How to Add Page Numbers in PowerPoint

Adding page numbers to your PowerPoint presentations can be extremely useful for both you as the presenter and your audience. Page numbers help keep your presentation organized, allow attendees to easily reference specific slides, and give your presentation a polished, professional look.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about adding page numbers in PowerPoint, including:

Why Add Page Numbers in PowerPoint?

Here are some of the key reasons why adding page numbers to your PowerPoint presentation is so important:

• Keep organized – Page numbers give you an easy way to reference and reorder slides. This comes in handy especially for long presentations.
• Help the audience – Attendees can jot down notes linked to page numbers allowing them to easily find information later.
• Look professional – Including page numbers makes your presentation look well-prepared and authoritative.
• Track slides – You can use page numbers to keep track of the number of slides and pace yourself appropriately during the presentation.

How to Insert Page Numbers in PowerPoint

Adding page numbers in PowerPoint is very simple:

1. Open your PowerPoint presentation
2. Select the Insert tab
3. Click on Header & Footer in the Text group
4. Check the box next to Slide number
5. Click Apply to All to add page numbers to all slides

Pro Tip: Make sure to uncheck the box next to “Don’t show on title slide” if you want page numbers to be displayed on the title slide as well.

Customizing Page Numbers

You can customize the page number format, style, alignment, font, and more by following these steps:

1. Go to the Insert tab and click on Header & Footer
2. Select the Slide tab
3. Click the Format button
4. Choose your preferences for number format, fonts, alignment, and position
5. Click Apply to All

Pro Tip: For a consistent look, format your page numbers using the Slide Master.

Starting Page Number from Specific Slide

By default, page number starts from 1 on the first slide. Here is how you can start page numbering from a slide other than the first:

1. Go to Insert > Header & Footer
2. Check the box next to Slide number
3. Click on the Start at: option
4. Enter the slide number you want to start numbering from
5. Click Apply to All

And you’re done! The page number will now start from the custom slide number you entered.

Troubleshooting Issues with Page Numbers

Sometimes page numbers may not show up correctly. Here are some things you can try to troubleshoot:

• Make sure page number placeholder is turned on in the Slide Master
• Check if any object like an image is covering up the page number
• Reapply page number formatting to all slides
• Start page number from specific slide (as shown above)

Following these best practices for adding page numbers in PowerPoint will ensure your presentation is professional, easy to follow, and glitch-free!

Page Number Ideas and Inspiration

Here are some creative ways to utilize page numbers in your PowerPoint presentation:

• Show total number of slides on each page
• Add descriptive wording like “Page 1 of 10”
• Use custom images or shapes instead of default numbers
• Animate page transitions to simulate flipping pages
• Make page numbers large and clearly visible

Getting creative with your page numbers is a great way to make your presentation more visually compelling.

Conclusion

Adding page numbers in your PowerPoint presentation is simple but extremely useful. Page numbers help you and your audience stay organized, provide clarity for discussions, and give your presentation a polished look.

Use the tips in this guide to quickly add page numbers in PowerPoint, customize them, resolve issues, and inspire creative ideas to take your page numbering to the next level. Proper page numbering is a presentation best practice you should always follow!