how to add page numbers in docs

Numbering pages is not something reserved only for books and magazines. You can also number the pages of a business proposal, research paper, and even your homework. For any document that is more than a few pages, it makes it easy to keep track of everything.

It also makes it easier to put all your pages in order after printing, if they are to get mixed up somehow. And in this regard, Google Docs does not have a complicated page numbering system, as you are going to find out.

How to Add Page Numbers to Google Docs on a Windows, Mac, or Chromebook

Working with Google Docs is relatively straightforward. Most of the formatting rules and tools are featured on the main toolbar. Here is what you need to do to add page numbers to your documents.

Open a file in Google Docs.
Click on the Format button on the toolbar.
Select the Page Numbers option, right under the Headers and Footers option.
Choose to position the page number as a Header or Footer.
Select whether you want to start numbering from the first page. Input a starting number (by default the number is 1).
Click Apply.

These settings carry on to the printing format. If you want to change the position of the page numbers, you need to access the Headers and Footers menu.

Click on the Format button.
Select Headers and Footers.
Edit the margins to create more or less separation. You can also choose a specific layout for different odd and even pages, or just a different first page.
Click Apply.

Note that these changes affect not only page numbers but also other text or artwork you add to your headers and footers. However, the artwork and text you can move around. For the page numbers, you can only align the numbers with the four options on the toolbar menu:

Left
Center
Right
Justify (this is the same as using the Left alignment)

How to Add Page Numbers to Google Docs on an Android Device

Using Google Docs on Android devices can be awkward at times. Yet numbering your document's pages is quite simple. Here is the shortest path you can take to do it.

Open any document in Google Docs on your smartphone or tablet.
Tap on the Edit button (the pen icon).
Tap in the Insert button (the plus icon).
Tap the Page Number option (usually the last option on the list).
Select one of the four layouts and positions to number your document.

Note that the Android version of the cloud-based text editor offers fewer customization options. But, it will let you start numbering from the second page if you want. And that is more than enough for creating professional-looking documents, ready for sharing or printing.

How to Add Page Numbers to Google Docs on an iPhone

The iPhone version of Google Docs is almost identical to its Android counterpart. Most of the buttons have the same designations, and the navigation paths are similar, if not the same. So, here is how you can add page numbers from an iPhone.

Open a document in Google Docs.
Tap on the Edit button.
Tap Page Number.
Pick the format that agrees with your vision of the document (start numbering from the first or second page).

You can make the same header and footer customizations on an iPhone that you can do on an Android device.

Additional FAQ

How do I number all pages automatically in Google Sheets?

If you want to print a very long spreadsheet, numbering the pages might be a good idea. It helps you keep track of things and have all your pages in order. The easiest way to do this is in the Print menu after you finished editing the spreadsheet.

Click on the Print menu button. Expand the Headers & Footers menu from the right side of the screen. Check the box next to the Page Numbers option. The option will automatically put numbers on each page, depending on how many your need. To print the entire workbook, you'd just select that option in the top-right corner where it says "Print."

From the same menu, you can also add the current date and time, as well as the sheet name or a title. It should help further customize the spreadsheet format and make it clear who made and when.

How do I start page numbers on page 2 in Google Sheets?

By default, you can't do this in Google Sheets. The app is not as advanced as Excel and lacks many features of convenience when it comes to formatting.

If you choose to number your pages in Google Sheets in the Print menu, the program numbers all of them from first to last. Even if you use the Edit Custom Fields menu, it won't help.

The menu allows you to customize the formatting for headers and footers. However, if you remove the page number from there, all page numbering goes away. Your only option is to print the first page of your spreadsheet separately, without footer numbering.

After that, you can use the automatic numbering option to print the entire spreadsheet. Once the machine prints everything, you can swap the first pages. But remember that even by doing this, your numbering would start from 2 instead of 1.

Final Thoughts

Google Docs is an excellent text editor that you can use on virtually any device. It does require you to have an active internet connection, but it's also a simplified version of the commercial and corporate standard Microsoft Word. Many prefer Google Docs for quick editing, applying formatting rules, or printing a document.

Now that you know how to add page numbers in Google Docs, and how to do the same in Google Sheets (despite the latter being much more limited in formatting), what are some of the features you think Google Docs is missing? Would you prefer more hands-on control of header and footer positioning on smartphones?

Would you like to have more options when adding page numbers? Do you want to see a page skipping feature in Google Sheets? Let us know in the comments section below how you feel Google Docs is performing so far.