Both features live at the top of each page, but they aren't the same animal. A header is just about anything you want to repeat—your name, the date, a logo, or a short title. A running head, though, is a strict, shortened version of your paper's title (think 50 characters or fewer, spaces and punctuation included) that helps readers spot your work fast. Microsoft Word 2026 can handle both, but only the running head has to follow academic formatting rules.
Quick Fix Summary
On the title page, type “RUNNING HEAD: YOUR SHORT TITLE” in all caps, flush left, and pop the page number flush right. Every other page drops the “Running head:” label and keeps just the short title plus the page number. Keep those margins locked at 1 inch.
What's the actual difference?
A header is just a blank canvas at the top margin where you can throw in anything—your name, course, date, a logo, or a short title. A running head, on the other hand, is a specific shortened title (≤ 50 characters including spaces and punctuation) that tags along on every page. Under APA 7th edition (2020), student papers can skip the running head unless the professor insists. Professional manuscripts? They still need one.
Need to set this up?
- Open the header Hit Alt+N, H, O (Word 2026 ribbon shortcut) to jump into header mode.
- Lock in the margins Head to Layout → Margins → Normal (1 inch on every side).
- First-page setup
- Tick Different First Page in the header ribbon (under Options).
- Type RUNNING HEAD: YOUR SHORT TITLE in all caps, flush left.
- Drop the page number flush right (Insert → Page Number → Top of Page → Plain Number 3).
- Roll it out to the rest From page 2 onward, Word should ditch the “Running head:” label automatically. If it doesn't, just delete that text yourself—leave only the short title and page number.
- Double-check the length Highlight your short title and open Review → Word Count to confirm it's ≤ 50 characters.
Running into trouble?
- Header spacing looks off: Head to Layout → Spacing → Header from Top → 0.5 in and flip to View → Print Layout to preview.
- Can't see the running head: Make sure Different First Page is switched ON in the header ribbon—otherwise every page will stubbornly keep the “Running head:” prefix.
- Title too long: Trim it down by cutting articles (a, an, the) and prepositions (of, in, on), then recheck with Review → Word Count.
Want to avoid this headache next time?
- Build once, use forever: Save a blank Word 2026 doc with margins set, “Different First Page” enabled, and the running head stub already typed. Save it as “APA7_Student_Template.dotx.”
- Font consistency: Stick with Home → Font → Times New Roman 12 pt throughout—APA still wants a serif font in 2026.
- Page numbers under control: In Insert → Page Number → Page Number Format, set “Start at” to 1 so your title page stays blank and page 2 jumps straight to “2.”
- Keep fields fresh: Hit Ctrl+A, then F9 to refresh all fields before you print or export to PDF.
One last thing: under APA 7th edition (2020), student papers don’t need a running head unless the instructor asks for it.American Psychological Association, 2020. Always double-check your school’s style guide before you hit submit.
