Remove Slide Numbers in PowerPoint: Step-by-Step

This guide shows you how to remove slide numbers from some or all slides in Microsoft PowerPoint (2016, 2019, Microsoft 365, and PowerPoint for Mac). Whether you want to delete the number from just the title slide or the entire deck, the process takes less than a minute once you know where the controls are.

What You’ll Need

A PowerPoint presentation (.pptx or .ppt) that currently displays slide numbers.
Access to the Insert tab and the View tab in the ribbon.
If the numbers appear on every slide, you may also need to check the slide master (explained below).

Step-by-Step

Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon at the top of the window.
Click “Header & Footer� (in the Text group on Windows; on Mac it’s under the Insert menu, then “Header and Footer…�). A dialog box will open.
Uncheck the “Slide number� box in the “Slide� tab of that dialog. If the box is already unchecked but numbers still show, skip ahead to the slide master steps below.
Decide the scope:
- To remove numbers from only the current slide, click Apply.
- To remove numbers from all slides, click Apply to All.
Check the result by scrolling through your slides. If numbers are gone, you’re done.
If numbers persist, they may be inserted via the slide master. Go to the View tab and click Slide Master (the topmost thumbnail in the left pane is the master; layouts are below it).
In the Slide Master view, click on the master slide (the first, larger thumbnail). Look for a text box near the bottom-right corner that contains a number symbol (like “#� or “‹#›�).
Select that placeholder and press the Delete key. Repeat for any individual layout slides (the smaller thumbnails) that still show a number placeholder.
Click “Close Master View� on the Slide Master tab to return to normal editing. All slides should now be free of numbers.

Common Mistakes

Clicking “Apply� instead of “Apply to All� – this only removes the number from the current slide, leaving the rest numbered. Always verify which button you pressed.
Forgetting the “Don’t show on title slide� checkbox – if you only want to hide the number on the first slide, you can leave the slide number checked and tick that box instead. But if you’re removing all numbers, uncheck the main box.
Editing only the layout, not the master – if a number still shows on a few slides, it’s often because that specific layout has its own placeholder. You must check each layout in Slide Master view.
Deleting the wrong placeholder – in the master, there may be several text boxes. Only delete the one that contains the slide number field (usually bottom-right). Deleting other boxes can break your design.

Tips

To remove numbers from just the first slide, use the “Don’t show on title slide� checkbox in the Header & Footer dialog instead of deleting the placeholder from the master. It’s faster and keeps the master intact.
If you want to keep numbers but restart them at 1 on a section, go to Insert > Header & Footer, click Slide number, then in the slide sorter or outline view, select the slide where you want numbering to restart and use Slide Number dialog options (in newer versions, you can set “Start at� in the slide size dialog).
If you’re preparing a handout or PDF, remember that slide numbers are part of the slide content. Removing them from the presentation will also remove them from exported PDFs.
For a clean look, consider adding a small logo or text in the footer placeholder after removing the number, so the bottom corner doesn’t look empty.

Troubleshooting

Numbers still appear after unchecking and applying to all – This usually means the number is not a standard slide number field but a static text box typed manually on the slide. Click directly on the number and press Delete. If it’s on every slide, you may need to delete it from the master or layout.
Numbers appear on slides that weren’t selected – Ensure you clicked “Apply to All� and not “Apply�. Also check if you’re in Slide Master view and accidentally deleted the placeholder from only the master but not a layout that overrides it.
After deleting from master, numbers still show on a few slides – Those slides may use a layout that has its own number placeholder. Go back to Slide Master view, click each layout thumbnail, and delete the placeholder from each one that shows it.
Can’t find the Header & Footer option – On PowerPoint for Mac, it’s under the Insert menu, not the ribbon. In PowerPoint Online (browser), go to Insert > Text > Header & Footer.
Numbers are gone but a blank box remains – You deleted the placeholder but left the empty text box. In Slide Master view, select the empty box and press Delete. If it persists, right-click and choose “Cut�.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove slide numbers from only the title slide?

Open Insert > Header & Footer, check “Slide number�, then tick “Don’t show on title slide� and click “Apply to All�. This hides the number on the first slide while keeping it on others.

Can I remove slide numbers from a single slide without affecting the rest?

Yes. Select that slide, go to Insert > Header & Footer, uncheck “Slide number�, and click “Apply� (not “Apply to All�). This removes it only from the current slide.

Why do slide numbers keep coming back after I delete them?

Because they are still enabled in the slide master or a layout. You must remove the placeholder from the master (View > Slide Master) and from any layout that shows it.

Does removing slide numbers affect the page count or printing?

No, slide numbers are just visual elements. Removing them does not change the number of slides or the printing order.

How do I remove slide numbers from a PowerPoint presentation that was created in an older version?

The steps are the same for most versions. If the Header & Footer dialog doesn’t have a “Slide number� checkbox, the numbers may be static text – click on them and delete manually.

Can I remove slide numbers from all slides at once without going through each one?

Yes. Use Insert > Header & Footer, uncheck “Slide number�, and click “Apply to All�. If that doesn’t work, edit the slide master as described above.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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