Reports usually have no page number on the cover or the contents page. To start page numbers from page 2, tick Different First Page. To start from page 3, add a section break and restart the numbering.
Page 2Different First Page
Page 3 or laterSection break + Link to Previous off
Works inWord 2010 and later, Microsoft 365
Start from page 2 (no number on the cover)
- Go to Insert › Page Number and choose a position, such as Bottom of Page › Plain Number 2.
- In the Header & Footer tab, tick Different First Page. The number disappears from page 1.
- To make page 2 show 1, choose Page Number › Format Page Numbers and set Start at to 0.
Start from page 3
- Click at the very end of page 2.
- Go to Layout › Breaks › Next Page. Page 3 now starts a new section.
- Double-click the footer on page 3. In the Header & Footer tab, click Link to Previous to turn it off.
- Insert the page number with Insert › Page Number.
- Choose Page Number › Format Page Numbers and set Start at to 1.
- Go to the footer on page 1 or 2 and delete the number there. Because the link is off, page 3 keeps its number.
Tip: Press Ctrl + Shift + 8 to show formatting marks. You will see the Section Break (Next Page) mark.
Roman numerals for the front pages
In section 1 (cover and contents), use Format Page Numbers to choose i, ii, iii. In section 2, choose 1, 2, 3 and start at 1. Turn off Link to Previous so each section keeps its own style.
FAQ
Page numbers start at 3 instead of 1. Why?
Numbering continues from the previous section. Set Start at to 1 in Format Page Numbers.
Deleting the number on page 2 deletes it everywhere.
The footers are still linked. Turn off Link to Previous in section 2 first.