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In APA format, the page number goes in the top right corner of every page, starting with the title page, which counts as page 1. What else sits in the header depends on the kind of paper: a student paper carries the page number alone, while a professional paper adds a short running head at the left. This guide gives the rule, a decision table, a numbered Word template, a filled example with fictional content and a pre-submission checklist. It reflects APA 7th edition (2020), the edition current as of October 2026.
Scope note: this page covers the page number in the header. Page numbers inside citations, such as (Author, 2020, p. 20), belong to in-text citation; see the parenthetical citation entry for that.
Where do page numbers go in APA format?
Top right corner, on all pages, including the title page. Three university library guides read for this page agree on that placement: the Tarleton State University Library handout on APA 7th professional papers (created June 2020, citing the Publication Manual, 2020, section 2.8, pp. 37-38), the Folsom Lake College (Los Rios) library APA 7 guide (last updated June 9, 2026) and the UAB Libraries APA 7th guide (last updated January 12, 2026). The UAB guide states it plainly: the title page carries page number 1, and the number should show on all pages.
APA format with page numbers: student vs professional papers
The header content is the one thing that changes between paper types. The decision comes down to who the paper is for.
| Element | Student paper | Professional paper |
|---|---|---|
| Page number | Top right, every page, title page = 1 | Top right, every page, title page = 1 |
| Running head | Not required unless the instructor or institution asks for one | Included, at the left of the same header line |
| Header contents | Page number only | Page number and running head |
Sources: Los Rios (FLC) library guide, UAB Libraries guide and the Tarleton State handout, read 2026-10-29. APA’s Guide to What’s New in the 7th Edition (apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/whats-new-7e-guide.pdf) also states that student papers need no running head unless an instructor asks for one and that professional manuscripts keep a running head of 50 characters or fewer.
If your instructor, journal or institution gives a different instruction, follow theirs. Student papers that must carry a running head are an instructor-level choice, not a default.
APA format for page numbers on a student paper
Insert the page number at top right and nothing else. Do not add a title in the header unless you were told to. The same header repeats on every page automatically once you build it in the word processor’s header area rather than typing numbers by hand.
APA page numbers with a running head (professional papers)
For manuscripts submitted for publication, the header holds the running head and the page number on one line. The Los Rios guide describes the running head as sitting at the top left, in line with the page number, in all capital letters, and as a shortened form of the title. Purdue OWL (read 2026-10-29) adds that the running head cannot exceed 50 characters including spacing and punctuation. In APA 7th the words “Running head:” no longer appear as a label before the title; only the shortened title itself is used. Per the library guides, the title page and the abstract page carry the header as well.
Step-by-step: insert APA page numbers in Word
This sequence follows the Tarleton State University Library handout for APA 7th professional papers, which uses Microsoft Word. Skip steps 4 and 5 for a student paper.
- Double-click inside the top 1-inch margin of the first page to open the header area.
- On the Insert tab, choose Header & Footer, then Page Number, then Top of Page, then Plain Number 3. The number 1 appears at top right.
- Check that the font and size of the page number match the body text of your paper.
- Professional papers only: type the running head in all capital letters immediately to the left of the number.
- Professional papers only: place the cursor between the running head and the number and press Tab until the running head sits flush left.
- Scroll to page 2 and confirm the number advances to 2 and the header repeats.
- Choose Close Header and Footer.
Fonts: the UAB guide notes that a variety of fonts are permitted in APA Style papers, so the rule is consistency between the header and the body, not one specific typeface.
Filled example (fictional)
The paper below does not exist. It is invented only to show where each element sits. A header line is shown with the left and right parts separated by spaces.
| Paper type | Fictional title | Header on page 1 (title page) | Header on page 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student paper | Sleep and Memory Consolidation in Adolescents | (blank at left) …….. 1 | (blank at left) …….. 2 |
| Professional paper | Sleep and Memory Consolidation in Adolescents | SLEEP AND MEMORY IN ADOLESCENTS …….. 1 | SLEEP AND MEMORY IN ADOLESCENTS …….. 2 |
The fictional running head, SLEEP AND MEMORY IN ADOLESCENTS, is 31 characters including spaces, well under the 50-character limit. Count it with the word processor’s character count rather than by eye, because spaces count.
Checklist before you submit
- The page number is at top right on every page, including the title page, which is page 1.
- The number also appears on the reference list pages (all pages are numbered).
- Student paper: the header contains the number only, unless your instructor asked for a running head.
- Professional paper: the running head is in capital letters at the left, 50 characters or fewer including spaces and punctuation.
- No “Running head:” label appears before the shortened title.
- The header font matches the body font.
- The number was inserted as a page-number field, not typed, and page 2 shows 2.
- Your instructor’s or journal’s own instructions have been checked, since they take precedence.
Frequently asked questions
Does the title page get a page number in APA?
Yes. In the library guides read for this page, the number appears on all pages including the title page, and the title page is page 1.
Do I need a running head with page numbers in APA 7th?
Not for student papers unless the instructor or institution requests it. Professional papers include one, at 50 characters or fewer.
How long can an APA running head be?
No more than 50 characters, counting spaces and punctuation, according to Purdue OWL (read 2026-10-29) and APA’s what-is-new summary for the 7th edition.
Where does APA put the page number and the running head together?
On one header line: running head at the left, page number at the right.
Related guides
- How to write a research paper in APA style, for the full paper layout.
- Research proposal in APA format, for proposals.
- Parts of a research paper, for the order of sections your numbering runs through.
- Title page, the first numbered page.
- APA format for tables, for numbered tables that sit on numbered pages.
Sources and edition
Edition: APA 7th (2020). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition, section 2.8 (pp. 37-38), as cited by the Tarleton State University Library handout (https://www.tarleton.edu/library/wp-content/uploads/sites/219/2022/08/apaprofessionalpapers7thed.pdf). Folsom Lake College library APA 7 guide (https://researchguides.flc.losrios.edu/apa7/title-page-and-numbering), last updated June 9, 2026. UAB Libraries APA 7th guide (https://guides.library.uab.edu/APA_7th/formatting-paper), last updated January 12, 2026. Purdue OWL APA general format (https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html). All read 2026-10-29.
