How to Add Page Numbers in Google Docs (2026)

Page numbers look like a minor detail until someone says, 'Can you turn to page six?' and nobody can find it. For reports, proposals, training packs and anything that's going to be printed or discussed on a call, numbers make a document feel organised.

Google Docs numbers pages automatically once you switch the feature on. The catch is that the option sits in a menu most people don't open, and it behaves differently in a few situations: skipping a title page, restarting from a section, or using the mobile app. Here's what Google's help says.

Putting page numbers into a Google Docs document on a computer

1. Open your document and click Insert.
2. Choose Page elements.
3. Click Page number.
4. Pick Page number to choose where the numbers go, or More options for finer control.

Google's help says the numbers are added automatically, so you don't type anything on each page. The same menu offers Page count, which Google says is inserted where your cursor is. That's how you build a 'page X of Y' line: add a page number, type the word 'of', then insert the page count.

Skipping the number on a Google Docs title page

A cover page rarely wants a number on it. In the page number options on a computer, you choose the position, and the mobile help mentions a choice to skip the first page. If you're working on a computer and the title page still shows a number, click into the header or footer and tick Different first page, which Google says gives the first page its own header and footer.

Leave that first-page header blank and your numbers start from the second page. This is the setup I'd use for any document that opens with a cover or a title block.

Starting Google Docs page numbers part-way through

Say your document has a cover, a contents list and then the main body, and you want the body to begin at the start of the numbering. Google's route is this:

1. Go to Insert, then Page elements, then Page number.
2. Click More options.
3. Under Apply to, choose where the change should apply.
4. Click Apply.

Google adds a tip: if you don't see this option, add a section break first. The section break is what gives Docs a place to restart from, so the missing option usually means there isn't one in your file yet.

Why Google Docs page numbers are missing

The most common reason is the document format. Google says page numbers aren't available in pageless format, and that the numbers reappear when you switch back to pages. To change the format, go to File, then Page setup, and select Pages at the top, then click OK. Or open the Format menu and choose Switch to Pages format.

Other things to check: you might be in a header or footer you've removed, or you might simply have inserted the number on one page and not realised it only exists there. Remove the number and reinsert it through the menu so it appears across the whole document.

Adding page numbers in the Google Docs app on your phone

Google says you can only see and edit page numbers, headers and footers when a document is in Print layout mode in the app. Turn it on from the More menu first. Then:

1. Open your document in the Docs app.
2. Tap the editing icon.
3. Tap Insert.
4. Tap Page Number.
5. Pick a position, and decide whether to skip the first page.

Which Google Docs page number option fits your document

Situation	What to use
A normal report	Insert > Page elements > Page number, then choose the position
'Page X of Y' style	Add the page number, then add Page count where your cursor sits
A cover page with no number	Different first page, or skip the first page on mobile
Numbering starts after a contents page	More options, then Apply to, with a section break in place
Working on a phone	Turn on Print layout first

Using Google Docs page numbers in client documents

If you send multi-page proposals, add numbers before you export. A client who prints a document and drops the pages will thank you for them, and a tidy footer signals care. My notes on how experienced professionals format a longer resume show a good example, since a two-page CV needs a clear way to link the sheets.

And if you're working from a template, filling in a Google Docs template without the numbering chaos covers the other kind of numbering problem, the one inside the document's own content.

Checking your Google Docs page numbers before you share

• Scroll through the pages and look at every footer or header.
• Check the first page matches your plan.
• Look at any sections where numbering should restart.
• Open the document on a second device if you can, to see how it appears.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add page numbers in Google Docs?

Click Insert, then Page elements, then Page number, and choose where the numbers should go. Google's help says they're added automatically across the pages.

How do I skip the page number on the first page?

On mobile you can choose to skip the first page when you insert the number. On a computer, tick Different first page in the header or footer so the first page has its own.

How do I start page numbers on page two or a later section?

Go to Insert, Page elements, Page number, More options, choose where the change applies under Apply to and click Apply. Add a section break if you don't see the option.

Why can't I see page numbers in Google Docs?

Google says page numbers aren't available in pageless format. Switch to pages format through File, Page setup, Pages, and they return.

How do I show the total number of pages?

In the Page number menu, choose Page count. Google says it's inserted where your cursor is, so you can build a 'page X of Y' line.