I Can't Insert a Page Number in Word 2007 - 2021 (365)!

This page applies to all building blocks galleries (Header/Footer/Cover Pages/Table of Contents/Bibliography/Text Box/Watermarks/Quick Tables/Equations)

This page last revised: 11 Nov 2024 09:10:30 -0500 .

That's right. It isn't just you. See the following links.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2010-word/i-want-to-add-a-page-number-in-word-2010-but-there/6fbe72f4-b5dd-47be-8b54-dcc40fa7bf11

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2010-word/when-i-get-to-insert-header-and-footer-i-get-the/44e00498-800f-4f29-a547-8de3e95aac4a?page=1&tm=1325090699999#footer

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/pagination-in-word-2013-is-disabled/a23992d6-1e5c-4f7c-affc-3e565443bc6c

Problem - Page Number Options missing:

The problem this page covers has been described as follows:

I want to add a page number in Word 2021 (365, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007), but there are  no options of varying page numbers. What it says is just More page numbers from office.com and save selection as page number (in grey). Normally, wasn't it supposed to show all the pictures of the options listed?

So, I wanted to find More Page Numbers from Office.com, but there was no Online Content available.

Short term answer for page numbers is that you can insert a Page Number field with Alt+Shift+P.

Long-term solution, see below.

Problem - Header/Footer Options missing:

The problem this page covers also has been described as follows:

I want to add a header/footer in Word 2021 (365, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007), but there are  no options of varying headers or footers. What it says is just More headers / footers from office.com. Normally, wasn't it supposed to show all the pictures of the options listed?

So, I wanted to find More headers/footers from Office.com, but there was no Online Content available.

Short-term solution (and long-term better use of Word) edit headers and footers and put the content in that you want. See below for long-term solution to having things in your header or footer galleries.

(If you look, you also have no cover pages or tables of contents available to insert.)

Long-term solution, see below.

Problem - Table of Contents Options missing:

Same problem. Same solution. Replace the corrupted file. See below.

Problem - No Cover Pages available:

Same problem. Same solution. Replace the corrupted file. See below.

Problem - No Watermarks available:

Same problem. Same solution. Replace the corrupted file. See below.

Problem - No Text Boxes available:

Same problem. Same solution. Replace the corrupted file. See below.

Problem - No Equations available:

Same problem. Same solution. Replace the corrupted file. See below.

Problem - No Bibliography Entries available:

Same problem. Same solution. Replace the corrupted file. See below.

Problem - Quick Tables available:

Same problem. Same solution. Replace the corrupted file. See below.

Solution - Replace Corrupted Building Blocks file:

This is a problem with the building blocks file that comes with Word. In Word 2007 this file is "Building Blocks.dotx." See Fix Missing Page Numbers in Word 2007. In Word 2010-2024/365 this file is Built-In Building Blocks.dotx. See I don't see galleries of page numbers, headers and footers, cover pages, or equations.

In the English-US language version of Word these files are in the following (language-specific) folders:

Windows XP Location:
c:\Documents and Settings\{your username}\Application Data\Microsoft\Document Building Blocks\1033\

Windows Vista & 7-11 Location:
c:\Users\{your username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Document Building Blocks\1033\

If you have Office set for a different language than English-US, you will have a different numbered folder (locale id) i.e., for English-UK the number is 2057, not 1033.

These are hidden system folders. If your Start menu has a search function searching for %APPDATA% will lead you toward the correct folder. There may also be version-specific sub-folders. On my Vista sytem I see inside the 1033 folder a the "Building Blocks.dotx" file for Word 2007 and a "14" folder for Word 2010. On my Windows 7 system, I see inside the 1033 folder a "14" for Word 2010, a "15" for Word 2013, and a "16" for Word 2016-21 as well as the file "Building Blocks.dotx" for Word 2007.

With Word closed, when you find these files rename them. (i.e. BuildingBlocksOld.dotx)

When you reopen Word they will regenerate. If this solves your problem and there is nothing in the old file you need, you can delete it.

Note: Do not change these files in the Program Files (or the Program Files (x86)) Folder. (Changing them in these folders can mean you will need to Repair Word.)

Other templates stored in these locations can contain custom building blocks. This is deliberate, though, not by default. Any other files in these folders should not be the source of the problems this page is about. I see no reason to put custom building blocks in other templates in these folders; instead store such templates in the Word Startup Folder. They will be easier to use in that location and I may be wrong about them causing these problems when stored in the special building blocks folders.

MegaSolution: Learn fields and Headers and Footers

An even longer-term fix is to learn how to actually work with Word's features such as Headers and Footers and fields. These are very powerful and flexible Word components that are constrained by the Insert Page Number or Insert Header / Footer options in Word 2007-2024/365. You can do much more in headers and footers than appears in the gallery of choices offered. The same is true of any of the building blocks. The built-in building blocks are handy shortcuts to features that have long existed in Word and continue to be available.

Note: Building Blocks.dotx file in versions after Word 2007

Versions of Word after Word 2007 use the file "Built-In Building Blocks.dotx" to hold the default building blocks that come with Word. These versions also use a different file called "Building Blocks.dotx." That file, although named the same as the "Building Blocks.dotx" used in Word 2007 appears to contain no building blocks unless they are stored there by the user. This file in Word 2010 and later contains no built-in building blocks. Do not delete that file or you will lose your custom building blocks!

Building Blocks.dotx is the default location for storing most kinds of building blocks created by the user. It is not necessarily the best location for storing them. Where can Building Blocks be stored?

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Copyright 2000-2024 Charles Kyle Kenyon

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