How to Start Page Number on Page 2 or 3 in Google Docs

If you’ve ever worked on a report, essay, or any formal document, you know that sometimes page numbers shouldn’t start right at the top. Maybe you want your title page or table of contents clean—no numbers in sight. Good news: Google Docs makes it easy to start page numbering on page 2 or even page 3. Here’s exactly how to do it, step by step.

Why Start Page Numbers Later?

• Title pages look cleaner without numbers.
• You might need Roman numerals for front matter, Arabic for main content.
• Professional formatting matters, especially for academic or business documents.

How to Start Page Numbers on Page 2 in Google Docs

1. Open your Google Doc.
2. Click ‘Insert’ > ‘Page numbers’.
   • Choose the option that shows numbering at the top or bottom, starting from page 1. Don’t worry—we’ll adjust where it actually starts.
3. Double-click the header or footer on your first page (where you see the page number).
4. Check ‘Different first page’ in the header/footer options.
   • This hides the page number on the first page.
5. Done! Page numbering will now start from page 2, and the first page stays blank.

Tip: The numbering will still say “2” on the second page. If you want it to start from “1” on the second page, do this:

• With the header/footer open, click ‘Options’ > ‘Page numbers’.
• Set “Start at” to 0.

Now, your second page says “1,” your third says “2,” and so on.

How to Start Page Numbers on Page 3

Maybe you need both the first and second page blank (say, for a cover and a table of contents). Here’s how:

1. Click after all content on page 2.
2. Go to ‘Insert’ > ‘Break’ > ‘Section break (next page)’.
   • This creates a new section starting on page 3.
3. Double-click the header/footer on page 3.
4. Uncheck ‘Link to previous’.
   • This keeps page 3’s header/footer separate from earlier pages.
5. Insert page numbers just for this section:
   • Click ‘Insert’ > ‘Page numbers’.
   • In ‘Options’, set “Start at” to 1 or whatever number you want.
6. Delete page numbers from the earlier section (if they appear).

Now, pages 1 and 2 are blank, and page 3 starts with “1.”

Recap: Quick Steps

• Use “Different first page” for numbering from page 2.
• Use “Section breaks” for numbering from page 3 (or later).
• Always unlink sections before adding or removing page numbers.

Final Thoughts

Clean formatting sets your documents apart. With just a few clicks, Google Docs lets you control exactly where page numbers appear. No more awkward cover pages with random “1”s in the corner—just the professional look you want.

Have any formatting headaches? Drop them in the comments—I’m here to help!

Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!