Inserting page numbers into your Google Docs document enhances its structure and makes it easier for readers to navigate and reference specific sections. Google Docs offers simple ways to add and customize page numbers to fit your needs.

Adding page numbers in Google Docs

Step 1: In your Google Docs document, navigate to the top toolbar and click on the Insert tab.

Step 2: From the drop-down menu, hover over Page numbers, then select one of the preset styles to automatically insert page numbers into your document. If you wish to customize the numbering further, click on More options.

Step 3: In the Page numbers dialog box that appears, you can set the position of the page numbers. Under the Position section, choose either Header to place the page numbers at the top of the page, or Footer to place them at the bottom.

Step 4: If you prefer not to show the page number on the first page, such as when the first page is a title page, uncheck the box next to Show on first page.

Step 5: In the Numbering section, you can select the number you want to start counting from. Once you have set your preferences, click Apply to insert the page numbers.

With these steps, you will have added page numbers to your document according to your customization. In the example above, the page numbers start from the first page and are placed at the top of each page.

Changing alignment

By default, Google Docs places page numbers at the top-right corner of the page. However, you can easily adjust their alignment to suit your preference.

Step 1: Double-click on the page number in the header or footer to activate the header or footer editing mode.

Step 2: Highlight the page number, then use the alignment options in the toolbar to change its position. Click on the Align button and select from Left align, Center align, Right align, or Justify. The current alignment is indicated in blue.

In the example above, left alignment is selected, moving the page number to the top-left corner. You can also move the page numbers to the bottom of the page by selecting Footer in the Page numbers dialog box and then adjusting the alignment accordingly.

Removing page numbers

If you decide to remove page numbers from your document, you can do so with a few simple steps.

Step 1: Double-click on the page number to enter the header or footer editing mode.

Step 2: Click on Options located beneath the header or footer area.

Step 3: From the drop-down menu, select Remove header or Remove footer depending on where your page numbers are located.

By following these steps, you can efficiently manage page numbers in your Google Docs documents, enhancing their professionalism and readability without the hassle of manually entering numbers on each page.