Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 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: Creating Page Footers and Headers.

Creating Page Footers and Headers

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 6, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

Word allows you to add headers and footers to your document. Headers are nothing more than repeating text that appears at the top of every page of your printed document, whereas, footers appear at the bottom of each page. The beauty of headers and footers is that they only have to be defined once, and then Word places them on your printed pages automatically.

The easiest way to create a header or footer in Word is to simply double-click at the top or bottom of a page, where the header or footer will appear. You can also, if you prefer, follow these steps:

Display the Insert tab of the ribbon.
Click the Header tool in the Header & Footer group, and then click Edit Header. The header is displayed, and the insertion point is within it.
If desired, enter the information for the header, formatting it as you would format normal text in your document.
Click on the Go To Footer tool on the Design tab of the ribbon.
If desired, enter the information for the footer, formatting it as you would format normal text in your document.
Click on Close Header and Footer (on the Header & Footer tab of the ribbon) when your header and footer are defined the way you want them.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9506) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Creating Page Footers and Headers.

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

Using Non-Printing Notes

Adding notes to your document in Word is a handy tool. But what if you don't want those notes to be seen on the screen or ...

Discover More

Normal Words Flagged by Spell Check

What do you do when Word's spelling check marks some common, everyday words as wrong? Here are some ideas of places you ...

Discover More

Weird Hyperlink Behavior

When you insert a hyperlink, you expect it to look like, well, a hyperlink. But what if it really looks like some strange ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Copying Headers and Footers

Need to get headers and footers from one document to another? You can use the steps in this tip to help make quick work ...

Discover More

Preventing the Left Margin of a Footer from Moving

When you print a document, does the position of the page footer seem to move left and right? This could have to do with ...

Discover More

Applying Standard Headers and Footers to a Document

When you attach a template to a document, it doesn't modify the documents headers or footers. This tip provides three ...

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 9 + 9?

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.