Cannot Remove Header/Footer from a Section in WinWord

• Microsoft Word for Windows versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.1a, 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c

SYMPTOMS

You delete text or fields (such as a PAGE field) in the header or footer of a section, but the header or footer still appears to contain text or field results (such as a page number).

CAUSE

If you format a section with the "Same As Previous" ("Link to Previous" in versions earlier than 6.0) option selected, the header or footer for this section will be the same as the one for the previous section. If a header or footer is blank, the Same As Previous option is turned on automatically.

This means that if, for example, you are trying to remove page numbers from a section and the page numbers are the only thing in the header or footer, then when the page number is deleted, the Same As Previous option will be automatically activated, and the header or footer from the previous section will take effect.

Since the header or footer from the previous section is usually a page number field also, it often appears that removing the PAGE field earlier did not work. If you remove the PAGE field again, Word automatically turns on Same As Previous and brings in the PAGE field again. This loop will continue as many times as it is tried. Therefore, it commonly appears that you cannot create the blank header or footer.

WORKAROUND

To successfully create the blank header or footer, instead of simply deleting the text or field, replace the text or field with a space (select the header or footer and press the SPACEBAR once). The space will be seen as text in the header/footer and prevent the Same As Previous option from being automatically engaged.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, page 241