To remove a header and footer in Word, select Insert > Header > Remove Header, then select Insert > Footer > Remove Footer. Repeat these commands in each section of your document. Removing the header and removing the footer are separate actions.
These desktop steps apply to Word for Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 on Windows and Mac. Word for the web and phone apps also have removal controls, while removing content from just one page requires first-page settings or separate sections.
The short version
- Whole document: Remove the header and footer separately, then repeat across sections.
- First page only: Turn on Different First Page and leave its header and footer empty.
- Selected pages: Create section boundaries and turn off Link to Previous before deleting content.
- Content left behind: Check separate first-page, odd-page, and even-page areas.
| What you want | Method | Main catch |
|---|---|---|
| Remove desktop headers and footers | Insert removal menus | Repeat in every section |
| Remove them through contextual controls | Double-click the area and open Header & Footer | Remove headers and footers separately |
| Use Windows access keys | Alt + N, then H or O, then R | English-language Word on Windows |
| Enter editing through the Mac menu | View > Header and Footer | Then choose the removal command |
| Remove them in Word for the web | Insert removal menus or on-page controls | Use Editing mode |
| Remove them on Android phones | Header and footer, then More options | Dismiss the keyboard first |
| Remove them on iPhone with VoiceOver | Show ribbon > Insert > Header and footer | Swipe to locate controls and double-tap to activate |
| Leave the first page blank | Different First Page | Delete existing first-page content |
| Remove content from a page onward | A section break and Link to Previous | Unlink headers and footers separately |
| Clear one middle page or a range | Section breaks at both boundaries | Unlink the following section before deleting |
| Clear alternating page content | Edit odd and even areas separately | Check each section and first-page area |
| Delete selected text or objects | Edit the header or footer directly | Select pictures separately |
| Remove page numbers | Remove Page Numbers or direct deletion | The Mac command can remove other content |
| Bulk-remove content on Windows | Document Inspector | Also removes watermarks |
| Remove a remaining line | Delete its shape or paragraph border | Identify the type of line |
| Hide visible margin space | Double-click a page boundary in Print Layout | Stored and printed content remains |
| Edit a protected header or footer | Review > Restrict Editing > Stop Protection | Requires authorization |
| Stop headers appearing in new documents | Edit the custom template | Existing documents need separate cleanup |
| Remove browser-added print information | Clear Headers and footers in Edge printing settings | Does not change content stored in Word |
Remove headers and footers on Windows or Mac
Open your document and select Insert > Header > Remove Header. Next, select Insert > Footer > Remove Footer. Move through the document and repeat in every section that contains unwanted content.
You can also double-click a header or footer to open its editing controls. On the Header & Footer tab, open Header or Footer and choose Remove Header or Remove Footer. On Mac, you can enter this editing area through View > Header and Footer.
English-language Word on Windows also supports sequential ribbon access keys. For the header, press Alt + N, then H, then R; for the footer, press Alt + N, then O, then R. Press each part of the sequence in order, then check the remaining sections.
Remove headers and footers in Word for the web
Switch the document to Editing mode, then select Insert > Header > Remove Header. Follow with Insert > Footer > Remove Footer. Check the rest of the document for other sections and separate first-page or alternating-page content.
If your web editor supports direct on-page editing, double-click the header or footer. Open the Header & Footer tab and remove each area separately. The ribbon arrangement depends on which header and footer editor you have.
Use the removal controls on a phone
On an Android phone, open the document in Editing view and select Insert > Header and footer. Dismiss the keyboard and expand More options, then open Header > Remove header or Footer > Remove footer. With TalkBack, swipe to find each control and double-tap to activate it.
On iPhone with VoiceOver, locate Show ribbon, then Insert, then Header and footer. Swipe to find Remove header or Remove footer, then double-tap to activate the command. Repeat for the other area when you want both removed.
Leave the first page without a header or footer
Double-click the first page's header or footer and check whether Different First Page is enabled. Turn it on if it is off, then leave the first-page header and footer empty. Delete any existing content in those first-page areas and select Close Header and Footer.
