sodcalculator

10 Tech How-To

How to Add Line Numbers in Microsoft Word

Guide 10-33083 · Updated · Step by step

Line numbers in Microsoft Word place a number beside each line of text in a document or a selected section. This is useful for legal documents, academic papers, scripts, or any collaborative work where you need to reference a specific line. You can add them to the whole document, a single section, or just a portion of text, and you can control the numbering interval and starting number. This guide covers the steps for current versions of Word on Windows and Mac, with notes for the web version.

What You’ll Need

  • A Microsoft Word document (desktop version for Windows or Mac is recommended; the web version has limited support).
  • Your document should be in Print Layout view to see the line numbers on screen.

Step-by-Step

  1. Open your document in Microsoft Word.
  2. Go to the “Layout” tab (in Word 2016 and later) or “Page Layout” tab (in older versions). This is in the ribbon at the top of the window.
  3. Click “Line Numbers”. In the “Page Setup” group, you’ll see a button labeled “Line Numbers”. Click it to open a drop-down menu.
  4. Choose your option from the drop-down menu:
    • Continuous: Numbers every line in the document from 1 to the end.
    • Restart Each Page: Numbers start at 1 on each new page.
    • Restart Each Section: Numbers start at 1 at the beginning of each new section.
    • Suppress for Current Paragraph: Removes line numbers from the paragraph where your cursor is placed. Use this for headings, quotes, or other paragraphs you don’t want numbered.
    • Line Numbering Options…: Opens a dialog box for more control (see next step).
  5. For advanced settings (start number, increment, distance from text), click “Line Numbering Options…” at the bottom of the menu. This opens the “Page Setup” dialog box.
  6. Click the “Layout” tab in the dialog box (if not already selected).
  7. Click “Line Numbers…” button at the bottom of the dialog box. This opens the “Line Numbers” dialog box.
  8. Check the “Add line numbering” box to enable it.
  9. Set your preferences:
    • Start at: The number for the first line (usually 1).
    • From text: The distance between the line number and the text (in inches or centimeters). “Auto” is usually fine.
    • Count by: The increment for numbering. For example, “2” numbers every other line (1, 3, 5…).
    • Numbering: Choose “Restart each page”, “Restart each section”, or “Continuous”.
  10. Click “OK” on both dialog boxes to apply your settings.
  11. To remove line numbers entirely: Go back to “Layout” > “Line Numbers” and select “None”.

Common Mistakes

  • Not in Print Layout view: Line numbers only show in Print Layout view. If you’re in Draft or Web Layout view, you won’t see them even if they’re enabled.
  • Clicking the wrong tab: The “Line Numbers” button is under the “Layout” tab, not “Insert” or “References”.
  • Forgetting to select text: If you want line numbers only on part of the document, you must select that text first, then go to “Layout” > “Line Numbers” > “Line Numbering Options…”. In the “Apply to” drop-down, choose “Selected text”. If you don’t select text, the settings apply to the whole document or section.
  • Suppress for Current Paragraph not working: Make sure your cursor is actually inside the paragraph you want to suppress. If you have multiple paragraphs selected, the option is grayed out.
  • Confusing sections with pages: “Restart each section” only works if you have created section breaks. If your document has no section breaks, it behaves like “Continuous”.

Tips

  • Use “Restart Each Page” for legal documents – it makes referencing lines on a specific page much easier.
  • Use “Count by” for drafts – numbering every other line (Count by: 2) saves space and is common in manuscript formatting.
  • Suppress line numbers on headings – click into the heading, then choose “Suppress for Current Paragraph” from the Line Numbers menu. This keeps the visual clean.
  • Line numbers don’t print in the margins of the web version – if you need to print, use the desktop app.
  • If you’re collaborating, check with your team – some style guides (like MLA or APA) have specific rules about line numbers. Make sure you follow the required format.

Troubleshooting

  • Line numbers are not showing:
    1. Check your view: Go to “View” tab and select “Print Layout”.
    2. Check if line numbers are set to “None” in the Layout > Line Numbers menu.
    3. Check if the paragraph has “Suppress for Current Paragraph” applied. Select the paragraph, go to Layout > Line Numbers, and see if that option is checked.
  • Line numbers appear but not where you want:
    1. If you wanted them only on certain pages, you need to use section breaks. Insert a section break (Layout > Breaks > Next Page) before and after the section you want numbered, then apply “Restart Each Section” and set “Apply to: This section”.
    2. If you wanted them only on selected text, make sure you selected the text before going into “Line Numbering Options…” and set “Apply to: Selected text”.
  • Line numbers are in the wrong position (too close/far from text):
    1. Go to Layout > Line Numbers > Line Numbering Options… > Line Numbers… and adjust the “From text” value. Increase it to move numbers further from the text, decrease to move closer.
  • Numbers restart unexpectedly:
    1. Check if there are section breaks in your document. Go to Home > Show/Hide (¶) to see them. If you have section breaks, the “Restart each section” option will cause numbers to restart at each break. Change the numbering to “Continuous” if you want uninterrupted numbers.
  • Line numbers not printing:
    1. Make sure you’re printing in “Print Layout” view. Go to File > Print and check the preview. If they don’t show in the preview, go back to the document and ensure they are visible on screen.
    2. Check your printer margins – if the line numbers are in the margin area and your printer can’t print that close to the edge, they may be cut off. Try reducing the “From text” value or increasing your document margins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add line numbers to only one column in a multi-column document?
No. Line numbers apply to the whole page or section, not individual columns. You would need to put that column in its own section to apply numbering to it separately.

Do line numbers count blank lines?
Yes, blank lines are counted as lines. If you have a blank line between paragraphs, it gets a number.

Can I change the font or size of the line numbers?
Not directly. Line numbers use the same font and size as the “Line Number” style, which is based on the Normal style. You can modify the “Line Number” style in the Styles pane (right-click on “Line Number” and choose “Modify”) to change its appearance.

Will line numbers appear in the table of contents or headers/footers?
No. Line numbers only apply to the body text of your document, not to headers, footers, footnotes, or text boxes.

How do I remove line numbers from a single page?
You need to create a section break before and after that page, then set the line numbering for that section to “None”. Go to Layout > Breaks > Next Page to insert a section break at the start and end of the page, then click into that section, go to Layout > Line Numbers > None.

Do line numbers work in Word for the web?
Word for the web can display line numbers that were added in the desktop app, but you cannot add or modify them in the web version. You need the desktop version to change settings.

Related

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →