OmniDocFree Header and Footer Templates and Designs for Word
Find free header and footer templates and designs for Word, plus a simple way to build a letterhead-style layout yourself and check it before sharing.
If you need a header and footer for a report, a cover letter or a company letter, you probably want a design that already looks finished. A search for a ready-made layout often leads to a long list of downloads with unclear sources, or to a template that looks fine until you type your own text and the spacing jumps. This article addresses both problems.
You will get a practical way to choose a design, a layout you can copy into a Word-format file, and a short checklist for testing a template before you rely on it. A letterhead-style layout gets its own section because it has different needs from a report header.
Which Word header and footer design should you use? The short answer
Choose a plain design with one title or logo line in the header and a page number or contact line in the footer, and build it in a Word-format file so you can edit it later. Plain layouts hold up better when text changes length.
| Your situation | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Report, proposal or thesis draft | Use a short running title in the header and a centered page number in the footer | Body text stays readable and every page looks consistent |
| Company letter or letterhead | Place the logo and sender name in a first-page header, and the address in a first-page footer | Letterhead details belong on page one; later pages need only a short header |
| Client-facing document | Match the header color to your brand and keep the footer to a confidentiality line and page number | Branding appears without crowding the page |
| Downloaded template from an unknown source | Paste sample text into a blank copy and check every page before reuse | Hidden formatting, oversized images and odd fonts often show up only after you add text |
| File that others will edit | Use plain text and standard page-number fields instead of text boxes | Text boxes and floating objects shift when someone else changes the document |
📊 The template at a glance
Most header and footer designs use the same four parts. Keep each part small so the body text has room.
| Part | What goes in it | Suggested length |
|---|---|---|
| Header | Document title, department name or a small logo | 1 line |
| Footer | Page number, confidentiality note or contact line | 1-2 lines |
| First-page letterhead | Logo, sender name, address and phone number | 2-4 lines |
| Page numbering | Current page number, optionally with total pages | 1 line |
How to write each part
Header
Keep the header to the title of the document or the name of the project. Repeat the same text on every page so readers can find their place quickly. Avoid adding dates to the header if the document will be revised often, because you will need to update each copy by hand.
Example: "[Project name] Proposal, Version [number]"
Footer
Use the footer for information readers need on each page, such as the page number and a confidentiality line. Keep the font size smaller than the body text, but not so small that it is hard to read when printed. If you add an address, put it on one line with a separator, not in a multi-column block.
Example: "Confidential. Page [number] of [total]"
First-page letterhead
A letterhead needs a different first-page header and footer from the rest of the document. Put the logo and sender name in the first-page header, and the address and contact details in the first-page footer. Leave the later pages with the simpler header from the previous part.
Example: "[Company name] | [Street address] | [Phone number] | [Email]"
Page numbers
Insert page numbers with the page-number option in your editor. A typed number stays fixed when you add or remove pages, but an inserted field updates automatically. If you want "Page 2 of 10," use the total-pages field as well.
Example: "Page [current] of [total]"
Format it in the editor
You can build the design yourself in a few steps, whether you start from a downloaded template or a blank file.
- Open your file in the UniDoc web editor at app.unidoc.top. It offers Word-compatible editing, so a .docx file can be opened, adjusted and saved there. The desktop client, available at download.omnidoc.top, is another option if you want to work in a installed app.
- Enter the header area by double-clicking the top margin of a page, or use the header and footer area option your editor provides. Type the header text once and set its font and size.
- Insert the page number from the page-number option, not as typed text.
- If you are making a letterhead, turn on a different first-page header and footer if your editor offers that setting. Enter the logo and sender details there, and leave the other pages with the shorter header.
- Save the file as .docx, close it, reopen it, and scroll through every page to check the spacing and any text that moved.
- Share or export the document only after the header and footer appear correctly on every page.
Common mistakes
- Typing page numbers by hand, which breaks as soon as the document changes length.
- Placing the header or letterhead in a text box, which can drift when others edit the file.
- Leaving placeholder text such as "[Company]" in a downloaded template.
- Making the logo so large that it pushes the body text down on the first page.
- Using a different header on every page without a clear reason, which makes the document harder to scan.
- Skipping the check on a second page, where a header can look correct on page one but shift on later pages.
❓ FAQ
1. Are free header and footer templates for Word safe to use?
They can be, but check the source and open the file in a blank test document first. Do not enable macros if the file asks you to, and remove any placeholder text or hidden content before you use it for real work.
2. Can I make a letterhead without downloading a template?
Yes. Create a first-page header with your logo and sender name, add contact details to the first-page footer, and keep the other pages on a simpler header. This takes a few minutes and avoids unknown formatting.
3. Can I edit a header and footer in an online editor?
Yes. The UniDoc web editor at app.unidoc.top supports Word-compatible editing, so you can open a .docx file, change the header or footer, and save it back. Check the header on every page after saving.
4. Why does my header move when I edit the body text?
A common cause is a text box or a floating image placed in the header area, which does not stay anchored to the page. Replace it with plain text and a standard image placed in the header area, then check the spacing again.
📝 Summary
A good Word header and footer design is short, consistent and built with fields rather than typed numbers. Start with a plain layout, add a first-page letterhead only when you need one, and test any downloaded template with sample text before you reuse it. Once the header and footer look right on every page, your document is ready to share.
