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ndelcastillo
ndelcastillo
Known Participant
April 14, 2015
Answered

Skip page numbering on first few pages

  • April 14, 2015
  • 3 replies
  • 93007 views

I'm working on a multi-page booklet in InDesign CC2014 and I want to start the page numbering on what is basically page 6, skipping numbering the cover and the next four pages after, but I can't see any way to do it. I've been playing with the numbering and section options, but nothing seems to work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Correct answer Peter Spier

All of the pages in your document have to have a number assigned to them, but you don't need to show that number on the page.

As Willi says, create a new section where you want your page numbering to start at 1 (this is called section numbering, or the "logical" page number). ID will complain when you exit the dialog that you already have a page with that number, so it's also a good idea to change the numbering style for the pages before. Front matter is traditionally numbered with small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii...), and I usually use A, B, C... for cover and inside cover, with no page number markers on pages that should be unnumbered in the final doc.

3 replies

D
default68zcsswtqxaf
New Participant
February 17, 2023

It's absolutely bonkers that this questioned has been answered dozens of times over many years. Each explanation a little different than the last. There should simply be an ad-style box that says the following "Begin my page numbering at page __, the first sequential number shall be ___." I drive by an Adobe campus once and a while and I see the fooseball tables or whatever through the massive glass, in the $100M building. No more fooseball until every Adobe product is intuitive and simple. 

    Peter Spier
    Peter SpierCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    April 14, 2015

    All of the pages in your document have to have a number assigned to them, but you don't need to show that number on the page.

    As Willi says, create a new section where you want your page numbering to start at 1 (this is called section numbering, or the "logical" page number). ID will complain when you exit the dialog that you already have a page with that number, so it's also a good idea to change the numbering style for the pages before. Front matter is traditionally numbered with small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii...), and I usually use A, B, C... for cover and inside cover, with no page number markers on pages that should be unnumbered in the final doc.

      ndelcastillo
      ndelcastilloAuthor
      Known Participant
      April 14, 2015

      Thanks, Peter. That helped, but now ID has taken my new page 1 (previously page 6) and changed it from a spread (page 6 on the left, page 7 on the right) to a single page, throwing off the formatting. How do I keep the spread with page 1 starting on the left?

        TᴀW
        TᴀW
        Brainiac
        April 14, 2015

        It's a bit weird to have page one verso.

        Anyway, to do it: before changing the page numbering as above, select the spread in the pages panel, right click, and

        deselect the option "Allow selected spread to shuffle". Now you can change the page numbering...

          Willi Adelberger
          Willi Adelberger
          Community Expert
          April 14, 2015

          Double click on the page icon in the Page Panel where you want to restart the new numbering, in the Page Panel Menu > Numbering & Section Options… select to start numbering at 1 (and start a new section).

            A
            Averi35268052biaq
            New Participant
            March 6, 2024

            This is exactly the answer I was lookng for! Thank you SO MUCH!!!

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