2015-12-28 22:35:52
Gramps
I have recently installed Word 2016. I struggled with how to insert the total number of pages. The selection for X of Y just inserted "pg. X", just the page number, not including the number of pages.
I finally resorted to saving the document, opening it in Word 2003 and using that handy header and footer toolbar for inserting the page number and total pages. Upon reopening the document in Word 2016, it is just as I wanted it. Now I have "Page X of Y" in my footer.
Cludgey, but it worked.
2015-10-23 19:43:15
mo
hi
do you know hwo ot make the page number automatically update instntly
so if i have 5 pages and i then go to page 6 - i want the quick part to update straight away (i.e it always reflects the current total number of pages) - doing it when you save will not help as it has to be instant for prining documents.
2015-10-04 00:56:29
tanim tanvir
thanks...
2015-09-21 02:34:36
Richard Price
Damear has perfectly illustrated what I feel about the ribbon: Microsoft has produced something so clunky to use that we all end up learning keyboard shortcuts instead, which must be the very definition of failure in GUI design.
2015-09-20 10:19:39
Damear
Jim, sorry, I don't have a Mac to check on, but according to a quick Google search you can use Cmd+F9 instead of Ctrl+F9 to insert a field, then F9 to update it (or rather all fields in the document).
Unfortunately, F9 key may be reserved for Exposé in MacOS, and you will have to set this function to another key in the system, or modify the respective functions in Word to use another key. See http://word.mvps.org/mac/fieldsinmacword.html for detail.
2015-09-19 13:12:33
Jim Bartlett
Damear -- This tip doesn't work on Word for Mac (Ver. 15). Do you have a Mac equivalent?
2015-09-19 11:51:41
Henry Noble
Damear is right. In an effort to make it easy, Microsoft has made the process tediously complex.
Remember, in Word 2003, the header and footer control dialog offered the most commonly used parts as buttons.
In Word 2010, when header/footer is active, the ribbon includes a Page Number button. From that, you can choose an option, then modify the format as desired.
2015-09-19 09:07:06
Damear
That's one hell of a scenic route to get a simple job done. What I do is 1) Position the insertion point where needed; 2) Press Ctrl+F9; 3) Type "NumPages" (without the quotes); 4) Press F9. PROFIT!
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2017 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: 
Comments