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How to Use Roman Numerals for Page Numbers in Word

Academic papers and formal reports often number their front matter in lowercase Roman numerals, separately from the Arabic numbers used in the body, and Word supports this through its page number format settings.

  1. Insert page numbers

    Go to Insert β†’ Page Number and place them where you want.

  2. Open page number format

    Go to Insert β†’ Page Number β†’ Format Page Numbers.

  3. Choose a Roman numeral style

    In the "Number format" dropdown, select a style such as i, ii, iii...

  4. Apply and confirm

    Click OK; the page numbers in that section switch to Roman numerals.

This is a section-level setting, like orientation

Just like mixed page orientation, using different numbering styles in one document requires section breaks. Insert a section break where the Roman-numeral front matter ends and the Arabic-numbered body begins, set each section's number format independently, and usually restart numbering at 1 for the body.

Common use case

A thesis or formal report often numbers the preface, abstract, and table of contents in Roman numerals (i, ii, iii), then restarts at Arabic 1 on the first page of the main body β€” this keeps front matter clearly distinct from content pages when someone flips through a printed copy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I restart numbering at i for a new section instead of continuing?

Yes β€” in the same Format Page Numbers dialog, choose "Start at" and enter the number, or Roman numeral equivalent, you want that section to begin from.

Will the table of contents field still work correctly with mixed numbering?

Yes, an automatically generated table of contents reflects whatever number format is actually applied to each page, including Roman numerals in the front matter, as long as the TOC field is updated after the formatting change.