How to Add a Footer in PowerPoint (2026)
A footer in PowerPoint is a strip of repeating content — text, the date, and the slide number — placed by the Header & Footer dialog and positioned by the slide master. (Despite the “Header & Footer” name, slides have footers only; headers apply to notes and handouts.) Here’s how to add and customize one.
1. Add a Footer (Windows & Mac)
- Go to the Insert tab.
- Click Header & Footer.
- In the Slide tab, check Footer and type your text.
- Optionally check Date and time and Slide number.
- Click Apply to All.
The footer now appears on every slide in the master-defined position.
2. Add a Footer (PowerPoint for the Web)
- Open the Insert tab and click Header & Footer.
- Check Footer, type your text, and check Date and time or Slide number as needed.
- Click Apply to All.
3. Add an Auto-Updating Date
In the Header & Footer dialog, check Date and time, then:
- Update automatically — shows today’s date and refreshes each time you open the file.
- Fixed — locks a date you type in.
4. Skip the Footer on the Title Slide
Check Don’t show on title slide in the dialog before clicking Apply to All. The opening slide stays clean while content slides carry the footer.
5. Reposition or Restyle the Footer
- View > Slide Master.
- Select the footer, date, or number placeholder and move, resize, or restyle it.
- Close Master View — the change applies across the deck.
6. Troubleshooting
The footer only appears on one slide
You clicked Apply instead of Apply to All. Reopen Header & Footer and use Apply to All.
The footer is empty even though I checked it
You checked Footer but didn’t type any text. Add text in the footer box.
I can’t move the footer on a single slide
Position is controlled by the Slide Master. Edit it there to move it everywhere.
Related PowerPoint guides: How to add slide numbers · How to change slide size · How to add speaker notes · How to embed fonts · How to use Presenter View
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