Cannot disable first page header - "Different First Page" option missing from Page Layout

Question

I am ready to gouge out my eyeballs with burning-hot pokers! MS Word help instructs me to select the "Different First Page" option in Page Layout to suppress the header from appearing on the first page of my document. However, I have no such option. I don't like this ribbon thing and feel like an oaf. Please help!

Answer 1

You've evidently been following instructions for previous versions. If you click the dialog launcher (the tiny little arrow in the bottom right corner) in the Page Setup group of the Page Layout tab, you will open the Page Setup dialog. The Layout tab of that dialog does contain the check box for "Different first page."

A much easier way to access this control via the Ribbon, however, is to double-click in the header area to access the header and display the contextual Header & Footer | Design tools. In the Options group, you will see the check box for "Different First Page."

For more help with headers and footers, see http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/HeaderFooter.htm