Why are the section numbers not displayed in a Word document but show when printed?

Question

When reviewing a Word document on screen, I cannot see the section numbers. However, the section numbers show up on the document when printed.

Answer 1

This may be related to the problems with Style Separators. If so, rolling back to release 2511 may be a workaround.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/heading-numbering-disappears-after-applying-style-separator-in-word-535fed39-64eb-4ac1-a2c6-48f15dfd5ed5

I assume that the numbering to which you refer is for logical sections numbered using MultiLevel List numbering, not Word Sections, which are a part of document structure.

• https://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/sections2007.htm
• https://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/AutomaticNumbering.pdf

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This is a user-to-user support forum.

Microsoft is not hearing about your problems from what you post here. You are discussing a problem with your fellow users here. We can give good advice about how to work with Word as it is and give suggestions for making it work properly.

Designers and their supervisors do see feedback. (You will almost certainly not get a direct response to that feedback but they do see it.)

Here is more about that:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/giving-feedback-on-microsoft-word-or-other/8df81a9b-84aa-46ef-bf88-24fb7fec96ba

I suggest using the public feedback portal so other users can see your feedback, comment and vote. If you want, you can post the URL of your feedback with your question here to lead others with the same problem to your feedback. Be the “squeaky wheel” that gets fixed!

Answer 2

If this is related to the style separator problem, there are several workarounds posted in response to this question: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5720470/using-style-separator-is-causing-the-numbering-to

1. Roll back to version 2511
2. Save in .doc format
3. Use track changes switch from draft view to print

See the thread for details on these.