# How to start page numbers after the cover page in Word on Mac for Microsoft 365

> Start page numbers after the cover page in Word on Mac: check Different First Page, set Start at 0, then test a PDF. Pages and Google Docs steps included.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/for/writers/problems/word-page-numbers-after-cover-page
Updated: 2026-11-07

To start page numbers after the cover page in Word on Mac, turn on Different First Page, then set Start at to 0 in Format Page Numbers. The cover stays blank and the next page reads 1. Pages and Google Docs use different menus, so this guide covers each one.

## Quick answer

- In Word for Mac, check Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab, then set Start at to 0 in Format Page Numbers.
- In Pages for Mac, use Hide on first page of section on the cover, then set Start at to 1 in the body section.
- In Google Docs, check Different first page to hide the cover number. The help page we checked lists no start-at setting.
- Save a PDF and check the cover, the first body page, and the contents page before you send the file.

## What page numbering starts on the cover costs you

- **Your hours on every draft.** Finding the right setting can eat a long afternoon if you do not know the menu path. Every later draft needs the same check. The BLS median pay for technical writers is $43.46 an hour, a close cousin of this editing work. Your own rate will differ, so use your number.
- **Rework when the file changes hands.** A shared file often passes through an editor, a reviewer, and a printer. Each handoff can bring back an old header or a stale contents page. Recheck the whole file, not only the page you changed.
- **A cover that looks unchecked.** A visible number on the cover makes the whole file look rushed. Readers who see it may doubt the other numbers. That is a judgment, not a measured effect, and it is still worth avoiding.
- **Contents that point to the wrong pages.** When the body count is off, the contents page can list the wrong pages. Readers then flip through the file to find sections, which wastes their time. Fixing the contents after the numbers change is extra work, so plan for it.

## Why it happens

1. **Word, Pages, and Google Docs count from page 1.** Each app numbers pages from the top of the file. A cover page counts as page 1 unless you tell the app otherwise. The apps do not know your file is a report with a cover, so the default count includes the cover every time.
2. **The first page reuses the normal header.** By default, a header or footer applies to every page. If Different First Page is off, the first page shows the same number as the rest. Many templates leave that option off, so the number appears on the cover without anyone choosing it.
3. **The cover shares a section with the body.** Word and Pages split a file into sections, and each section can have its own numbering. A file with one section has one numbering rule, and the cover and body inherit it. Splitting them gives each part its own rules.
4. **Templates and pasted text bring old settings.** A template can set a header, a section, or a start number that you never chose. Pasting from another file can carry those settings into your document. The number on your cover may come from a file you did not write.

## How to fix it

- **Use Different First Page to blank the cover.** This is the quickest fix in Word and Google Docs. Pages has the same idea under Hide on first page of section. It hides the number on the cover without touching the rest. Use it when the cover is the only page that should change. Check that the first page header or footer is empty, because a stray number can remain.
- **Set Start at to 0 when the cover counts as page 0.** Word's Format Page Numbers setting lets you choose the first number. With Start at 0, the cover is page 0, and the next page reads 1. This suits a single-section document with a blank cover. Test whether your page total still includes the cover.
- **Give the cover and body separate sections.** When the cover, contents, and body need different rules, split them into sections. Word uses Layout > Breaks, and Pages uses section breaks. Each section then gets its own start number and header rules. Save a copy first, because section breaks are easy to misplace.
- **Plan around the Google Docs limit.** Google Docs can hide the cover number with Different first page, but the help page we checked shows no start-at option. If your rule needs page 2 to read 1, finish the numbering in Word or Pages. Expect some layout changes when you convert, and test a copy first.
- **Check the PDF, then the contents.** Export a PDF and check that, not the editing view. Confirm the cover is blank, the first body page shows the number your rule needs, and the contents list matches. Update the contents after the numbers change, so the list and the pages agree.

Most people find this problem late. The document is nearly final, the title page looks right, and then the first body page says 2. Word, Pages, and Google Docs count the cover as page 1 by default. Every number after it sits one too high.