This setting gives the first page its own header and footer content. It also applies to the first page of an individual section, so check which section you are editing. In Word for the web, open the header and footer editing controls, select Different First Page, and leave both first-page areas blank.
Remove headers and footers from selected pages
In desktop Word, place the cursor before the content that should begin without a header or footer. Select Layout > Breaks > Next Page to start a new section. Replace an existing page break at that position rather than adding a section break beside it.
Open the new section's header and turn off Link to Previous before choosing Header > Remove Header. Open its footer, turn off Link to Previous there too, and choose Footer > Remove Footer. Finish with Close Header and Footer, and repeat in any later sections that still contain unwanted content.
To clear only one middle page or a bounded range, add a Next Page section break at both boundaries. Before deleting anything, turn off Link to Previous in both the target section and the following section, separately for headers and footers. In the target section, choose Header > Remove Header and Footer > Remove Footer, then select Close Header and Footer. Unlinking the following section first preserves its independent content.
Headers and footers link independently, and first-page and odd/even variants have their own links. Check each relevant area before removing its contents. If you also need to make one page landscape in Word, check your existing section boundaries before making further changes.
Fix headers that remain on some pages
Content that remains on some pages can belong to a separate header or footer variant. Open the affected area and inspect Different Odd & Even Pages. When enabled, clear unwanted content in both an odd-page area and an even-page area.
Check the first-page areas as well when Different First Page is enabled. Repeat across sections, since clearing one area does not clear every independent variant. To remove headers or footers from only odd or only even pages, keep Different Odd & Even Pages enabled and leave the unwanted page type blank.
Delete only selected text or page numbers
To keep part of a header or footer, double-click the area to edit it. Select the unwanted text and press Delete, then select unwanted pictures or other objects separately and press Delete. Choose Close Header and Footer when finished, and repeat in other sections or variants as needed.
For page numbers alone on Windows or the web, select Insert > Page Numbers > Remove Page Numbers. On Mac, select Insert > Page Number > Remove Page Numbers. Microsoft cautions that the Mac menu command can remove other header or footer content, so select the number directly and press Delete when you need selective removal.
If numbers remain, open their header or footer areas, select each unwanted number, and press Delete. Check separate sections and first-page areas for additional numbers. If you want to replace the numbering afterward, you can add page numbers in Word with the placement you want.
Bulk remove content with Document Inspector
For a document with many sections in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, Document Inspector offers a bulk removal option. First select File > Save As and save a copy. This method also removes watermarks, and Undo might not restore the removed material.
In the copy, select File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document. Select Headers, Footers, and Watermarks, then choose Inspect. Beside that category's results, select Remove All, then select Close.
Fix leftover lines and check empty margins
A line left behind may be a shape or a paragraph border. On Windows, enter header or footer editing first when the line belongs there, then select a line shape and press Delete. For a paragraph border, place the cursor immediately above it, open Home > Borders and Shading, and select No Border.
If you want a divider elsewhere afterward, you can add a line in Word separately. Removing header or footer content can still leave normal page margins. Empty space at the top or bottom does not mean content remains.
Hiding the space between pages changes only the display. In Print Layout on Windows or Mac, point at a page's top or bottom boundary until the pointer becomes a double-pointed arrow, then double-click to toggle the visible margins. Stored and printed headers and footers remain, so use the removal commands to delete their content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t you edit or remove a protected header?
On Windows, select Review > Restrict Editing, then select Stop Protection. Enter the protection password when prompted or use the authenticated document-owner account. Without the required authorization, obtain an editable document from its owner.
How do you stop unwanted headers appearing in new documents?
Edit the template used to create those documents. On Windows, select File > Open > This PC, browse to the custom template, and open it for editing. Remove its headers and footers, then save and close the template. Future documents created from it inherit the change, but existing documents need separate cleanup.
Why do dates or page numbers appear only when printing from a browser?
They can be browser-added print headers and footers. In Microsoft Edge, select Settings and more > Print, expand More settings, and clear Headers and footers when that option is available. This removes browser-added information without changing headers and footers stored inside the Word document.
Does removing a footer also remove footnotes?
No, footnotes and endnotes are separate from footer content. To remove those notes, you need their separate editing commands.