Applies ToWord for Microsoft 365 Publisher for Microsoft 365 Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac Word 2024 Word 2024 for Mac Word 2021 Publisher 2021 Word 2021 for Mac Word 2019 Publisher 2019 Word 2016 Publisher 2016

Download this template Or in Word, go to File > New, and search for booklet page numbering.

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This template gives you a document that's laid out so that the page number is on the outside margin of each page when the document is printed double-sided. The cover page has no page number on front or back.

When you print, remember to print on both sides, flipped on the short edge.

Replace the text in the document with your own, and follow these tips for customizing the page numbers or footer:

  1. Go to Layout > Page Setup > Margins > Custom Margins.

  2. On the Margins tab, under Pages, in the Multiple pages dropdown box, select Book fold, and then select OK.

    Word shows you that each half of a landscape-oriented page will be one page of the booklet.

  3. Go to File > Print and set Print on Both Sides to Flip pages on short edge.

  4. Fold all the printed pages in half and use a long-reach stapler to staple along the fold.

  1. On an odd-numbered page, double-click the page number to edit the footer, and then press Ctrl+E. 

  2. Repeat the process on an even-numbered page: Double-click the page number to edit the footer, and then press Ctrl+E. 

  1. On an odd-numbered page, double-click the page number to edit the footer, and then enter the text you want, such as p. or Page.

  2. Repeat the process on an even-numbered page: Double-click the page number to edit the footer, and then enter the text you want. 

Do these steps on an odd-numbered page, and then repeat them on an even-numbered page.

  1. On the Insert tab, in the Header & Footer group, select Footer > Blank (Three Columns).

  2. Replace the placeholders with your content. To insert content that comes from the document (like author and file name), select Header & Footer > Insert > Document Info.

    Screenshot showing Document Info and Date & Time buttons on the Word ribbon

    To add the current date, pick Date & Time in that same group (Header & Footer > Insert).

    Tip: If you want the printed document to always show the date it's printed, select Update automatically.

  3. Use one of the placeholders for the page number. Select Header & Footer tab > Header & Footer group > Page Number > Current Position, and then select Plain NumberScreen shot that shows choosing Plain format page number at the current position in the document

  4. If you don't use all the placeholders, delete the ones you don't use.

Start a document with pages already numbered

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