The fix is short once you know where each setting lives. Menu names differ between apps, and they change between versions. This guide gives you the Mac paths, a table to compare them, and the checks to run before you send the file.

![Person typing on a Mac laptop while editing a Word document](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/problem/word-page-numbers-after-cover-page/start-page-numbers-after-the-cover-page-1-0d6d05.jpg)

## What the cover page number costs you

We found no study that measures how often this breaks a document or what it costs people. Most advice online about thesis and report formatting comes from vendor blogs that cite no data. Treat any headline percentage with care. The costs you can count are time, rework, and trust.

Time is the first cost. Hunting for the right setting can eat a long afternoon if you do not know the menu path. Every later draft needs the same check. The BLS puts the median pay for technical writers at $43.46 an hour. That is a useful yardstick for editing time, not a measure of your own rate.

The second cost is how the page reads. A cover with a number looks like a template nobody checked. Readers who notice it may look harder at the rest of the file. That reaction is hard to measure, so treat it as a reason to check, not as proof of harm.

## Why your cover page gets a number

Word, Pages, and Google Docs number the file from its first page. They do not know that page is a cover. A few defaults make the problem stick.

- Different First Page is off, so the first page uses the same header or footer as every other page.
- The cover and the body share one section, so one numbering rule covers both.
- Start at is set to 1, so the cover is page 1 and the body starts at 2.
- A template or pasted content brings in a header or section setting you never chose.

Each cause has a different fix. Changing a header will not help if the real issue is a shared section. A section break will not help if the first page header still holds a number. Find the cause first, then pick the fix.

## How to start page numbers after the cover page in Word for Mac

Word for Mac uses two settings for this. Different First Page hides the number on the cover. Start at sets the number the count begins with. Microsoft's example sets Start at to 0, so the cover counts as page 0 and the next page reads 1. Here are the steps.

1. Double-click the top margin of any page. Word opens the header, and the Header & Footer tab appears.
2. On the Header & Footer tab, check Different First Page.
3. Go to the first page. Delete any page number in its header or footer, so the cover stays blank.
4. Choose Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers.
5. Set Start at to 0, then click OK.
6. Choose Close Header and Footer on the Header & Footer tab.

If the document has no page number yet, add one first with Insert > Page Number, then choose a position. After that, check page 2. It should read 1, and page 3 should read 2. Then check the cover. It should show nothing at the top or bottom.

If your footer shows Page X of Y, the total may still count the cover. Test that on a copy before you send the file. Word's total field and its page numbers do not always agree after a restart, so look at the printed result, not the editing view.

## When your cover needs its own section in Word

Use a section break when the cover, the contents page, and the body need different numbering rules. A single file can hold several sections, and each section keeps its own header and page number settings. Put the cursor at the end of the cover, then choose Layout > Breaks > Next Page.

In the first page of the body section, open the header. Turn off Link to Previous, so the body can have a header that differs from the cover. Then choose Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers and set Start at to 1 for that section.

Menu names shift between Word releases. Microsoft's page-numbering help covers Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, and Word 2021 on Mac and Windows. Check it when a button looks different from this guide. Section breaks are the step most likely to go wrong, so save a copy first.

## Pages on Mac: hide the number on the cover

Pages handles this with sections. Each section has its own page numbering, and the Section tab in the Document sidebar holds the settings you need. Apple's help page on sections covers Pages 15.4. Newer releases can move the controls, so check the menu in your copy.

1. Click at the end of the cover page, then add a section break after it. Apple's section help shows the break command for your version.
2. Open the Document sidebar and click the Section tab.
3. In the cover section, check Hide on first page of section. The cover shows no number.
4. Click into the body section. Turn off Continue from previous section.
5. Type 1 in Start at, and pick the number format you need.

