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Illustration of how to edit a header and footer in Word
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How to edit a header and footer in a Word Doc

Not sure how to edit the top and bottom margins of our letterhead template in Microsoft Word? We can help with that! 

Using Word’s header and footer features saves you from copying, pasting, and formatting the same information on multiple pages.

How to add a header or footer

  1. In Microsoft Word, go to Insert, Header, Edit Header. You can also select one of the default headers if you don’t want to start from scratch.Example of header and footer in Word

  1. To make edits to your header, go to the now available Header & Footer menu.Header and footer menu in Word

  2. You’ll use the same menu if you want to add a footer.


From here, all edits you make to your header or footer come from the same menu. Double-click the top of the document to edit the header or the bottom of the document to edit the footer. Once one is selected, you can easily jump back and forth between the two from the Header or Footer menu.

How to customize your header or footer 

  1. Change the color of a background shape by selecting it and going to the Shape Format menu, and selecting Shape Fill. You can also delete the background shape entirely.Shape format menu in Word

Note: The first page is set to appear differently than other pages in the Memo Template, so if you change the color of the background shape in the header to red, for example, it will still be blue for the rest of the pages.

  1. Add your logo by going to Insert, Pictures, and select Picture from File to place a PNG or JPEG of your logo into the Header.Insert picture menu in Word

  2. To freely move around the logo, select your logo and go to Picture Format, Wrap Text, and select Tight. Once it’s the size and placement you want, you can delete the placeholder.Picture format menu in Word

  3. Change the Date and Time by selecting the text, go to the Header & Footer menu, select Date & Time, and then choose the date format of your preference.Date and time menu in WordDate and time menu in Word

Note: The Date and Time should update automatically every time you update the Memo Template.

  1. To change the font of the Page Numbers, follow the same process as step 3, but select Page Numbers from the Header & Footer menu instead.Page number menu in Word

  1. If you want to change the fonts, colors, or type sizes of any of the text elements in your header or footer, those changes can be implemented from the Home menu font styles.Home menu in Word

How to design your own header and footer

If you decide you want to create your own header or footer for our Memo or Newsletter template, we’ll walk you through that next! You can delete the individual elements from the header and footer and create your own.

  1. From the Header & Footer menu, you can add individual elements such as the Page Number, Date and Time, or other Fields like Date and Time or Document Automation.Header and footer menu in WordDate and time field in Word

  1. If you want more control over where these fields go, add  a text box in the header or footer and then set it to the Field you want by going to the Insert menu—such as what was done in the Compliance Team Brand Toolkit Memo Template.Insert field menu in Word

  2. Add a PNG into your Header by going to the Header & Footer menu, and selecting Picture from File. You can also add an image by dragging-and-dropping a PNG into the header itself.

    Picture from file in Word

  3. Give your header or footer more space in the Header & Footer menu either by toggling the Header from Top or Footer from Bottom fields.

    Header and footer toggle in Word

  4. If you want a header or footer that is different from the rest of the document, select Different First page from the Header & Footer menu. From there any changes you make to the first page header or footer will not affect the other pages.

    Header and footer menu in Word

  5. To confirm your headers or footers are working, go to Insert from the main ribbon, then Blank page.

    Insert blank page in Word

Want to implement your brand even further? Check out our Applying your branding how-to-guide for Powerpoint!

 

New to Broadcat? Hey, thanks for checking us out! You may have found this page while searching for ways to edit a header and footer in a Word doc. If so, we hope this info is helpful for you! If you work at an organization which has a compliance department, be sure to let them know about us!

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