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

Two Page Numbers per Physical Page

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 14, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021

It is not unusual to need to print information on half sheets of paper. For instance, you may need a page size of 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" for your document. This is a handy size, as you can get exactly two pages on a landscape-oriented letter-size piece of paper. You can easily use Word's column feature to set up your document to print in two columns on the paper, and then cut the paper in half after printing.

The problem comes in when you want to print page numbers on each of your mini pages. Word calculates page numbers based on the physical page, not on some virtual page you may want to set up. There are ways around this particular problem, however.

The solution is to follow these steps:

Do not use columns to set up your document, unless you want columns to appear on each of your mini pages.
Place your page numbers in the page headers and footers as you normally would.
Make sure the Layout tab of the ribbon is displayed.
Click the small icon in the lower-right corner of the Page Setup group. Word displays the Page Setup dialog box.
Make sure the Margins tab is displayed. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Margins tab of the Page Setup dialog box.

Click the Landscape option.
Using the Multiple Pages drop-down list, choose 2 Pages Per Sheet.
Adjust page margins as desired.
Click on OK.
Print your document as normal.

Word takes care of placing two pages on each physical page printed.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8060) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Two Page Numbers per Physical Page.

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. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Making Pane Settings Persist

When you freeze panes in a worksheet, those panes should persist even though you save the workbook and reload it. There ...

Discover More

Setting Fraction Bar Thickness in the Equation Editor

The Equation Editor is a great tool for easily creating fancy-looking equations in your document. You can even control ...

Discover More

Printing Limited Pages from a Range of Worksheets

Need to print just a few pages from a group of worksheets? The easiest way to handle the task may be through a macro, as ...

Discover More

Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Booklet Printing in Word

Need to create a booklet with Word? Depending on your version, it could be as easy as changing how you print your final ...

Discover More

Printing a Key Assignment List

When you create custom shortcut keys in Word, you may (at some point) want to get a printout of what those key ...

Discover More

Using Duplex Printing

Want to print on both sides of a piece of paper? Some printers have the capability to do two-sided printing ...

Discover More

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.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is two more than 0?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

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.