Pages uses the same idea as Word. The cover gets its own rules, and the body starts the count fresh. If you also need footnote numbers to restart in each chapter, our guide to that Pages problem goes deeper: [restart footnote numbering in Pages](https://www.lazur.app/for/writers/problems/pages-footnote-numbering-restart-sections).

| App | Hide the cover number | Start counting after the cover | Watch out for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Word for Mac | Header & Footer tab, Different First Page | Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers, Start at 0 | Page X of Y totals may still count the cover |
| Pages for Mac | Section tab, Hide on first page of section | Section tab, Continue from previous section off, Start at 1 | The cover needs its own section first |
| Google Docs | Insert > Page elements > Page number, Different first page | No start-at setting on the help page we checked | Pageless format has no page numbers |

_Where each setting lives, from the help pages checked for this guide._

## Google Docs: hide the cover number and know the limit

Google Docs adds page numbers from Insert > Page elements > Page number. Open the More options settings, then check Different first page. The first page uses its own header and footer, so the cover can stay blank while the other pages keep their numbers.

Here is the limit. The Google Docs help page we checked does not list a start-at setting. The cover still counts as page 1, so the first body page reads 2. Hiding the cover number and restarting the count are two separate jobs. The help page covers the first one and does not describe the second.

Google's help also says page numbers are not available in pageless format. Switch the document out of pageless format before you add numbers, or you will not get page numbers at all.

![Student at a desk with a laptop, checking page numbers in a thesis draft](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/problem/word-page-numbers-after-cover-page/start-page-numbers-after-the-cover-page-2-e9c2a4.jpg)

> **Test on a copy:** Save a copy of your file before you change numbering. Make the changes on the copy, check the PDF, then apply the same steps to the real file.

## Check the file before it leaves your Mac

Check the output, not the screen. Print the file, or save a PDF from the print dialog. In Word, Pages, or Google Docs, choose File > Print, then pick PDF or Save as PDF in the dialog.

Open the PDF and check three things. The cover should show no number. The first body page should show the number your rule calls for. The contents page should list the numbers you see on the pages. If the contents page is off, update it after the numbers settle. Our guide to a table of contents that will not update covers the usual causes: [why the table of contents will not update in Word for Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/writers/problems/word-mac-table-contents-not-updating).

## Mistakes that bring the cover number back

1. Adding a header after the fix. A new header on the first page can bring the number back, so check the cover again after every edit.
2. Pasting in a section from another file. Pasted content can carry its own header, section, or page number settings.
3. Changing the cover layout and not the numbers. A new cover can shift the count, so recheck page 2.
4. Starting Word at 1 for a cover that counts as page 1. Page 2 then reads 2, and every later number follows it.
5. Trusting the footer total. A Page X of Y footer can still count the cover, so check it in the PDF.
6. Fixing the numbers but not the contents. The contents page keeps old numbers until you update it.

## When regulated work changes the rules

If your document holds client files, patient records, or financial data, follow your employer's rules before you paste any text into an AI tool. That includes Lazur. Many employers set their own rules for which tools can read work files. Nurses, lawyers, and accountants usually work under strict rules, so check the policy first. You can still follow the page number steps above without sending any text anywhere.

## Where Lazur helps, and where it does not

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ to ask about anything on your screen, and Lazur answers out loud. Ask where a control is, and Lazur draws a circle and a label around it. Ask for steps, and it guides you one click at a time, waiting for each click.

Lazur does not click for you, and it does not change your document. It is not a plugin or add-in for Word, Pages, or Google Docs. Lazur listens and looks at your screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers to answer, and they are not stored.

Use it for the parts that slow you down. Point at the Different First Page checkbox. Ask why page 2 reads 1 after you set Start at to 0. Get a reminder to check the PDF before you send. You still make every change yourself. [Get Lazur for the Mac](https://www.lazur.app/download).

## Next steps by app

Pick the app you use, follow the matching steps, and check a PDF before you send. If you write long drafts in Word, the [Word for writers page](https://www.lazur.app/for/writers/word) covers templates and dictation. Pages users can start at the [Pages for writers page](https://www.lazur.app/for/writers/pages). Google Docs users can read the [Google Docs for writers page](https://www.lazur.app/for/writers/google-docs).

