A good cover page makes a report, proposal or assignment look professional before anyone reads a word. Word has a gallery of ready-made designs you can add in two clicks.
Quick reference
| What you want | How |
|---|---|
| Add a cover page | Insert → Cover Page |
| Remove it | Insert → Cover Page → Remove Current Cover Page |
| No page number on the cover | Header & Footer → Different First Page |
1. Insert a cover page
- Go to the Insert tab.
- Click Cover Page (at the far left).
- Hover over the designs to preview them, then click one.
The cover page is always added as page 1, wherever your cursor is.
2. Fill it in
Cover pages come with placeholders like [Document title], [Subtitle], [Author name] and [Date]. Click each one and type.
- Title and Author often fill in automatically from the document’s properties (File → Info).
- Date placeholders show a calendar — just pick the date.
3. Remove boxes you don’t need
Don’t need an abstract or a company address? Click the placeholder, then click its tab/label at the top so the whole box is selected, and press Delete. Or right-click → Remove Content Control to keep the text but lose the box.
4. Change the look
- Change the picture by right-clicking it → Change Picture.
- Change colours with Design → Colours — this recolours the cover to match your theme.
- Try another design from Insert → Cover Page — Word replaces the existing cover page and keeps your details.
5. Keep the page number off the cover
Double-click the footer on the cover page and tick Different First Page on the Header & Footer tab. The cover stays clean and page 2 shows the number 2.
Want the page after the cover to be page 1? Go to Insert → Page Number → Format Page Numbers and set Start at to 0.
6. Save your own cover page
Designed a cover you love? Select everything on it, then go to Insert → Cover Page → Save Selection to Cover Page Gallery. It’ll appear in the gallery for every future document.
7. Remove the cover page
Insert → Cover Page → Remove Current Cover Page.
Troubleshooting
The cover page spills onto two pages. Delete empty paragraphs or reduce the picture size.
Author shows the wrong name. Change it in File → Info → Author, or type straight over it.
Wrapping up
Insert → Cover Page, fill in the placeholders, and tick Different First Page so the page number stays off.
