Use Page Styles in LibreOffice: A Practical Guide

Yes, LibreOffice uses page styles to control page layout—margins, paper size, orientation, headers, footers, and numbering—and you can apply them per page or per section. You create a page style, assign it to a page, and then change styles to switch layouts mid-document. This guide explains how page styles work, how to create and apply them, and how to fix common problems.

What Are Page Styles?

A page style in LibreOffice Writer is a named set of page-level formatting: paper size, orientation, margins, borders, background, number of columns, header and footer content, and page numbering. Unlike direct formatting (which you apply to selected text), a page style is applied to a whole page. When you insert a page break, you can choose which style the next page uses. This is how you get, for example, a landscape page in the middle of a portrait document, or restart page numbers at 1 for a new chapter.

Every document has at least one page style, usually called “Default Style.” When you open a new Writer document, all pages use that style. You can modify it, or create new styles from it. The style manager (F11) shows all available page styles under the “Page Styles” tab (the icon with a hand and a page).

How to Create and Apply a Page Style

Creating a new page style is straightforward:

1. Press F11 to open the Styles panel (or go to Format > Page Style for the current style).
2. Click the Page Styles icon (the fourth icon from the left in the panel).
3. Right-click in the list and choose New.
4. Give the style a name, e.g., “Landscape” or “Chapter Start.”
5. Set the properties (margins, size, header, etc.) in the dialog.
6. Click OK.

To apply it, place the cursor on the page you want to change, then double-click the style name in the Styles panel. That applies the style to the current page and all subsequent pages until another style is applied. To start a new page with a different style, insert a manual page break: Insert > Page Break, then in the dialog choose the new style and set the page number if needed.

Using Page Styles for Page Numbering

Page numbering is handled inside page styles, not directly on the page. To add page numbers, you must insert a header or footer in the page style, then insert a page number field. Steps:

1. Open the Styles panel (F11) and double-click the page style you want to edit.
2. Go to the Header or Footer tab and check Header on or Footer on.
3. Click Edit to open the header/footer area.
4. Place the cursor where you want the number, then go to Insert > Field > Page Number.
5. Close the header/footer.

To restart numbering at a specific page (e.g., after a title page), insert a page break with the new style and set the page number to 1 in the break dialog. The page number field will then start from 1 on that page.

Common Problems and Fixes

Several issues arise frequently with page styles:

• Page style changes don’t apply to the page I want. Remember that a page style applies to the page where the cursor is and all following pages until another style is applied. To change only one page, you must insert a page break before and after that page, applying different styles at each break.
• Page numbers are not showing or are wrong. Check that the header/footer is enabled in the page style, and that you inserted a page number field (not typed a number). Also check if the page style has “Page numbering” set to “Start at” some number.
• Headers/footers disappear on some pages. That’s because different page styles have different header/footer settings. For example, the first page often uses a “First Page” style with no header. Make sure the correct style is applied.
• Landscape page won’t stay landscape. The page style must be applied to the page you want, and the following page must return to a portrait style. Use page breaks to switch styles.
• Changes to a style don’t affect existing pages. If you modified a style and existing pages don’t update, they may have direct formatting overrides. Select the page and press Ctrl+M to clear direct formatting (but be careful—this clears all direct formatting on that page).

Page Styles vs. Direct Formatting

It’s tempting to adjust margins or orientation by dragging the ruler or using Format > Page directly. That applies direct formatting to the current page style, but only for that page—and it can cause confusion. For example, if you change margins on page 3 via Format > Page, you might see the margins change on page 3 only, but page 4 reverts to the original style. That’s because you actually modified the style for that page, but the next page uses the same style, so it should also change—unless you have a page break with a different style. The clean way is to use page styles consistently.

Alternatives and Related Features

If you need a different layout for just one page, you can also use a section with columns, but sections don’t control page size or orientation. For page-level changes, page styles are the only way. LibreOffice also has page style categories like “First Page,” “Left Page,” and “Right Page” for book layouts. You can link styles so that after a “Chapter Start” style, the next page automatically uses “Default Style.” This is done in the Organizer tab of the style dialog, under “Next Style.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make a single page landscape in LibreOffice?

Insert a page break before the page you want landscape, choose a landscape page style for that page, then insert another page break after it and choose a portrait style. The page style must have the orientation set to landscape.

Why are my page numbers not showing in the header?

You need to insert a page number field, not type a number. Place the cursor in the header/footer, go to Insert > Field > Page Number. Also ensure the header/footer is enabled for the page style.

How do I restart page numbering at 1 in LibreOffice?

Insert a page break at the point where you want to restart, choose the page style for that page, and in the page break dialog set the page number to 1. The page number field will then start from 1.

Can I have different margins on different pages?

Yes, by creating different page styles with different margins and applying them to the relevant pages. Use page breaks to switch styles.

What is the difference between a page style and a paragraph style?

A page style controls the entire page (margins, size, headers, footers). A paragraph style controls text formatting within a paragraph (font, spacing, indents). They work independently.

How do I delete a page style?

You can delete a custom page style by right-clicking it in the Styles panel and choosing Delete. But you cannot delete the default style or any style that is in use. If the style is used, you must first replace it with another style on those pages.

Related

• Fix Steam Connection Error: 9 Real Fixes
• Valor Mortis Alternatives for Parry-Focused Combat
• Pixel 10 Pro 60Hz vs 120Hz: Which Refresh Rate Setting Should You Use?

in t | Finish time | min | 50 | 0
in d | Distance | km | 10 | 0 | 100000
out pace | Average pace | min/km | t / d | 2
out speed | Average speed | km/h | d / (t / 60) | 2