Issue with Section-Based Page Numbering and “Different Odd & Even Pages” in Word

Different Even and Odd applies to the entire document, not the section (despite appearances to the contrary). The same is true of mirror margins.

Link to Previous applies to a certain type of header or footer, linking to the same type in the previous section. Each section after the first has six settings for this, one for each of the three header types and the three footer types.

Different First Page and Different Even and Odd will apply to both the header and the footer for a page.

Resources:

• Different Even and Odd: https://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/sections2007.htm#Odd_and_Even
• Recap of Header/Footer Settings: https://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/sections2007.htm#Recap_of_Header/Footer_settings
• Quick Reference Card for Page Numbers, Headers and Footers: https://www.addbalance.com/word/download.htm#hfQuickReference
• Numbering Front Matter by MVP Suzanne Barnhill: [http://wordfaqs.ssbarnhill.com/FrontMatterRibbon.htm]

This is confusing. This is because it really is complex to allow users the flexibility they need. If you don't need that complexity, probably you will never see it.

To understand what is happening in headers and footers you need to know about Sections and Section breaks. Header and footer coding is stored in the Section break that follows the Section.

You probably want to turn on display of non-printing formatting marks or work in normal or draft view so you can see Section breaks. Show non-printing characters.

If "Different odd & even pages" and "Different first page" are both selected, each section has three headers and three footers.

"Link to previous" applies by section type. This means that there are six headers/footers which must be individually unlinked for each section. You need to unlink the first page header in section 2 from the first page header in section 1, and you also have to unlink the odd header in section 2, etc., etc.