Add 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.

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 100‑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.

For information on creating basic page numbering in a document, see Add basic page 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.

Note: Chapter numbers cannot be included as a prefix in a generated index or table of contents (such as 1-3, 1-4, and so on). If you want chapter numbers to be included as prefixes, use section prefixes instead of chapter numbers.
  1. 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.
  2. In the chapter number text frame, add any text that will come before or after the chapter number.
  3. 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 the starting number and format of chapter numbering by choosing Layout > Numbering & Section Options.

Add an automatically updated section marker

  1. Define sections in your document. (See Define section numbering.)
  2. 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.
  3. Choose Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Section Marker.
On master page A, section marker (left) and section marker with page number marker inserted (right)

Change the format of page and chapter numbering

  1. Choose Layout > Numbering & Section Options.
  2. Under Page Numbering or Document Chapter Numbering, select a new number format for Style. (See Document numbering options.)
  3. Click OK.