How to change page numbering

My page numbering starts at p. 48 (probably something I did). I don’t know how to reset it to p.1, so that the next page comes out as 2, etc.

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The page numbering is defined by the Page Styles. You can find them in the sidebar ( F5 ) at Format Styles.

This can happen by two methods (which in this case amounts to two types of accident):

  • Page number field offset.
    This would cause your document to show no page numbers for the last 47 pages, because the offset points to pages which do not exist.
  • Page numbering has been manually set.
    This will be indicated on the status bar (which sits on the bottom border of the Writer window) by an alternate page number in parenthesis, to the left on the status bar, like so:
    Page: 1 of 100 (Page 48)
    Meaning that the current page is the first in this file, but paginated as #48

If the mistake is in the field itself (first option above), simply delete the page number field in the header or footer, and reinsert by menu item Insert - Page number

If the mistake is a pagination reset (the last option), the solution is a couple of steps:

  • Click in the first line of your document so the cursor goes there.
  • Select menu item Format - Paragraph
  • Select the Text flow tab
  • Find the Break section and untick the last option (page numbering).
  • OK
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Thanks, Kjell!
–Sarge

It is not a paragraph format option.You can change the page number only on the occurrence of a page break. A page break is either inserted explicitly as a manual break, or implicitly as a consequence of a paragraph text flow requirement. In the last case, it is an indirect paragraph “format option” because the style requests a page break.

A page style describes the "static’ appearance of the page. A page break is a (“dynamic”) transition allowing a minima to restart at top of page, also changing page numbers or even switching to a new page style with or without page number change.

Would you like all pages having this style to have the same page number - namely the one number that is defined in the page style?

One important factor in this: Pages are not objects as such in Writer context, so you cannot apply properties to a page. When you think you change the formatting of the current page, you actually modify the named page style which applies to current page (and which is likely to also apply to other pages).

  • Page numbering (where - if at all - a page should have visble numbering) is a setting of the page style.
  • The actual number of the page is a factor of content flow. From this perspective it makes some sense to have the “number reset” option as a property of text content (and in writer this happens at paragraph level).
    IOW, the page number is not a property of the actual page, but a product of what is before.
    (The page does not exist as an individual object, remember? Think of it only as a placeholder.)

“Page is not an object” is perhaps not the most intuitive thought you have encountered, but that is how it works, and when you get used to the mindset, it is good for the structure of your documents. Just as well to accept it, because it is not likely to change in Writer any time soon, I think.

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You find a step by step tutorial for scientific works there (languages English, French and others):
http://openoffice-uni.org/

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I could not find how to add a comment. I deleted it. But I find the other reply, can stand for my, comment about being lost from the previous set of posts. Thanks.
I don’t know what it would take for me, to get it. I still have trouble. Even with styles, adding a table of content in the new page styles after a First page style that should be followed by my new page style with roman page numbers, swithes mid TOC to the next page style (back to default page style). I am sorry to say that it does feel a bit clunky. I guess something in the TOC tripped a “break”… where should I ask this question. and multiply the divergence of related questions.

I assume this post would make a new question. well. not sure. thanks for letting me know best practice. I appreciate. I did wonder what I had clicked on. but not finding anything else… I am always ready to delete and move upon being made aware.

Ask your question about page numbering. I’ll answer with description of the basic principle and give a generic recipe.

Attach your troublesome TOC document. The issue is likely related with the “automatic next style” feature.

You are right. sorry for delay. I thought I had found the solutoin. But after a hiatus, and not having saved the styles in the common template, because I am still thinking that there is an automatic way that when I change the document style, there is a way to propagate it to its template, so that I won’t have to redo the change. But, if I understood correctly. I would have to either go to that template and edit its style, perhaps using the load style from another file. or is it template. I think I missed a step. The document I just changed a style (and made it stick to its dictionary? which is a within document “template” of sorts for all objects attributed the same style name) I should save it as template, with a the text in it (my concern). and then in the template common to all my files of the same project, I could charge or load the styles from that template, (from template to template), and even if the tempalte I am now importing style to, does not have text instances of the styles I imported, the styles I made for the pages with different pagination style, would import.

I forgot the chaining between breaks (manual break, page breack, can section do instead, they seem to be not doing much other than making a layer of segmentation, it might be less confusing than having to put some page break, and figure out how to separate assignation of the page style. I keep having to undo one and then the other.

I might be missing a diagram abstracting the “sections with own id of page numbering style and thus page style” their delimiter (and the user event needed, if more than one possible please provide), and then the next section wich can be assigned a different page style. This together with the page style, next style variable. Should I make my own new styles, but for the default style. and the first page style, should have next style to be the front matter page style, which itself should have next style to be default style, and then use in the existin default default style, which has its own next style…

maybe 2 diagrams? is it possible here. or maybe using exacalidraw and linking here? sorry. I have a hard time making my problem in concise form, not knowing which keywords will convey it without misunderstanding. curse of the unknown internet audience priors to assume.

It is the not the TOC that is the problem, but the front matter between first page (and possibly its verso), and front matter section in between before the main numerotation. I would typically have no page numbering on the first page matter. roman numeral in the front matter (which would have the TOC but not only), and then arabic numetorals for the body of the long document.Each section would start with one. I do prefer an abstract or generic version as you worded. You can use 3 anything sections. and their relatoin to the untouchable default page style.
I would maybe do the diagram myself then and propose it back, to seal comprehension. and maybe for others on the visual comprehension bias. My long term memory seems to work better that way, but short term I can deal with conscious logic of reading a verbal explanation (logic being clearer there, sometimes). best is both… which I offer.