Jul
21

How to insert page numbers in Excel

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This article explains page numbering in Excel 2019, 2016-2010. Find out how to insert page numbers in Excel if your workbook contains one or multiple worksheets, how to set a custom number for the starting sheet or delete number watermarks added incorrectly.

When you print an Excel document, you may want to display numbers on the pages. I'll show you how to put page numbers in Excel. It's possible to add them in the sheets' headers or footers. You can also select if they will appear in the left, right or central part.

You can insert numbers using the Page Layout view and the Page Setup dialog box. These options allow adding page numbers for one or several worksheets. You can also define any number for your starting sheet if the default settings don't work for you. Please also remember that you can always see how your printed pages will look in the Print Preview mode.

Insert page numbers in Excel on one worksheet

Page markers are really useful if your worksheet is quite big and prints as multiple pages. You can put page numbers for a single spreadsheet using the Page Layout view.

  1. Open your Excel worksheet that needs inserting page numbers.
  2. Go to the Insert tab and click on the Header & Footer in the Text group.
    Click on the Header & Footer in the Text group

    Tip. You can also click on the Page Layout Button image on the status bar in Excel.
    Click on the Page Layout Button image on the status bar in Excel
  3. You will see your worksheet in the Page Layout view. Click within the field Click to add header or Click to add footer.
    Place your mouse cursor to the field Click to add header

    Place your mouse cursor to the field Click to add footer

  4. You'll get the Design tab with Header & Footer Tools.
    Get the Design tab with Header & Footer Tools

    Both header and footer areas have three sections: left, right and center. You can choose any by clicking on the correct section box.
    Both header and footer areas have three sections: left, right and center

  5. Go to the Header & Footer Elements group and click on the Page Number icon.
    Go to the Header & Footer Elements group and click on the Page Number icon
  6. You'll see the placeholder &[Page] appear in the selected section.
    You'll see the placeholder &[Page] appear in the selected section
  7. If you want to add the total number of pages, type a space after &[Page]. Then enter the word "of" followed by a space. Please have a look at the screenshot below.
    Enter &[Page] + space + of + space in the selected section
  8. Click the Number of Pages icon in the Header & Footer elements group to see the placeholder &[Page] of &[Pages] in the selected section.
    See the placeholder &[Page] of &[Pages] in the selected section
  9. Click anywhere outside the header or footer area to display the page numbers.
    Display the page numbers by clicking anywhere outside the header area

Now you can reset back to Normal view if you click on the Normal icon under the View tab. You can also press Normal Button image on the status bar.
Reset back to Normal view

Now, if you go to Print Preview, you will see the page number watermarks added in Excel according to the selected settings.

Tip. You can also apply any watermarks to your sheets using the HEADER & FOOTER TOOLS, please see How to Add a Watermark to a Worksheet in Excel.

How to put page numbers in multiple Excel worksheets

Say, you have a workbook with three sheets. Each sheet contains pages 1, 2, and 3. You can insert page numbers on multiple worksheets so that all pages are numbered in sequential order by using the Page Setup dialog box.

  1. Open the Excel file with the worksheets that need page numbering.
  2. Go to the Page Layout tab. Click on the Dialog Box Launcher Button image in the Page Setup group.
    Click on the Dialog Box Launcher Button image in the Page Setup group
  3. Go to the Header/Footer tab in the Page Setup dialog box. Press the Custom Header or Custom Footer button.
    Press the Custom Header or Custom Footer button
  4. You will get the Page Setup window appear. Define the location for the page numbers by clicking inside the Left section:, Center section: or Right section: box.
    Define the location for the page number by clicking inside the Left section:, Center section:, or Right section: box
  5. Click on the Insert Page Number Button image.
    Click on the Insert Page Number Button image
  6. When the placeholder &[Page] appears, type a space after &[Page], and enter the word "of" followed by a space. Then click the Insert Number of Pages Button image.
    The placeholder &[Page] of &[Pages] will be displayed.
    The placeholder &[Page] of &[Pages] is displayed

Now if you go to the Print Preview pane, you'll see that all pages from all worksheets got sequential Excel page number watermarks.

Customize page numbering for the starting page

By default, pages are numbered sequentially starting with page 1, but you can start the order with a different number. It can be helpful if you printed one of your workbooks to realize a minute later that you needed to copy several more worksheets to it. Thus you can open the second workbook and set the first page number to 6, 7, etc.

  1. Follow the steps from How to put page numbers in multiple Excel worksheets.
  2. Go to the Page Layout tab. Click on the Dialog Box Launcher Button image in the Page Setup group.
    Click on the Dialog Box Launcher Button image in the Page Setup group
  3. The Page tab will be opened by default. Enter the needed number in the First page number box.
    Enter the needed number in the First page number box

Now you can easily print the second document with the correct page numbering.

Change the order in which page numbers are added

By default, Excel prints pages from the top down and then left to right on the worksheet, but you can change the direction and print pages from left to right and then from the top down.

