You can remove page numbers from only some pages in Word by using section breaks and unlinking headers/footers.

First decide what you need

Ask yourself which situation matches your document.

  • No page number on the first page only (like a title page).
  • No page numbers on a block of pages in the middle (e.g., pages 4–6).
  • Page numbers stop from a certain point onward (e.g., after page 50).

Below are quick methods for each.

Case 1: Remove page number from first page only

This is the simplest and works great for title/cover pages.

  1. Open your document and go to the first page.
  2. Double‑click in the header or footer (where the page number is) to edit it.
  1. In the ribbon, under Header & Footer Tools, check Different First Page.
  1. If a number still shows on page 1, delete it from that page only.
  1. Close the header/footer (press Esc or click Close Header and Footer).

Word now shows no number on page 1, but keeps numbering from page 2 onward.

Case 2: Remove numbers from specific middle pages

For example, you want numbers on pages 1–3, none on page 4, then resume on page 5 (still counting correctly).

Step 1 – Create section breaks

You need to isolate the pages that will lose numbers.

  1. Place your cursor at the end of the page before the first page you want without numbers.
    • Example: To remove numbers on page 4, place cursor at the end of page 3.
  2. Go to Layout (or Page Layout) → Breaks → under Section Breaks , choose Next Page.
  1. Now place your cursor at the end of the last page you want to hide numbers on.
    • Example: If only page 4 has no number, cursor at end of page 4.
  2. Again go to Layout → Breaks → Next Page to insert another section break.

Your document is now split into three sections:

  • Section 1: pages before the “no-number” pages.
  • Section 2: the pages that will have no page numbers.
  • Section 3: the pages after them.

Step 2 – Unlink headers/footers

You have to break the connection so changes in Section 2 don’t affect Section 1 and 3.

  1. Go to the first page of the “no-number” section (e.g., page 4).
  2. Double‑click in the footer or header area where the number is.
  1. In Header & Footer Tools, click Link to Previous to turn it off (it should not be highlighted).
  1. Go to the first page of Section 3 (e.g., page 5), double‑click the footer/header, and again click Link to Previous to turn it off there too.

Now each section’s page numbers can be controlled independently.

Step 3 – Remove page numbers from the middle section

  1. Stay in the header/footer of one of the “no-number” pages (Section 2).
  1. Go to the Insert tab → Page Number.
  2. Choose Remove Page Numbers.
  1. Close the header/footer.

Page numbers should now disappear from only that section.

Step 4 – Fix the numbering after the gap (optional)

If Word restarts numbering at 1 after the gap, you can resync it.

  1. Go to the first page after the gap (e.g., page 5).
  2. Double‑click in the footer/header to edit.
  3. Right‑click the page number → choose Format Page Numbers.
  1. Under Page numbering , select Start at , and enter the number you want (e.g., 4 if the missing page should still count).
  1. Click OK , then close the header/footer.

Your pages now count continuously, even though the selected pages show no printed number.

Case 3: Remove page numbers from a certain point onward

For example, a report where appendices have no page numbers.

  1. Put your cursor at the end of the last page that should have a number.
  2. Go to Layout → Breaks → Next Page to create a new section.
  1. On the first “no-number” page, double‑click the header/footer.
  2. Click Link to Previous to turn it off.
  1. Go to Insert → Page Number → Remove Page Numbers while in this section.
  1. Close the header/footer.

Everything after that point will now have no numbers, while the earlier section keeps them.

Quick HTML table of scenarios

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Goal</th>
      <th>What to use</th>
      <th>Key steps</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>No number on first page only</td>
      <td>Different First Page</td>
      <td>Open header/footer, check “Different First Page”, delete number on page 1.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Hide numbers on some middle pages</td>
      <td>Section breaks + unlink</td>
      <td>Add section breaks before/after target pages, unlink headers/footers, remove page numbers in that section only.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Stop numbers after a certain page</td>
      <td>Section break + unlink</td>
      <td>Section break at end of last numbered page, unlink next section, remove page numbers there.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Continue numbering correctly after a gap</td>
      <td>Format Page Numbers</td>
      <td>Right‑click number, choose “Format Page Numbers”, use “Start at” to resume sequence.</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Extra tips and common gotchas

  • If deleting a number on one page removes it from many pages, you probably didn’t insert a section break or didn’t turn off Link to Previous.
  • In very long documents, you can use multiple continuous or next page section breaks to control exactly which pages show numbers.
  • For simple “no number on first page” needs (cover pages, title pages), Different First Page is faster than section breaks.

If you tell me your exact scenario (e.g., “Word for Windows, pages 1–2 no number, rest numbered starting at 1”), I can give you precise click‑by‑click instructions tailored to that case.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.