Quick answer: A normal Word header repeats on every page in its section. For a different header on every page, make each page its own section and turn off Link to Previous in each new section’s header. If you only need a different first page or alternating odd and even pages, use Word’s built-in header options instead.
Give every page its own header in desktop Word
- Save a copy of the document before changing sections. Place the cursor at the end of page 1, just before the content that should begin page 2.
- Choose Layout > Breaks > Next Page under Section Breaks. A regular Page Break does not create a separate header.
- Repeat before each later page that needs its own header. Check the result because edits may reflow text and move a section boundary.
- Double-click the header on page 2. On the Header & Footer tab, turn off Link to Previous, then replace the header content.
- Repeat in each later section. Check every page before saving.
Link to Previous works between matching header types in adjacent sections. If it is unavailable, confirm that a section break exists. Footers are linked separately, so changing a header does not automatically unlink the footer.
Change the header for one part of the document
Often you do not need a new header on every page, just a new one where a chapter or part begins. The same section method works with fewer breaks.
- Click at the end of the text just before the part that needs the new header. If a manual page break sits there, delete it first so you do not end up with a blank page.
- Choose Layout > Breaks > Next Page.
- Double-click the header on the first page of the new section.
- Turn off Link to Previous on the Header & Footer tab.
- Replace the header text, then select Close Header and Footer or press Esc.
Every page after the break uses the new header until the next section that you unlink. To keep some sections the same, leave Link to Previous turned on in those sections. They will keep matching the section before them. If you already unlinked a section by mistake, turn Link to Previous back on. Word asks to delete that section’s header and replace it with the previous section’s header.
Use simpler options when they fit
For a cover page with a blank or special header, open the header and select Different First Page. For alternating left and right pages, select Different Odd & Even Pages. These options avoid creating a section for every page. If you use them together with sections, first-page, odd-page, and even-page headers each have their own linking state.
Example: three pages with three headers
Place a Next Page section break before the content of page 2 and another before page 3. Open page 2’s header, turn off Link to Previous, and enter its text. Repeat on page 3. The header area should identify each section; if it still says Same as Previous on page 3, unlink that section before replacing the text. A plain page break will move content but will not create a separately editable header.
Check the header type and numbering
When Different First Page or Different Odd & Even Pages is enabled, Word has separate first-page, odd-page, and even-page headers. Open the exact type you want to change and check its own Link to Previous setting. If the footer or page number must also differ, unlink and edit the footer separately. After adding section breaks, inspect page numbering; a new section may need Continue from previous section in the page-number format options.
For a changing chapter title throughout a long document, consider a header field based on a heading style rather than one section per page. For a few fixed page-specific headers, the section method above is easier to audit.
Check for formatting side effects
Section breaks can also affect page numbering, orientation, margins, and other layout settings. After inserting breaks, review these settings in every section. Use Home > Show/Hide ¶ to locate section breaks. If the header on a later page still changes an earlier one, open that later page’s header and check Link to Previous for the correct header type.
For more detail on section linking, see WindowBrain’s unlink headers guide. Microsoft’s guides explain Link to Previous and odd and even headers.
Matt has been writing about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products since the days of Windows XP. He spends much of his time writing for sites like WindowBrain.com