  1. Open the worksheet you need to modify.
  2. Go to the Page Layout tab. Click on the Dialog Box Launcher Button image in the Page Setup group.
    Click on the Dialog Box Launcher Button image in the Page Setup group
  3. Click on the Sheet tab. Find the Page order group and select the Down, then over or Over, then down radio button. The preview box will show you the direction for the option you choose.
    Find the Page order group and select the Down, then over or Over, then down radio button

Remove Excel page numbers

Suppose you got an Excel document with the page numbers inserted but don't need them to be printed. You can employ the Page Setup dialog box to remove page number watermarks.

  1. Click the worksheets where you want to remove page numbers.
  2. Go to the Page Layout tab. Click on the Dialog Box Launcher Button image in the Page Setup group.
    Click on the Dialog Box Launcher Button image in the Page Setup group
  3. Click the Header/Footer tab. Go to the Header or Footer drop-down box and select (none).
    Click the Header/Footer tab. Go to the Header or Footer drop-down box and select (none)

Now you know how to insert page numbers in Excel on a single or multiple worksheets, how to put a different number on the starting page or change the order of page numbering. Finally, you can remove page number watermarks if you no longer need them in your document.

Feel free to let me know if you have any questions of difficulties. Be happy and excel in Excel!

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57 comments to "How to insert page numbers in Excel"

  2. Syed Muhammad Ahmad Shah says:
    January 3, 2020 at 10:50 am

    Assalam-o-Alaikum everyone (Hi everyone).
    At First page in contents of table there is page marking like:-
    a. Profile ------------ Page 1-32
    b. Introduction -------- Page 33-35
    c. Stories-------------- Page 36-92
    I want that how can be counted total pages from 36-92 in ms excel.

    Reply
  4. Nenko says:
    July 30, 2019 at 1:18 pm

    Hi,
    I am trying to print whole sheets in workbook with their numbering(page of pages). When i am going to File->Print->Page->First page number, and set it "1", that works good, but number of pages is sum of whole workbook pages, not only sum of pages for current sheet.

    Reply
  5. Linda Marshall says:
    June 13, 2019 at 12:37 pm

    Hi I am trying to print a large multi sheet spreadsheet with all sheets numbered starting at 1 but when I followed instructions on how to do this I notice it has removed all my page layouts from the individual tabs and set them all to how the first tab layout is - any ideas how I can number all sheets but still have the individual tab layouts as some are portrait and some are landscape? Thanks

    Reply
  6. Ross Lesher says:
    April 27, 2019 at 10:21 pm

    I have a cell for page ( 1 of 2) lets say and want it to change the next sheet to be (2 of 2) automatically. Can I do this?

    Reply
  8. Yatin says:
    March 27, 2019 at 7:57 am

    hi Maria Azbel thanks for sharing your knowledge....
    I need help on below topic
    "Change the order in which page numbers are added"
    I have to add second document with pdf print but page no. not increase with sheet even the selection of "Over, then down"

    Reply
  9. Elisa says:
    February 5, 2019 at 1:50 am

    Hi There,

    I would like to print multiple copies of a single page and have the header update the page count. I will be using this as a fixed format invoice. Thus, printing a single page multiple times and wishing the pages to be numbered from 1 to 100 for each page.

    Thank you,
    Elisa

    Reply
    • Mary Trifuntova (Ablebits Team) says:
      December 25, 2018 at 11:39 am

      Hello, Jamie,
      Thank you for your question.

      Unfortunately, it is not possible to change the numeration using the standard Excel tools. However, a special macro can help you with that.
      As much as we'd like to help, we do not cover the programming area (VBA-related questions).

      You may try to find the solution in VBA sections on mrexcel.com or excelforum.com.

      Sorry we can't assist you better.

      Reply
  14. Shelia Hammer says:
    July 5, 2018 at 9:17 pm

    I have a 12 page excel doc comprised of 11 worksheets. I want the 12 pages numbered sequentially, but I also want each worksheet (11) to have it's own name. This seems to be where I'm getting stuck. If I didn't have one 2-page worksheet, my problem would be solved with basic footers. Is there a way to accomplish what I desire . . . different names but sequential page numbering for the entire workbook? Thank you!

    Reply
  17. Rimon says:
    May 1, 2017 at 1:21 am

    As you said in this section 'Customize page numbering for the starting page' when I press ok after giving a number in the 'First page number box' the excel program stops working and it restarts again. I am using excel 7. Don't tell me to upgrade excel.

