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How to Remove Header in Google Docs (Easy & Quick)

December 11, 2023 2.9K views

When documenting anything, adding a header provides organization, credibility, and a personal touch to your document. However, there may be instances where you wish to remove it. Whether you've added it yourself or it's a default setting, this guide will walk you through the simple steps on how to remove a header in Google Docs, ensuring flexibility and customization for your documents.

How to Remove Header in Google Docs

How to Add One Header in Google Docs?

Before proceeding to understand how to remove headers, let's see how to add a header in Google Docs:

Step 1: On your Google Doc, visit the Insert menu and select "Headers & Footers" from the dropdown menu.

Step 2: Now, click on "Headers" from the flyout menu.

Google Doc insert headers and footers


Step 3: You will see the header region appear at the top of the document. Simply type your header, format it, and then press "ESC" to exit the header.

Google Doc Headers


How to Remove a Header in Google Docs?

Removing headers from Google Docs is a straightforward task. Follow these steps to learn how to remove headers in Google Docs:

Step 1: To open the header region, double-click in the header area or use the shortcut key "CTRL + ALT + O".

Step 2: Click on the “Option” button, then select "Remove Header" from the dropdown menu.

Google Doc Remove header


This will completely remove the header from your Google Doc. If you wish to restore it, simply press the shortcut key "CTRL + Z" to undo it.

How to Remove Headers in Google Docs on Mobile?

Removing headers on mobile may seem a bit confusing, as the header region separation is less visible compared to PC. Let's see how to remove it:

Step 1: Open the Google Doc on your mobile and click on the "Menu" option at the top right corner (the three dots are the menu icon).

Google Docs Mobile Menu


Step 2: In the menu, toggle to enable the "Print Layout" option located beside "Print Layout".

Google Docs Mobile Print Layout


Step 3: Now, your Google Docs header will be visible, separated from the document's content by a very thin line. Double-click on the header text to edit it, and remove it using the "Backspace'' key on your mobile keyboard.

Google Docs Mobile Header


Step 4: Click on the "Check" icon at the top left of your screen to save the changes.

Google Docs Mobile save changes

Why Can’t I Remove Headers and Footers in Google Docs?

Step 1: Double-Click on the Header area, then choose "Options".

Step 2: Choose "Header format" from the dropdown menu.

Google Docs Header Format

Step 3: Headers & footers window will pop-up.  In the "Margins" subsection, set the header margin to zero, and click "Apply". These margins serve the purpose of reducing header space in Google Docs.

Google Docs Headers and footer margins

Step 4: Proceed to change the document margins. Navigate to the "File" menu and choose "Page Setup".

Google Docs Page setup

Step 5: In the "Page Setup" window, set both Top and Bottom margins to "0" under the Margins section, and click "Apply".

Google Docs Page margins

Step 6: While the header will remain visible, it will now be aligned with the document edge. Double-click on the header region to access it, and press "CTRL + A" to select the entire text in the header.

Google Docs select header text

Step 7: Navigate to the "Format" menu and select "Line & Paragraph Spacing".

Step 8: In the flyout menu, choose "Custom Spacing".

Google Docs custom line spacing

Step 9: In the line spacing field, Google Docs does not permit a value of "0". Therefore, set the minimum allowed value, which is "0.06", and click "Apply".

Google Docs line spacing

This workaround should assist in effectively minimizing the header space in your Google Docs document, providing a cleaner appearance.

Alt text: Google Docs remove header workaround method

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FAQs

Q1. How do I add a header on only one page in Google Docs?

Adding a header on only one page in Google Docs is a straightforward process. Here is how you can do this in a few steps:

Step 1: Open the document where you want to make changes in Google Documents.

Step 2: Click on the Insert tab. Select Headers and Footers from the displayed options.

Step 3: Click on Header in the drop-down menu of the Headers and Footers. This action will activate the header region.

Step 4: Before adding a header, ensure "Different first page" is checked. This lets you add a header to the first page only.

Google Docs Different first page option

Q2. How do I make the header different on each page?

If you’re looking to remove header from certain pages, follow these steps:

Step 1: In your Word document, double-click the header region to access the document header.

Step 2: In the Header & Footer tab, check the "Different Odd & Even Pages" checkbox in the Options section.

 Microsoft Word different header on odd and even pages

Microsoft Word different header on odd and even pages

Step 3: Press "ESC" to exit Headers & Footers.

Q3. How do I change the header without affecting the other pages?

To change the header on a specific page in Microsoft Word without affecting the rest of your document, follow these steps:

Step 1: Click or tap on the page where you want to modify the header.

Step 2: Go to the "Layout" tab.

Step 3: Select "Breaks" and then choose "Next Page" to insert a section break.

 Microsoft Word Page Break

Microsoft Word Page Break

Step 4: Double-click on the header area of the first page in the new section.

Step 5: In the Header toolbar, click "Link to Previous" to turn it off. This action detaches the header from the previous section.

Microsoft Word Link to previous options

Microsoft Word Link to previous options

These steps allow you to have a different header for the selected page without impacting the headers on other pages in your document.

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15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.