Are you trying to print your PowerPoint presentation but want to remove the page numbers that automatically appear? Luckily, it’s easy to get rid of page numbers in PowerPoint so they don’t show up when you print your slides. In this article, we will show you exactly how to remove page numbers in PowerPoint in a few simple steps.
Why Remove Page Numbers in PowerPoint?
There are a few reasons you may want to remove page numbers from your PowerPoint slides when printing:
- You want a cleaner, more polished look for your printed presentation
- The automatic page numbers are distracting or unnecessary for your particular slides
- You plan to print the slides in a different order than they appear in the presentation
- You want to print handouts without page numbers
No matter the reason, PowerPoint makes it simple to hide page numbers so they don’t appear on your printed slides. Let’s walk through the steps.
Step-by-Step: How to Get Rid of Page Numbers in PowerPoint
Follow these easy steps to remove page numbers from your PowerPoint presentation for printing:
Step 1: Go to the View Tab
First, navigate to the View tab in the top PowerPoint ribbon.
Step 2: Open the Slide Master View
In the View tab, find and click the Slide Master button. This will open the Slide Master view, which allows you to make changes that apply to all slides.
Step 3: Scroll to the Top Slide Layout
In the left-hand pane of the Slide Master view, scroll all the way to the top. Click the first, larger slide layout, usually named something like “Title Slide Layout” or “First Slide Layout”. Selecting this ensures your changes will apply to all slides.
Step 4: Remove the Page Number
With the top layout slide selected, find the page number placeholder on the slide. It will look something like <#> or Slide Number. Click on this to select it.
Then, simply press the Delete key on your keyboard. This will remove the page number placeholder from the slide layout.
Step 5: Close Slide Master View
You’re done! With the page number deleted, just click the “Close Master View” button on the Slide Master tab of the ribbon.
Now when you go to print your presentation, the slides should no longer have any page numbers. If you want to double check, you can go to Print Preview to see how the final printed slides will look.
Removing Page Numbers from Notes & Handouts
What if you want to print Notes pages or Handouts from PowerPoint without page numbers? The process is very similar:
For Notes Pages
- Go to the View tab and click the Notes Master button
- In the Notes Master view, click on the page number placeholder and hit Delete
- Close the Notes Master view
For Handouts
- Go to the View tab and click the Handout Master button
- In Handout Master view, click the page number placeholder and Delete it
- Close the Handout Master view
Now your Notes and Handouts will also print without page numbers. If you want some slides to have page numbers but not others, you can apply the above steps only to specific slide layouts rather than the top layout.
Changing PowerPoint Page Number Settings
In addition to removing page numbers entirely, PowerPoint also allows you to change the page number style and formatting. Here’s how:
- In the Slide Master or Notes/Handout Master, click to select the page number placeholder
- Use the options on the Format tab of the ribbon to change the style and appearance of the page numbers
- Change the font face, size, color, etc.
- Use bold, italic, or underline formatting
- Align the page number left, center, or right
- When finished, click Close Master View
This allows you to customize the look of your page numbers without getting rid of them completely.
Page Numbers Not Printing Correctly?
If you’ve followed the above steps but are still seeing page numbers when you print, there are a few troubleshooting tips to try:
- Make sure you deleted the page number from the top slide layout in Slide Master view. Changes made to individual slide layouts below it will be overridden.
- Double check that you’re in Normal view (not Slide Master, Handout Master, or Notes Page view) before printing.
- Try a different print layout – in the Print window, change the “Full Page Slides” dropdown to a different option like Outline or Handouts and see if page numbers appear there.
- Confirm the correct printer settings. Click the Printer Properties link and make sure the settings are correct for your printer model.
If none of those work, you can also try saving the PowerPoint slides as a PDF, then printing the PDF file instead. The PDF version should maintain the formatting and omit the slide numbers.
Benefits of Removing Page Numbers in PowerPoint
So why go through the trouble of removing page numbers? A clean, streamlined printed presentation looks more professional and polished. It allows your audience to focus on the content of the slides rather than the slide numbers.
Removing page numbers is also helpful if you need to print slides in a different order than they appear in the presentation. This gives you more flexibility to print customized handouts.
Plus, if your presentation is image-heavy, omitting the page numbers prevents them from cluttering up or detracting from the visuals. The same goes for printing speaker notes – you likely don’t need page numbers there.
When to Include Page Numbers
Of course, there are times when having page numbers on your printed PowerPoint slides is useful or necessary:
- If your presentation is very long or has many sections, page numbers help keep printed copies organized
- When your audience needs to reference specific slides, page numbers make it easy to direct them to the right spot
- Handouts with lines for taking notes are enhanced by page numbers so people can match their notes to the correct slides
- For legal or official presentations, numbered pages create a clear record
In those cases, it’s best to keep the automatic PowerPoint page numbering or customize it to fit your needs using the formatting steps outlined earlier.
Final Tips
In summary, to remove page numbers in PowerPoint when printing:
- Open the Slide Master, Handout Master, or Notes Master (depending what you’re printing)
- Select the top-level slide layout
- Click on the page number placeholder and press Delete
- Close the Master view
For more control, you can also change the formatting of PowerPoint page numbers from the Format tab in Slide Master view. If you’re still seeing page numbers after deleting them, try troubleshooting by checking your print settings and layouts.
By removing or customizing page numbers, you can print clean, professional PowerPoint presentations tailored to your exact needs. Omitting page numbers reduces clutter and distraction, while keeping them helps organize long presentations. Use these tips to prepare the perfect printed slides every time!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I remove page numbers from all slides in PowerPoint?
To remove page numbers from all slides: 1) Go to the View tab and click on Slide Master. 2) Select the top slide layout. 3) Find and click on the page number placeholder. 4) Press the Delete key. 5) Close the Slide Master view.
Can I remove page numbers from handouts in PowerPoint?
Yes, you can remove page numbers from handouts. Go to the View tab, click on Handout Master, delete the page number placeholder, and close the Handout Master view.
Why are page numbers still showing when I print my PowerPoint slides?
If page numbers are still showing, ensure you deleted them from the top slide layout in Slide Master view, check that you’re in Normal view before printing, try different print layouts, and verify your printer settings.
How can I change the formatting of page numbers in PowerPoint?
To change page number formatting: 1) Open Slide Master view. 2) Select the page number placeholder. 3) Use the Format tab options to change font, size, color, alignment, etc. 4) Close Slide Master view when finished.
Is it possible to remove page numbers from only some slides in PowerPoint?
Yes, you can remove page numbers from specific slides. In Slide Master view, delete the page number placeholder from individual slide layouts rather than the top layout. This allows you to keep page numbers on some slides while removing them from others.
What should I do if I can’t find the page number placeholder in PowerPoint?
If you can’t find the page number placeholder, make sure you’re in Slide Master view. Look for a small box with ‘<#>‘ or ‘Slide Number’ text. If it’s not visible, it may have been previously deleted. You can add it back by going to the Slide Master tab and clicking ‘Insert Slide Number’.
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