OmniDocHow to solve the problem of garbled Word page numbers or abnormal display
When the Word page number is displayed as a box, {PAGE} code, or some pages are abnormal, first distinguish whether the field is not updated, the font is missing, or the section settings are a problem, and then troubleshoot and fix it in sequence.
Key points of this article
- If the word {PAGE} or "Error!" appears in the footer, it is probably because the field has not been updated or is in a code display state. Pressing F9 after selecting the page number can usually solve the problem.
- The page number is displayed as a box or question mark, usually because the font is missing. You can verify it by changing the footer font to common fonts such as Song Dynasty and isoline.
- Only some pages are abnormal. Check the section breaks and "link to previous section" settings. The footers between sections will affect each other.
- Old version .doc files may have rendering differences in the new version of Word. Saving them as .docx and then checking them will eliminate the impact of compatibility mode.
After inserting page numbers in Word, the footer will sometimes appear as a series of boxes, question marks, or directly reveal code like {PAGE}. These problems tend to be more apparent after exporting to PDF or printing. Many people subconsciously delete and re-insert, but the result is that the new page numbers are still messy.
In most cases, it is not that the numbering setting is wrong, but that the "field" of the page number is not displayed correctly, or there is a problem with the font or section settings. This article is written for readers who are rushing to submit manuscripts, submit assignments, or prepare formal materials. After reading, you will be able to tell which category the garbled code belongs to and check it in order. In most cases, it can be restored to normal within a few minutes.
How to solve the problem of garbled Word page numbers? One sentence conclusion
In most cases, first select the page number and press F9 to update the field, then change the footer font to a common font, and the garbled characters will disappear. If it is still abnormal, check the sectioning and file format again.
| your situation | Recommended practices | reason |
|---|---|---|
| Footer displays {PAGE} or "Error! Bookmark not defined" | Enter the footer, select the page number and press F9 to update the field; if an error still occurs, delete the field and reinsert it. | The field is not calculated or is in code display state |
| Page numbers appear as boxes, question marks, or strange characters | Change the footer font to common fonts such as Song, isoline or bold | The current font is missing glyphs or uses an uninstalled symbol font. |
| Only certain pages are abnormal, but the previous pages are normal. | Check section breaks and set the footer of the exception section to be the same as the previous section, or set it separately | Footers between sections overlap each other |
| Old version .doc files display abnormally in new versions of Word | Recheck page numbers after saving as .docx | Rendering rules in compatibility mode are different from new formats |
| Page numbers become boxes or misaligned after exporting PDF | Preview and confirm in Word before exporting, and open the PDF to view page by page after exporting. | The font is not embedded, or the domain is not updated when exporting |
First determine what kind of problem it is
Don’t rush to change the format first. Spend a minute to confirm which category it belongs to, and you can avoid many detours.
| symptoms | Common causes | How to confirm this |
|---|---|---|
| Displays {PAGE}, {PAGE}, or "Error!" Undefined bookmark" | The domain is not calculated, or the domain code is in the display state | Click on the page number; if the entire paragraph turns gray or in curly braces, it is the domain |
| Display boxes, question marks, or garbled characters | Fonts are missing or symbolic fonts are used | Select the page number and check if the font name is uncommon. Switch to Song font to see if it restores |
| Only some pages are abnormal | The document is divided into sections, and the footers are not unified | Double-click the footer to enter edit and see if it shows "Same as previous section" |
| Page numbers change to Roman numerals or Chinese numerals | The page numbering format has been changed | View numbering styles in the page number formatting settings |
| Abnormal after switching computers | Fonts not installed, or old compatibility mode | Check if the title bar says "Compatibility Mode," and check if the font exists on another computer |
Inspect and fix each item one by one
Follow the steps below, first addressing common and easily verifiable causes.
Page numbers are displayed as domain codes or error messages
- Double-click the footer to enter edit mode, place the cursor over the page number, and press Alt+F9 to switch the display of the domain code. If the page number becomes {PAGE}, press Alt+F9 again to switch back.
- Select the page number in the footer and press F9 to refresh. To update the entire footer, first select all footer content and then press F9.
- If pressing F9 still shows "Error!" "No bookmark defined" means the content referenced by the domain has been deleted. Select the domain and delete it entirely, then re-add it using the insert page number function.
Page numbers are displayed as boxes or garbled characters
- Select the page number and change the font to Song or equal lines.
- If the font is normal after changing the font, it means the original font is missing on the current computer. When sending files to others, you should also choose common fonts to avoid boxes appearing again when they open them.
- If the page numbers are copied from a web page or other documents, you can clear the formatting and reset the font to remove any hidden special characters.
Only some pages have page numbers abnormal
- Open header and footer editing status to view the section where the exception page is located. If the upper right corner of the footer displays "Same as the previous section," it means this section shares the same footer as the previous section.
- If you need to set a specific section separately, unlink "Link to previous section" and reset the page numbers for that section.
- If the page number suddenly breaks on a middle page, check for any extra section breaks at that position. If necessary, remove the section break and reunify the footer.
How to Prevent It from Happening Next Time
- After inserting the page number, first use Alt+F9 to check once to confirm that the numbers are displayed instead of code, then continue editing.
- Use common fonts such as SimSun and isoline fonts uniformly for the footer, avoiding mixing niche fonts in the document.
- Plan page number requirements before sectioning, and segment parts that require different page formats to reduce conflicts when merging documents later.
- Before handing over long documents, save them as .docx and open them on a new computer or another version of Word to check the page numbers.
- When you need to quickly view layouts on different devices, you can use the UniDoc web editor (app.unidoc.top) to open the Word file and check the footer display, then decide whether to return to the desktop software for modification.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Page number shows "Error!" What to do if the bookmark is undefined?
Usually, bookmarks or domain content referenced in the footer have been removed. Select the area and press F9 to update; If the error still occurs, delete this field segment and reinsert the page number.
2. I pressed F9, why hasn't the page number changed?
F9 only updates the selected domain. If the cursor is not in the footer or the page number is not selected, the operation will not affect the footer. After entering footer editing mode, select the page number and press F9.
3. Is it possible to make the page number on a single page display abnormal or special?
Yes, but you need to insert section breaks before and after the page, then disable the "link to previous section" for the section, and then set it separately. Manually changing page numbers on a specific page can easily cause misalignment again during subsequent edits.
4. Page numbers in Word are normal, but the exported PDF is a box. Why is that?
Most of the time, the font was not embedded during export, or the footer used fonts that cannot be displayed in the PDF. After switching to common fonts, re-export and check the PDF page by page.
📝 Summary
For Word page number garbledness, first check whether the domain hasn't updated, font is missing, or section breaks causing page errors. These three types correspond to different revision methods. If you follow the order of this article, most issues can be resolved directly in the footer. Before submitting, review again with the new format and export PDF to avoid last-minute rework.
