How to Add a Header and Footer in Excel (Page Numbers, Dates and More)
When you print a spreadsheet or save it as a PDF, a header and footer make it look professional and keep the pages in order. Add a title at the top, page numbers at the bottom, and the date it was printed, and it'll appear on every page automatically.
Add a header or footer
1. Go to Insert > Header & Footer (in the Text group).
2. Excel switches to Page Layout view, and the cursor appears in the centre section of the header.
3. Type your header text, for example the report title.
4. Click anywhere on the sheet to finish.
2. Excel switches to Page Layout view, and the cursor appears in the centre section of the header.
3. Type your header text, for example the report title.
4. Click anywhere on the sheet to finish.
The header and footer each have three sections, left, centre and right. Click into whichever one you want.
To get to the footer, scroll to the bottom of the page, or click Go to Footer on the Header & Footer tab.
Add page numbers, dates and file names
While you're in a header or footer section, the Header & Footer tab shows buttons to insert automatic information:
• Page Number
• Number of Pages
• Current Date and Current Time
• File Path, File Name and Sheet Name
• Picture
• Number of Pages
• Current Date and Current Time
• File Path, File Name and Sheet Name
• Picture
These appear as codes like &[Page] and &[Date], but they show the real values once you click away, and they update automatically.
Page 1 of 5
1. Click in a footer section.
2. Type Page and a space.
3. Click Page Number.
4. Type a space, of, and a space.
5. Click Number of Pages.
2. Type Page and a space.
3. Click Page Number.
4. Type a space, of, and a space.
5. Click Number of Pages.
The code looks like Page &[Page] of &[Pages] and prints as Page 1 of 5.
Use a ready-made header or footer
On the Header & Footer tab, click Header or Footer for a list of ready-made options, such as Page 1 of ?, the sheet name, or your name with the date and page number.
Different first page, or odd and even pages
On the Header & Footer tab, tick:
• Different First Page to leave the header off a cover page, or give it a different one.
• Different Odd & Even Pages for double-sided printing, with page numbers on the outside edge.
• Different Odd & Even Pages for double-sided printing, with page numbers on the outside edge.
Add a logo
1. Click in a header section.
2. Click Picture and choose your logo.
3. Excel shows &[Picture]. Click away to see it.
4. If it's too large, click back into the section and choose Format Picture to change its size.
2. Click Picture and choose your logo.
3. Excel shows &[Picture]. Click away to see it.
4. If it's too large, click back into the section and choose Format Picture to change its size.
You may need to make the top margin bigger to fit it: Page Layout > Margins > Custom Margins.
Get back to normal view
Go to View > Normal. The header and footer are hidden on screen but still print. Press Ctrl + P to see them in the print preview.
Add the same header to several sheets
1. Hold Ctrl and click each sheet tab to group them (or right-click a tab and choose Select All Sheets).
2. Add the header and footer as normal.
3. Right-click a tab and choose Ungroup Sheets when you're done. Anything you type while sheets are grouped goes on all of them.
2. Add the header and footer as normal.
3. Right-click a tab and choose Ungroup Sheets when you're done. Anything you type while sheets are grouped goes on all of them.
Troubleshooting
Header & Footer is greyed out. You're editing a cell or a chart is selected. Press Esc and click a cell.
The header overlaps my data. Increase the top margin under Page Layout > Margins.
An ampersand (&) disappears. Excel uses & for codes. Type && to show a single &.
Wrapping up
Insert > Header & Footer, click a section and type, and use the buttons for page numbers and dates. Page &[Page] of &[Pages] in the footer is all most printouts need.