    Reply
  18. Junaid says:
    April 24, 2017 at 6:57 am

    Public Function PageNumber( _
    Optional ByRef target As Excel.Range, _
    Optional ByVal nStart As Long = 1&) As Variant
    Dim pbHorizontal As HPageBreak
    Dim pbVertical As VPageBreak
    Dim nHorizontalPageBreaks As Long
    Dim nPageNumber As Long
    Dim nVerticalPageBreaks As Long
    Dim nRow As Long
    Dim nCol As Long

    On Error GoTo ErrHandler
    Application.Volatile
    If target Is Nothing Then _
    Set target = Application.Caller
    With target
    nRow = .Row
    nCol = .Column
    With .Parent
    If .PageSetup.Order = xlDownThenOver Then
    nHorizontalPageBreaks = .HPageBreaks.Count + 1&
    nVerticalPageBreaks = 1&
    Else
    nHorizontalPageBreaks = 1&
    nVerticalPageBreaks = .VPageBreaks.Count + 1&
    End If
    nPageNumber = nStart
    For Each pbHorizontal In .HPageBreaks
    If pbHorizontal.Location.Row > nRow Then Exit For
    nPageNumber = nPageNumber + nVerticalPageBreaks
    Next pbHorizontal
    For Each pbVertical In .VPageBreaks
    If pbVertical.Location.Column > nCol Then Exit For
    nPageNumber = nPageNumber + nHorizontalPageBreaks
    Next pbVertical
    End With
    End With
    PageNumber = nPageNumber
    ResumeHere:
    Exit Function
    ErrHandler:
    'Could use much more error handling...!
    PageNumber = CVErr(xlErrRef)
    Resume ResumeHere
    End Function

    now come to cell & put this formula =pagenumber()

    Reply
  21. AWAN says:
    September 21, 2016 at 7:27 am

    I WANT THE PAGE NUMBER NOT START FROM NO. 1.. BUT OTHER THAN NO.1.. EXAMPLE START FROM NO. 4.. CAN U PLEASE HELP ME ON THIS? :(

    Reply
  24. Karen says:
    August 10, 2016 at 4:59 pm

    Before installing Windows 10, I had an excel sheet where the page numbers showed up kinda like a watermark on the pages. These numbers showed onscreen (very large) but did not show up in print.
    Now, they are not there, and I have no idea how to get them back.

    Reply
  25. Kamal says:
    July 22, 2016 at 6:37 am

    I have question regarding assign page no. in same sequence in different worksheets i.e if the last page of 1st worksheet is 10 then the second worksheet must be start from the 11 automatically without assign the first starting page no. Waiting for you guidelines in this regard.
    Kamal Bhardwaj
    9560386726.

    Reply
  27. Shine says:
    June 4, 2016 at 5:04 pm

    My excel 2013 work book contains 3 worksheets Sheet 1 contains 10 pages, Sheet 2 contains 15 pages and Sheet 3 contains 25 pages. I want to print two types of numbering in footer. Left footer is Page x of y for worksheet and right footer is Page x of y of workbook while print using Entire workbook option. Eg: Footer of Sheet 1 is "Sheet Page 1 of 10" in left footer and "Workbook Page 1 of 50" in right footer. How can it possible

    Reply
  28. Don says:
    March 25, 2016 at 9:04 pm

    I am printing a cover page, I don't want it number so I set "first page number" = 0. This worked great second printed page started at 1 BUT the "of pages" didn't start at zero, it counted the cover page, so it is showing one more page then is actually printed. any way to reset this counter? I tried putting &([pages]-1) but it didn't like that. Any suggestions.

    Reply
  29. Branko says:
    January 19, 2016 at 1:51 pm

    How can I insert page number in multiple sheets starting from certen number. If I check all sheets and than in footer insert number its ok, every page has different number. But if i in First page number erase "Auto" and insert some number, all pages have same number. How can I numerate multiple pages starting from certen number?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Ben says:
      July 23, 2019 at 7:42 pm

      Make sure that you do it in two steps. First highlight all the tabs to insert the automatic page numbers into each tab. Then, only select the first tab and change the starting page number. If all tabs are highlighted when you do step 2 it will start every tab at the same number.

      Reply
  34. lori cobbs says:
    April 23, 2015 at 4:18 pm

    when attempting to print multiple sheets (with multiple pages printing from each sheet) i can get the correct numbers to print sequentially (and they show up correctly in print preview as well) but they do not show correctly in regular page layout view. what happens in page layout view is that one sheet will show 1 of 2, 2 of 2, and then the next sheet will show the same. In page layout view you can't go from one tab to the next (even if they are grouped) and see 1 of 47, 2 of 47, etc. can this be accomplished? thanks!

    Reply
  35. Tina Depner says:
    February 22, 2015 at 5:09 pm

    I have Excel 2013. In earlier versions, I could enter which page number I wanted to start with in the footer or header. Now it's an Auto-function, and I can't find out where to change that.

    I want the 2 first pages without page numbers, and then the 3rd page to start as Page 1. Any ideas how I obtain that?

    Thanks in advance
    Tina Depner

    Reply
      • Claire Atkinson says:
        March 6, 2018 at 1:00 pm

        3 years later i was having the same problem but have just sorted it! On the page you want Page 1, type 1 into First Page in Page Setup. On the continuous tabs type "auto" into First Page Number. Sorted! :)

        Reply
        • Ryan says:
          January 3, 2020 at 4:07 am

          Thanks Claire! This gave the exact tip I needed.

          I needed to start my first worksheet at a specific page number (to append to another report), but then needed my 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc worksheet to automatically follow on in the page numbering. Your combination of setting the starting page number and then using "auto" in the same page number section for all other worksheets was exactly what I needed. Thank you.

          Author, can this be added to the main section above? This is extremely useful.

          Reply

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