To remove a header and footer from selected pages in the middle of a Word document, isolate those pages in a section. Then unlink both the selected section and the section after it before clearing either area. Headers and footers have independent links, so handle each one separately.
First-page shortcut
If you only need the first page of a section to be different, double-click its header or footer and enable Different First Page. Clear the first-page header and footer content. This setting applies to the first page of that section; it does not target an arbitrary middle page. Check page numbers afterward.
Remove both from a middle page or range
- Save a copy. Place the cursor at the start of the first page to change and choose Layout > Breaks > Next Page under Section Breaks.
- At the end of the last selected page, insert another Next Page section break. The selected pages should be one section between the surrounding sections. Use Home > ¶ to verify the boundaries.
- In the selected section’s header, turn Link to Previous off. Do the same separately in its footer.
- In the section immediately after the selected pages, turn Link to Previous off in its header and footer too. This keeps its content from inheriting the blank selected section.
- Return to the selected pages and remove the header and footer content. Inspect the sections before and after; restore their content if needed.
Microsoft’s section-specific header guide confirms that header and footer links are separate. Its single-page instructions cover the section-break method. To remove only the header, see the next section.
If you want the page numbers or footer to stay, work on the header alone. Follow the same section-break steps, but turn Link to Previous off only in the header of the selected section and the section after it. Leave both footers linked and untouched, then delete the header content on the selected pages. Do the reverse to remove only the footer.
Check alternate header types and numbering
If Different First Page or Different Odd & Even Pages is enabled, inspect the applicable header and footer type in each affected section; each can have its own content and link. Page numbers often live in a header or footer and may disappear when you clear it. Section breaks can also restart numbering. Check Print Layout and set numbering to Continue from previous section where appropriate.
Why did the later pages change?
The later section may still be linked to the selected section. Undo the deletion, unlink the later header and footer, and then clear the selected section again. Do not delete the section breaks unless you intend to merge formatting.
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