Understanding Headers and Footers

A header appears at the top of a document. A footer appears at the bottom. They help organize long documents and make them easier to read.

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Headers and footers usually include:

  • Page numbers
  • Dates
  • Author’s name
  • Footnotes

Any text in the header or footer will appear on every page.

How to Add a Header or Footer

In this example, we will add the author’s name in the header.

  1. Double-click on the top or bottom margin of the document. This will open the header or footer.

  2. A Design tab will appear at the top. The insertion point will also appear in the header or footer.

  3. Type the information you want. In this case, type the author's name and the date.

  4. Click Close Header and Footer or press the Esc key to finish.

  5. The Header and Footer text will appear.

Using a Preset Header or Footer

Microsoft Word has preset designs for headers and footers. These can improve the look of your document.

  1. Click the Insert tab at the top of the screen.

  2. Select Header or Footer from the menu.

  3. Choose a preset design.

  4. The selected header or footer will appear. It may have placeholders for text like the title, author, date, or page number.

  5. Click on a Content Control field and type the desired information.
  6. Click Close Header and Footer or press Esc when done.

Tip: To remove a placeholder field, right-click it and choose Remove Content Control.


Editing Headers and Footers

After closing, the header or footer remains visible but locked. To edit it, double-click on the header or footer.


Design Tab Options

When the header or footer is unlocked, the Design tab appears. It offers several options:

  • Different First Page – Hides the header and footer on the first page. This is useful for cover pages.

  • Remove Header/Footer – Deletes the header or footer completely.

  • Page Number – Adds automatic page numbers.

  • Insert Group – Lets you add dates, times, images, and other details.

Adding Date and Time

You can insert a date or time in a header or footer. This helps track when the document was created or printed.

  1. Double-click the header or footer to unlock it.

  2. Click the Date & Time command in the Design tab.

  3. A box will appear with date and time formats. Select one.
  4. If you want the date to update automatically, check the box next to Update Automatically.
  5. Click OK. The date will now appear in the header.
    6. The date will appear in the header.

This method ensures your document always shows the most recent date.