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: Using Only Odd Page Numbers.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 12, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Daniyal has some documents that he files in court, and those documents must have only odd page numbers on them. This doesn't mean that there should only be page numbers on the odd pages, but that the number on each page should only be odd. Thus, the pages would be numbered 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.; there would be no pages 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.
The easiest way to accomplish this task is to use a compound field to create your page numbers. The PAGE field is normally used to add page numbers to a document, as shown here:
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:
{ PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT }
You should modify the field so that it looks like this:
{ = { PAGE } * 2 - 1 }
Note that each pair of field braces is inserted by pressing Ctrl+F9. When you are finished constructing the field code, you can collapse it by pressing F9.
If you use these types of calculated page numbers quite often, you can select the collapsed field and assign it to an AutoText entry. That way you can insert it into any of your documents you desire.
You should also note that if you create a table of contents or an index for the document, page numbers in the TOC or index will still reflect the normal page range, including even numbers, instead of the calculated numbers. There is no way to get around this limitation.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (12726) 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: Using Only Odd Page Numbers.
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!
When you are printing a document, it is not unusual to see messages (dialog boxes) periodically. When you want the ...
Discover MoreSerious users of Word often display non-printing characters on-screen so they can see them easier. If you want those ...
Discover MoreIn Windows, printer drivers translate formatting into a printer control language, like PostScript, that the printer ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments