How to Insert Header and Footer in MS Word?

In Microsoft Word, headers and footers are sections at the top (header) and bottom (footer) of each page in a document. They are often used to include information that should appear on every page, such as page numbers, document titles, dates, and company logos. Headers appear at the top margin of each page, while footers appear at the bottom margin. Here’s how to insert and remove headers and footers in MS Word:

Inserting a Header or Footer:

Step 1: Open Your Document: Launch Microsoft Word and open the document to which you want to add a header or footer.

Step 2: Access the Header/Footer Area:

• To Insert a Header:
  • Go to the “Insert” tab in the ribbon.
  • In the “Header & Footer” group, click on “Header.” A dropdown menu will appear with various built-in header styles and a “Blank” option for custom headers.
  • Choose one of the built-in header styles or select “Blank” to create a custom header.
• To Insert a Footer:
  • Go to the “Insert” tab in the ribbon.
  • In the “Header & Footer” group, click on “Footer.” Similar to headers, you can choose built-in footer styles or select “Blank” for a custom footer.

Step 3: Customize the Header or Footer:

• In the header or footer area, you can type or insert text, such as page numbers, document titles, or other information.
• You can format the text, add images or logos, and use the “Header & Footer Tools” tab that appears when you’re working in the header or footer to access additional formatting options.

Step 4: Navigate Back to the Document:

• After customizing the header or footer, you can either double-click outside the header/footer area or click the “Close Header and Footer” button that appears on the “Header & Footer Tools” tab to return to the main document.

Removing a Header or Footer:

Method 1: Clearing the Header or Footer Text:

1. Double-click inside the header or footer area to make it active.
2. Highlight and delete all the text and content in the header or footer.
3. After removing the content, you can navigate back to the document by double-clicking outside the header/footer area.

Method 2: Using Header & Footer Tools:

1. Double-click inside the header or footer area to activate it.
2. Go to the “Header & Footer Tools” tab that appears.
3. In the “Navigation” group, click on “Link to Previous” to unlink the header/footer from the previous section. This step is important if your document has multiple sections with different headers/footers.
4. Delete any content in the header or footer.
5. After making the changes, click the “Close Header and Footer” button in the “Close” group to return to the main document.

Headers and footers are versatile tools that help you maintain consistency and provide essential information throughout your document, especially in lengthy reports, academic papers, or formal documents. You can customize headers and footers to suit your specific document needs.