If the page numbers are disappearing in your Microsoft Word document, read this post to learn how to fix the issue. Word allows you to add numbers to each page in a document to know its exact length and keep track of specific parts. This feature usually works fine, but sometimes, it may not work as expected.
Some users have reported that random page numbers disappear, while some have reported that all the page numbers suddenly stop appearing in their Word documents. If you’re experiencing a similar issue, read further to learn how to troubleshoot the issue.
Page numbers disappearing in Microsoft Word
To stop the page numbers from disappearing in your Microsoft Word document, follow these steps:
- Disable/Enable ‘Link to Previous’
- Switch to Print Layout view
- Show white space between pages
- Check for hidden text or altered field codes
Let us see this in detail.
1] Disable/Enable ‘Link to Previous’
Link to Previous is a feature that allows you to include different header/footer information in various sections of your Word document. By default, it is only enabled for previous ‘like’ sections. However, it might cause missing or inconsistent page numbers if not managed correctly.
For example, if your document contains section breaks, the header/footer may unintentionally link to a section without page numbers, causing the page numbers to disappear.
In another scenario, ‘Link to Previous’ may be disabled in a section whose header/footer is either empty or whose page numbers are not configured. This also results in missing page numbers in Microsoft Word.
Depending on your specific case, you may need to enable or disable ‘Link to Previous’ to bring back the missing page numbers. Here’s how to do this:
Double-click the header/footer of the page that has the missing page number. Locate the ‘Link to Previous‘ option within the Navigation section in the Hearer & Footer menu on top.
- If it is enabled for the page, it should appear highlighted. Click on it to disable the option. Once disabled, place your cursor where you want the page number to appear and press Alt+Shift+P.
- If ‘Link to Previous’ is disabled, click on it to enable the option. Once enabled, the page will inherit the header/footer from the previous section, restoring the missing page number.
Also, if your document is set up for odd-even pages, ensure that page numbers are configured for both the odd and even pages. The same applies to section breaks as well.
2] Switch to Print Layout view
Another common reason for missing page numbers in Word is the layout you’re working with. Word offers 5 different layouts, including Print Layout, Read Mode, Web Layout, Outline, and Draft. Out of all these, page numbers do not appear in the Read Mode and the Web Layout.
If you’re unable to see the page numbers in the entire document, chances are, you’ve opened the document in a layout that doesn’t display page numbers. Go to the View menu, switch to the Print Layout, and see if that works for you. You can also click the icons within the Status Bar in the bottom-right corner of your screen to change the layout of your Word document.
Also, if the page numbers are not appearing in the Status Bar, make sure they’re enabled. Right-click the Status Bar to bring up the Customize Status Bar menu. Ensure the ‘Page Number‘ option is checked.
3] Show white space between pages
Page numbers might also disappear if the ‘show white space’ setting is disabled in your Word document. White Space refers to the blank area at the top and bottom of each page. Word allows you to hide this space to reduce the gray area between the pages in the Print Layout view.
While hiding white space removes the visible gap between pages for a more compact view, it also hides the top and bottom margins, including the space allocated for headers and footers where page numbers appear normally.
To fix this, you need to re-enable white space in your Word document.
Go to File > More… > Options. Switch to the Display tab in the Word Options dialogue and check the box for ‘Show white space between pages in Print Layout view‘.
Alternatively, take your cursor to the page boundary and double-click on it. This will show the white space, including the missing page numbers.
4] Check for hidden text or altered field codes
Page numbers in Word may also appear missing if their field codes are accidentally altered. Field codes are placeholders that dynamically insert content in a document based on certain conditions.
Press Ctrl + Shift + 8 to display hidden formatting symbols. If the page number appears, double-click the header/footer and select the page number. Then press Ctrl + D and uncheck the Hidden option in the Font dialogue.
Click OK to save changes, close the header/footer, and press Ctrl + Shift + 8 again.
If the page number appears as {PAGE}, press Alt + F9 to toggle the display of field codes.
I hope the above solutions will help fix the display of page numbers in your Word document. If you have any queries or concerns, do share them in the comments section below.
Read: How to put Headers and Footers on specific pages in Word.
Why do my page numbers keep disappearing in Word?
There could be many reasons behind missing page numbers in Word. If you have multiple sections in your document and ‘Link to Previous’ is disabled, page numbers won’t carry over unless manually added. If white space is hidden in Print Layout View, the headers and footers where page numbers are located are also hidden. Manual formatting in the header/footer sections can also accidentally delete the {PAGE} filed code.
How do I get my page numbers back in Word?
If your document has multiple sections, double-click the header/footer where the page numbers are missing. In the Header & Footer Tools tab, check if ‘Link to Previous’ is enabled. If not, enable it to sync headers/footers with the previous section. If your document is set up for ‘Different First Page’ or ‘Different Odd and Even Pages’, you may need to manually add page numbers in the affected sections. If your document appears to have missing top and bottom margins, double-click the boundary to restore the white space, revealing headers/footers and page numbers.
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