22 min read
Slide Numbers, Headers, and Footers
Insert → Header & Footer for slide numbers, date, and footer text. Show parents where they are in the deck.
Slide Numbers on Every Slide Except the Title
Parents with handouts can follow "slide 5 of 14".
- Check Slide number on the Slide tab.
- Check Footer and type ${SCHOOL} — Open Day.
- Check Don't show on title slide.
- Click Apply to All.
- Expected result: Slide 2+ show a number and footer. Title slide stays clean.
Fix: If the number overlaps the logo, go to View → Slide Master, drag the footer placeholder to a clear corner, then Close Master View.
Fixed Date for Printed Handouts
Handouts printed the week before should still show Saturday 14 March 2026, not today's print date.
- Click Insert → Header & Footer again.
- Check Date and time → select Fixed → type ${OPEN_DAY.date}.
- Click Apply to All.
- Expected result: Footer shows the fixed Open Day date on content slides.
Avoid Update automatically for Open Day — use fixed date on printed PDF handouts.
| What to include in footers | |
|---|---|
Do Not Type Numbers by Hand
Manual slide numbers in a text box do not update when you insert or reorder slides. Use Insert → Header & Footer → Slide number → Apply to All.
Deleting the number text box on slide 1 only breaks automatic numbering — use Don't show on title slide instead.
Example — Clean title slide, numbered content slides: Header & Footer → Don't show on title slide → Apply to All keeps slide 1 clean while slides 2–14 show automatic numbers. Hiding slide 1 removes it from the show entirely — that is not what you want.
Practice
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