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where is Different First Page in Word?”: Lazur circles the Header & Footer tab and labels Different First Page, so you can click the box yourself. (Points at it)
- “Hold Option and Command, then ask where Different First Page is.”: Lazur draws a circle and a label around the checkbox on your screen. You click it yourself.
- “What does Start at 0 do to my page numbers?”: Lazur answers out loud in plain words, so you know why page 2 reads 1 before you change anything.
- “Walk me through hiding the number on my cover in Pages.”: Lazur guides you one click at a time and waits for each click before it moves on.
- “Hold fn and dictate a note to your editor about the numbering.”: Clean text appears at the cursor in any app, so a note to your editor takes less typing.
- “Remind me to check the PDF before I send this.”: Apple Reminders gets the reminder by voice, so the cover check does not slip.

## A plan you can start this week

- **Day 1: Find the rule.** Check your style guide, template, or instructor. Decide whether the cover counts as page 1, and whether it shows a number. Write the rule in one sentence so you can check your file against it.
- **Day 2: Blank the cover.** In Word or Google Docs, turn on Different First Page. In Pages, hide the first page of the cover section. Check the cover in the PDF, not only in the editor.
- **Day 3: Set the start number.** In Word, set Start at to 0 when the cover counts as page 0. In Pages, set Start at to 1 in the body section. Check page 2 and page 3 against your rule.
- **Day 4: Refresh the contents.** Update the table of contents and any cross references after the numbers settle. Compare each listed page with the page it names, one entry at a time.
- **Before you send: Check the PDF.** Save a PDF from the print dialog. Confirm the cover, the first numbered page, and the last page. Keep the original file, and send the format your instructor or employer asks for.

## FAQ

### Why does my cover still show a number after I fixed the header?

Usually Different First Page is still off, or the first page header or footer still holds a number. Open the Header & Footer tab in Word, check that box, and delete any number in the first page header. Then look at the PDF, not the editing view.

### Should the cover page count as page 1?

That depends on your rule. Some documents count the cover and hide its number. Microsoft's example sets Start at to 0, so the cover is page 0 and the next page reads 1. Check your style guide, template, or instructor before you choose.

### Does Start at 0 break a Page X of Y footer?

It can. The total may still count the cover even when page numbers start at 1 on the next page. Test the footer on a copy and read the printed PDF before you send it.

### Can Google Docs start numbering after the cover page?

Google Docs can hide the number on the first page with Different first page. The help page we checked does not list a start-at setting. If your rule needs page 2 to read 1, test a copy first, or finish the numbering in Word or Pages.

### Do I need a section break for a short report?

Not always. Different First Page with Start at 0 may be enough for a single section with a blank cover. Use sections when the cover, contents, and body each need different numbering or headers.

### Does Pages hide the number on the first page of a section?

Yes. Open the Document sidebar, click the Section tab, and check Hide on first page of section. Apple's section help covers Pages 15.4, and newer versions may place the control differently.

### Are these steps the same in Word for Windows?

Microsoft's page-numbering help covers Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, and Word 2021 on both Windows and Mac, plus Word for the web. The menu names can differ slightly, so follow the steps by name and check the help page when a button looks different.

### Can Lazur fix the numbers for me?

No. Lazur guides, points, and explains, and it answers out loud. It does not click buttons or edit your file. You make each change, and Lazur can walk you through each step while you do it.

## Sources

1. [Add and format sections in Pages on Mac - Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/add-and-format-sections-tan7984a4b96/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Start page numbering later in your document - Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/start-page-numbering-later-in-your-document), Microsoft, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Use headers, footers, page numbers and footnotes - Google Docs Editors Help](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/86629?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop), Google, checked 2026-11-07
4. [Technical Writers - Occupational Outlook Handbook](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/technical-writers.htm), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, checked 2026-11-07