How to Add Slide Numbers in PowerPoint (2026)
Slide numbers in PowerPoint are turned on from the Header & Footer dialog and placed by the slide master, so they appear in the same spot on every slide. Switching them on is two clicks; the useful extras are skipping the title slide and starting the count at a number other than 1.
1. Add Slide Numbers (Windows & Mac)
- Go to the Insert tab.
- Click Header & Footer.
- In the Slide tab, check Slide number.
- Click Apply to All.
Numbers appear in the position set by the slide master (usually a bottom corner).
2. Add Slide Numbers (PowerPoint for the Web)
- Open the Insert tab and click Header & Footer.
- Check Slide number and click Apply to All.
The web app handles basic slide numbering; master-level repositioning is a desktop feature.
3. Skip the Number on the Title Slide
In the Header & Footer dialog, check Don’t show on title slide before clicking Apply to All. The title slide is skipped — though it still counts toward the total (see the next section to fix that).
4. Start Numbering at a Different Value
To make your first content slide read “1”:
- Go to the Design tab > Slide Size > Custom Slide Size.
- Set Number slides from to 0 (so a hidden title slide is 0 and slide 2 becomes 1).
- Click OK.
5. Move or Restyle the Number
- View > Slide Master.
- Select the slide-number placeholder (the
‹#›box) and drag, resize, or restyle its font. - Close Master View — every slide updates.
6. Troubleshooting
Numbers don’t appear after checking the box
You likely clicked Apply (current slide only) instead of Apply to All. Reopen Header & Footer and use Apply to All.
The number shows on the title slide anyway
Check Don’t show on title slide in the Header & Footer dialog.
Numbering starts at 2
The title slide is counted. Set Number slides from: 0 in Custom Slide Size.
Related PowerPoint guides: How to add a footer · How to change slide size · How to add speaker notes · How to use Presenter View · How to add transitions
Ready to automate your busywork?
Carly schedules, researches, and briefs you—so you can focus on what matters.
See what people say
"Before Carly, I relied on a Calendly link, but the whole process felt impersonal and not very professional. Carly changed that by handling all the back-and-forth, so I'm no longer stuck in endless email threads trying to line up schedules.
Now Carly reaches out to candidates, shares my real-time availability, lets them pick a slot, then sends a Zoom link and drops it straight into my calendar. She sends reminders to both of us before each call, which has significantly reduced no-shows and last-minute confusion.
On top of scheduling, Carly acts like a full executive assistant, sending me my schedule the night before so I can prepare for each call. It reminds me of the old x.ai assistant, but Carly is noticeably smarter, faster, and better suited to my healthcare recruitment business."
