Your title and author details are in place, but they still run straight into the document body. Google Docs gives you the tools to turn them into a separate cover page with text styles and a page break. Start with the manual method below, or adapt a template for a quicker start. For a printable cover, use Pages format; a Pageless cover image creates a banner.
Create a separate first page
Without a page break, your cover text and document body share the same page.
On a computer, open your document.
Choose File > Page setup > Pages.
Adjust Orientation, Paper size, Margins, or Page color to suit your layout.
Click OK. These settings prepare the page; they don't insert a cover automatically.
Place the cursor before your existing content, or start in a blank document.
Enter your title, author name, date, and any other cover details.
Position the cursor after the cover text, before the document body.
Choose Insert > Break > Page break. That gives your cover its own page and starts the body on the next one.
Give the title a clear style
Built-in styles handle the title and subtitle formatting.
Select the title text on your cover.
Choose Format > Paragraph styles > Title > Apply 'Title'.
Select your subtitle text, if you have one.
Choose Format > Paragraph styles > Subtitle > Apply 'Subtitle'. The styles format your text; the page break keeps the cover separate.
Start with a template for a ready-made layout
Open the Google Docs home screen.
Select Template Gallery. The available templates vary.
Choose a suitable template to open a copy.
Replace its sample content with your title and other cover details.
Place the cursor after the cover content.
Choose Insert > Break > Page break if the body still needs its own page.
Already working inside a document? Choose File > New > From a template to access templates there.
Select a template.
Preview its tabs using the dropdown.
Click Insert. If your document already contains content, the template opens in new document tabs. It doesn't automatically add a printed cover at the front.
Customize the template's opening content with your cover details.
If none of the templates fits, try the manual first-page method above. You can enter your own cover text without adapting a preset layout.
Add a border with a one-cell table
A single table cell holds your cover text and gives you border and background controls.
- 1.At the start of the document, choose Insert > Table and select one cell.
- 2.Enter your cover text inside the cell.
- 3.Resize the table to suit your layout.
- 4.Right-click the table and open Table options to adjust dimensions, cell alignment, and padding.
- 5.Use the toolbar's Border color, Border width, and Background color controls to decorate the cover.
- 6.Place the cursor after the table and choose Insert > Break > Page break to start the body on the next page.
Keep the cover's header and footer separate
A shared header or footer repeats the document's content on your cover.
Choose Insert > Page elements > Header or Insert > Page elements > Footer.
Click inside the header or footer.
Check Different first page.
Leave the cover's header or footer empty, or enter cover-specific content.
For independent cover and body numbering, insert Insert > Break > Section break (next page) at their boundary instead of a regular page break.
Open Insert > Page elements > Page number.
Choose a numbering layout, or select More options for controls that apply numbering to particular pages or sections and adjust alignment.
For independently formatted section headers or footers, uncheck Link to previous in the relevant section.
Make a title page on your phone or tablet
Open your document in the Google Docs app.
On Android, tap Edit first.
On either platform, open More > Page setup.
Turn Pageless off.
On iPhone or iPad, tap Edit after changing the page setup.
Enter your cover text before the document body.
Select your title text.
Tap Format > TEXT > Style > Title.
Select your subtitle text, if you've added one.
Tap Format > TEXT > Style > Subtitle.
Put the cursor after the cover content.
Tap Insert > Page break to move the body onto the next page.
Open More > Print layout to see the page boundaries.
Tip: For a template-based start in either mobile app, use New > Choose template, tap a suitable template, and replace its sample content with your cover details.
Choose a cover image for a scrolling document
Want a banner at the top of your document? Choose File > Page setup > Pageless > OK. This creates a scrolling layout rather than separate printable pages.
Type @cover image, then choose an image source. Select the resulting cover to access Reposition, Replace image, or Delete.
Add your title underneath the image. The banner is hidden when you switch to Pages format.
For artwork on a printable cover, choose Insert > Image in a Pages document, select an image source, and click Insert or Open. Select the image and use Image options > All image options to adjust its size and position. Place the cursor after the cover content and choose Insert > Break > Page break to keep the body on the following page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the keyboard shortcut for separating a cover page?
In a Pages document on the web, place the cursor between the cover and body. Press Ctrl + Enter on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command + Enter on Mac. Shortcut support depends on your keyboard and language.
Can I reuse the same cover page in other documents?
Yes. Open the document containing your cover and choose File > Make a copy. Enter a name and save location, then click Ok. Replace the copied cover details. Copying a shared document requires permission.
Can my cover have different margins or orientation?
Yes. Separate the cover and body with Insert > Break > Section break (next page). Open File > Page setup and select the section you want to change. Adjust its Margins or Orientation, then click OK.
Can I add a watermark only to my cover page?
Google Docs watermarks repeat on every page. Use a watermark for a standalone one-page cover or an intentionally repeated design. For artwork confined to the first page of a longer document, insert an image on that page.