How to Insert Slide Numbers in Footer Excluding Hidden Slides

You want to add slide numbers to your PowerPoint presentation footer but keep them off slides you have hidden. The default option in PowerPoint numbers every slide in the deck, including those you have marked as hidden. This creates a gap in the numbering sequence when you present, which looks unprofessional. This article explains how to insert slide numbers in the footer while excluding hidden slides using a two-step approach: applying the number to visible slides only and then manually adjusting the numbering.

Why PowerPoint Numbers Hidden Slides by Default

PowerPoint treats hidden slides as part of the same deck file. When you use the standard Insert > Slide Number feature, it applies the number field to every slide regardless of its hidden status. The program does not automatically skip hidden slides because the slide number is a static field tied to the slide index, not the visibility state. The slide index counts every slide in the deck sequentially, whether hidden or not. This means slide 5 in the index might be hidden, but the number 5 still appears on it during editing. When you present in Slide Show view, hidden slides do not appear, so the audience sees numbers like 1, 2, 4, 5 if slide 3 is hidden. The fix requires manually removing the number from each hidden slide and then resetting the numbering so visible slides run consecutively.

Steps to Add Slide Numbers Only to Visible Slides

Follow these steps to insert slide numbers in the footer while excluding hidden slides. The process has three parts: add numbers to all slides, remove them from hidden slides, and adjust the starting number.

Part 1: Apply Slide Numbers to the Entire Presentation

1. Open the Insert tab
   Click the Insert tab on the ribbon at the top of the PowerPoint window.
2. Click Header & Footer
   In the Text group, click Header & Footer. The Header and Footer dialog box opens.
3. Check the Slide number box
   On the Slide tab, check the box next to Slide number. Optionally check Footer and type a custom footer text if needed.
4. Click Apply to All
   Do not click Apply because that adds the number only to the current slide. Click Apply to All to place the number field on every slide in the deck.

At this point, every slide including hidden ones shows a number in the footer. The numbers run from 1 to the total number of slides.

Part 2: Remove Slide Numbers From Hidden Slides

1. Switch to Slide Sorter view
   Click the View tab and then click Slide Sorter. This view shows all slides as thumbnails in a grid. Hidden slides appear with a box around the slide number and a diagonal line through the number.
2. Select all hidden slides
   Hold the Ctrl key and click each hidden slide thumbnail. Alternatively, click one hidden slide, then hold Shift and click the last hidden slide if they are consecutive.
3. Open Header & Footer for selected slides
   With the hidden slides still selected, click the Insert tab and then click Header & Footer again.
4. Uncheck Slide number
   In the Header and Footer dialog box, uncheck the Slide number box. Make sure the Apply to Selected Slides button is visible, then click it. This removes the number only from the selected hidden slides. Visible slides keep their numbers.

Part 3: Reset the Starting Slide Number

1. Open the Design tab
   Click the Design tab on the ribbon.
2. Click Slide Size
   In the Customize group, click Slide Size and then click Custom Slide Size from the dropdown menu.
3. Set Number slides from
   In the Slide Size dialog box, look for the Number slides from field at the bottom. Change the value to 1. This tells PowerPoint to start counting from 1 on the first visible slide. Click OK.
4. Confirm the scaling option
   A dialog box asks about scaling. Click Ensure Fit to keep your slide content sized correctly.

After this step, the visible slides number consecutively from 1. Hidden slides show no number. The numbering ignores the hidden slides entirely during Slide Show view.

Common Mistakes When Excluding Hidden Slides From Numbering

Slide numbers still appear on hidden slides after applying the fix

This happens when you select the wrong slides in Slide Sorter view or you click Apply instead of Apply to Selected Slides. Return to Slide Sorter view, confirm that the hidden slides are highlighted, and repeat the Header & Footer step. Ensure you uncheck Slide number and click Apply to Selected Slides, not Apply to All.

Visible slide numbers skip after removing numbers from hidden slides

If slide 3 is hidden and you remove its number, the visible slides show 1, 2, 4, 5. This occurs because the slide index still counts the hidden slide as a position in the deck. The fix is to change the starting number as described in Part 3. Set Number slides from to the correct value so the first visible slide becomes number 1.

Footer text disappears after removing slide numbers

When you uncheck Slide number in the Header & Footer dialog, the footer text you added also disappears if you placed it in the same footer placeholder. To avoid this, add custom footer text to a separate text box on the slide master or use a different placeholder. Alternatively, add the footer text after removing the slide numbers by reopening Header & Footer, checking Footer, typing your text, and clicking Apply to Selected Slides.

PowerPoint Slide Numbering Options: Visible vs Hidden Slides

Item	Default numbering	Numbering excluding hidden slides
Method	Insert > Slide Number > Apply to All	Apply to All, then remove from hidden slides, then reset starting number
Hidden slides show number	Yes	No
Visible slide sequence	Includes gaps for hidden slides	Consecutive numbers with no gaps
Time to apply	30 seconds	2 to 3 minutes
Works with slide master	Yes	Yes, but requires per-slide adjustments

The table shows that the default method is fast but creates gaps in numbering during a presentation. The manual method takes more time but produces a clean, professional sequence for your audience.

You can now insert slide numbers in the footer of your PowerPoint presentation while keeping hidden slides blank. The key steps are applying numbers to all slides, removing them from hidden slides in Slide Sorter view, and resetting the starting number so visible slides count consecutively. For presentations with many hidden slides, consider using the Slide Sorter view to batch-select them all at once. An advanced tip: save a copy of your presentation before making changes so you can revert if the numbering does not work as expected.