Add page, section, and chapter numbering
Determine what kind of numbering you want to use for your document or book. For long documents, you can assign chapter numbers. Each document can be assigned only one chapter number. If you want to use different numbering within a document, you can define ranges of pages as sections; these sections can be numbered differently. For example, the first ten pages of a document (the front matter) might use Roman numerals, and the rest of the document might use Arabic numerals.
For a video on numbering pages, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0217.
Add an automatically updated page number
You can add a page number marker to your pages to specify where a page number sits on a page and how it will look. Because a page number marker updates automatically, the page number it displays is always correct—even as you add, remove, or rearrange pages in the document. Page number markers can be formatted and styled as text.
A single InDesign document can contain up to 9,999 pages, but page numbers can be as large as 99,999. (For example, you can correctly number a 10‑page document that starts on page 9,949.) By default, the first page is a recto (right) page numbered 1. Odd-numbered pages always appear on the right; if you use the Section Options command to change the first page number to an even number, the first page becomes a verso (left) page.
If the automatic page number is on a master page, it displays the master page prefix. On a document page, the automatic page number displays the page number. On a pasteboard, it displays PB.
- If necessary, create a new text frame large enough
to hold the longest page number and any text you want to appear
next to it (such as the section marker or document name). Position
the text frame where you want the page number to appear.
If you want a page number to appear on
all pages based on a master, create the page number text frame on
a master page. In addition to the page number, you can add other
header and footer variables, such as the creation date or file name.
The Auto Page Number marker is also available
in a context menu. To see the context menu, position the text insertion
point in the page number text frame, right-click (Windows) or Control-click
(Mac OS), and choose Insert Special Character > Markers >
Auto Page Number.By default, pages are numbered using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3...); however, you can number pages using upper or lowercase Roman (i, ii, iii...) or alphanumeric (a, b, c...) numbering.
Add an automatically updated chapter number
You can add a chapter number variable to your document. Like page numbers, chapter numbers can be updated automatically and formatted and styled as text. A chapter number variable is commonly used in documents that are part of a book. A document can have only one chapter number assigned to it; if you want to divide a single document into chapters, you can create sections instead.
- If necessary, create a text frame where you want a chapter number to appear. If you want a chapter number to appear on several pages, create the text frame on a master page, and apply that master page to the document pages.
- In the chapter number text frame, add any text that will come before or after the chapter number.
- Place the insertion point where you want the chapter number to appear, and then choose Type > Text Variables > Insert Text Variable > Chapter Number.
You can update starting number and format of chapter numbering by choosing Layout > Numbering & Section Options.
Add an automatically updated section marker
- Define sections in your document. (See Define section numbering.)
- On a page or master that you’re using in a section, drag the Type tool to create a text frame large enough for the section marker text, or click in an existing frame.
- Choose Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Section Marker.
