How to Make a Letterhead

Before you start: gather your details

• Your exact name as it should appear (legal or trading name)
• Mailing address, main phone number, a general email address and your website
• Your logo as a high-resolution PNG (transparent background) or SVG
• Your brand colors as hex codes (for example #1F3A5F) and your brand font
• Any required details, such as a license number, registration number or tax ID

Not sure what to include or where it goes? Read what is a letterhead and the letterhead format guide first.

How to create a letterhead in Word

For more detail, follow the dedicated Word letterhead tutorial, including logo placement and first-page troubleshooting.

These steps work in Microsoft Word for Windows and Mac (Microsoft 365, 2021 and 2019).

1. Open the header. Create a blank document and double-click the very top of the page, or go to Insert › Header › Edit Header. Anything you put here repeats on every page.
2. Add your logo. With the cursor in the header, choose Insert › Pictures and select your logo file. Keep it in line with text for predictable positioning, and resize it from a corner to about 0.5–0.75 in tall.
3. Type your name and details. Add your name on the first line in your brand font, 16–24 pt. Put contact details on the next line in 8–10 pt. To put the logo on the left and contact details on the right, insert a two-column table with no borders (Insert › Table, then Table Design › Borders › No Border) and right-align the second column.
4. Add a divider. Put the cursor on the last line of the header and choose Home › Borders › Bottom Border. Use Borders and Shading to change its color and thickness.
5. Adjust the header height. In the Header & Footer tab, set Header from Top to about 0.5 in. Check that the letter text starts at least half an inch below your letterhead.
6. Optional: put contact details in the footer. Double-click the bottom of the page and add a centered line of contact details.
7. First page only? Copy your header, enable Different First Page, then paste the design into First Page Header. Remove the full design from the regular header on page two, or give that header a smaller logo.
8. Close the header by double-clicking the body of the page or pressing Close Header and Footer.
9. Save it as a template. Choose File › Save As and pick Word Template (*.dotx) as the file type. Every time you open it, Word creates a fresh copy, so you never overwrite the original.

How to make a letterhead in Google Docs

Use Pages mode: headers are hidden in pageless documents. To start with an existing design, follow our Google Docs template import guide.

1. Open the header. In a Pages document, choose Insert › Page elements › Header, or double-click the top of the page.
2. Add your logo. Choose Insert › Image › Upload from computer. Click the image and pick Wrap text or In line from the toolbar under the image, then resize it.
3. Add your name and details. Type your name and contact information, and use the font menu for size, color and typeface. For a side-by-side layout, insert a 1 × 2 table (Insert › Table), then set its border width to 0 pt.
4. Add a divider with Insert › Horizontal line, or use paragraph borders (Format › Paragraph styles › Borders and shading).
5. Set the spacing. Click in the header, open Options › Header format, and set the header margin. For first-page-only letterhead, enable Different first page, place the full design in the first-page header and clear the regular header on page two.
6. Reuse it. Name the file something like "Letterhead – MASTER". For each new letter, use File › Make a copy. With Google Workspace, you can also submit it to your organization's template gallery.

Tip: you can upload any of our .docx templates to Google Drive and open them in Google Docs. The header comes with them.

How to make a letterhead in Canva

1. Sign in to Canva, search for "letterhead", and choose a design or start with a blank letter-size or A4 document.
2. Replace the placeholder text, upload your logo, and change the colors to your brand colors.
3. Delete the sample body text and leave the body area empty.
4. Download it as PDF Print for a print shop, or as a high-resolution PNG for use in Word or Google Docs.
5. To write letters on it in Word, insert the PNG into the header (step 2 in the Word section above) and stretch it across the top of the page.

Canva is great for visual design, but Word and Google Docs are better for writing the letters themselves. Many people design in Canva and then place the image in a Word header.

How to make your own letterhead at home and print it

• Paper: 24 lb (90 gsm) bright white paper looks noticeably better than standard 20 lb copy paper and works in most printers.
• Margins: keep everything at least 0.25 in (6 mm) from the edge. Most home printers can't print closer than that, so edge-to-edge bands will show a white strip.
• Print a test page and hold it up at arm's length. Check that the logo is sharp, the colors look right and the contact text is readable.
• Pre-printed stock: to print letterhead paper in bulk and then add letters later, print just the header on a batch of sheets. Then, in your letter template, turn off the header so it isn't printed twice.

Professional printing

Our letterhead printing guide covers paper, finishes and ordering in more detail. In short: for a premium finish, heavier paper (28–32 lb / 105–120 gsm), or full-bleed color, use a commercial or online printer. Send a print-ready PDF with fonts embedded, CMYK or Pantone colors, and 0.125 in (3 mm) of bleed on any edge where color touches the trim. Ask for a proof before you approve a big run, and order matching blank second sheets for multi-page letters.

Common mistakes to avoid

• A blurry or stretched logo. Use a high-resolution file and resize from a corner.
• Too many fonts and colors. Two fonts and two colors is plenty.
• A huge header that pushes the letter onto a second page
• Out-of-date phone numbers, addresses or personal email addresses
• Light gray text that disappears when the letter is scanned or photocopied
• Missing legally required details for your country or profession

Want inspiration first? Browse 27 letterhead examples, including printable Christmas stationery.