Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. 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.

Inserting the Total Number of Pages in Your Document

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 14, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365


1

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:

  1. Position the insertion point where you want the total number of pages to appear.
  2. Make sure the Insert tab of the ribbon is selected.
  3. In the Text group, click Quick Parts. You'll see a drop-down menu.
  4. Choose Field. Word displays the Field dialog box.
  5. In the Categories drop-down list, choose Document Information. (See Figure 1.)
  6. Figure 1. The Field dialog box.

  7. In the Field Names list choose NumPages. (If you don't see NumPages in the list, check either the Numbering category or the (All) category in step 5.)
  8. Click on OK to close the dialog box and insert your field.

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, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. 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.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Entering a "Slashed Zero" in Your Document

Need to add the occasional zero with a slash through it? There are a couple of ways you can accomplish this task.

Discover More

Accessing Excel through a PDF File

Word and PDF files go together like peanut butter and jelly. (How's that for a metaphor?) If you create PDF files from ...

Discover More

Foul Water Odor

Got a foul odor coming from your water tap? It could be caused by a number of different issues, as discussed in this tip.

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Inserting a Document's Path

You can use the FILENAME field to insert a document's filename and, optionally, the path to that filename. However, if ...

Discover More

Using the SYMBOL Field

The most common way of adding symbols to a document is to use the Symbol dialog box. There is another way, however, that ...

Discover More

Updating Fields Automatically

You can place dynamic fields into many parts of your document. If your document contains a lot of fields, you might ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is seven more than 7?

2024-05-25 16:38:35

Tom McLernon

This is helpful, I would never have guessed this. The "page number" is just a simple "insert" instruction, and then the obvious extension of that "number of pages" is a whole different set of hoops. Instead of being on the same "insert" menu as "Page Number". Where do they get these UI designers at MS, Apple is adamant about removing this kind of unintuitive crap from their product UIs, is this also in the Apple version of MS Word.

I know that you don't do the design of this, but if you have an ear at MS, maybe they might listen.


This Site

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.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.