A new chapter or appendix can use its own running header in Google Docs. Create a section boundary, then unlink that section’s header before changing its text.
Create the section boundary
- Open the document in Pages format.
- Place the cursor where the new section should start.
- Choose Insert > Break and the appropriate section-break type.
- Show section breaks from the View menu if the boundary is hard to identify.
A page break alone does not create the independent section formatting needed here. Choose the boundary based on whether the new section should start on another page or continue on the same page.
Unlink and edit the header
Click the new section’s header and clear Link to previous. Then enter the new header text. If that option is missing, check that a genuine section break exists and that you are editing the intended section.
Inspect the preceding section immediately. If its header changed too, undo and correct the linkage before continuing. Adding another manual header line to the body is not a substitute for fixing the shared header relationship.
Review following sections as well
A later section may still be linked to the section you just edited. Check whether it should inherit the new header or have a separate one. First-page and odd/even header settings can also affect which version is visible.
Review the full transition in print layout or the final PDF. Confirm that the chapter header begins where intended and that page numbering, margins, and orientation remain correct. Keep the change narrow so a local chapter-label update does not unintentionally redesign the entire report.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 3, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.