When you print a document that includes a cover page, you may want the cover page to print from a different paper tray than the rest of the document. For example, the cover page might need to print on letterhead from Tray 1 while the body prints on plain paper from Tray 2. Word does not offer a single setting to assign a default tray exclusively for cover pages. This article explains how to use section breaks and page setup to force the cover page to print from a specific tray.
Key Takeaways: Set a Separate Paper Tray for the Cover Page
- Insert a section break after the cover page: Separates the cover page into its own section so tray settings apply only to that section.
- Page Setup > Paper > Paper source: Assign a specific tray to the cover page section.
- Apply settings to “This section”: Ensures the tray change does not affect the rest of the document.
How Word Handles Paper Trays and Cover Pages
Word uses section breaks to divide a document into parts that can have different formatting. Paper tray selection is a page-level setting stored in each section. When you insert a built-in cover page from the Insert > Cover Page gallery, Word does not automatically create a section break. The cover page and the first body page remain in the same section, so they share the same tray setting.
To assign a different tray to the cover page, you must manually separate it into its own section. After the section break is in place, you can open Page Setup and choose a different paper source for that section alone. The rest of the document retains its current tray setting.
This method works with any printer that supports multiple paper trays. Check your printer driver to confirm the tray names Word displays match the physical trays on your printer.
Steps to Set a Default Tray for the Cover Page
Follow these steps to assign a specific paper tray to the cover page without affecting the rest of the document.
- Insert the cover page
Go to Insert > Cover Page. Choose a cover page style from the gallery. Word inserts the cover page at the beginning of the document. - Place the cursor at the end of the cover page
Click at the very end of the cover page content, just before the first body paragraph. - Insert a section break
Go to Layout > Breaks > Section Breaks > Next Page. Word inserts a section break that starts a new section on the next page. The cover page is now its own section. - Open Page Setup for the cover page section
Click anywhere on the cover page. Go to Layout and click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Page Setup group. The Page Setup dialog opens. - Select the Paper tab
In the Page Setup dialog, click the Paper tab. - Choose the paper tray for the cover page
Under Paper source, select the tray you want to use for the cover page from the First page list. For example, select Tray 1 or Manual Feed. - Set the Apply to option
At the bottom of the dialog, set Apply to to This section. This ensures the tray change affects only the cover page section. - Click OK
The tray setting is applied. When you print, the cover page pulls paper from the selected tray. All subsequent pages use the default tray defined for the rest of the document.
Common Mistakes and Limitations When Setting Cover Page Trays
Word does not print the cover page from the selected tray
If the cover page still prints from the same tray as the body, verify that you applied the tray setting to This section. If you applied it to Whole document, every page uses the tray you chose for the cover page. Also confirm that the section break is a Next Page break. A Continuous break does not create a new section for tray settings.
The cover page and the first body page are in the same section
If you did not insert a section break, the cover page and the first body page share the same tray. Delete the content between them and insert a Next Page section break at the end of the cover page content. Then repeat the Page Setup steps.
The printer does not have multiple trays
If your printer has only one paper tray, the tray selection in Word has no effect. The printer always feeds from its single tray. This method requires a printer with at least two paper sources.
The Apply to list does not show This section
If the Apply to list shows only Whole document or This point forward, the cursor is not inside a separate section. Click on the cover page and check the status bar for the section number. It should read Sec 1. If it does not, reinsert the section break.
| Item | Cover Page Section | Body Section |
|---|---|---|
| Section break type | Next Page after cover page | None needed |
| Paper source setting | Tray 1 or Manual Feed | Default tray (Automatically Select) |
| Apply to setting | This section | This section |
| Printing behavior | Pulls from chosen tray | Pulls from default tray |
You can now set a separate default tray for the cover page in Word. After inserting a Next Page section break and applying the tray setting to This section, the cover page prints from the tray you selected. To verify the setting works, print a single copy of the cover page section by choosing File > Print, setting Print All Pages to Custom Print, and entering the section number. For advanced control, explore the Different First Page header option, which works alongside section breaks to customize headers on the cover page.