Where to find the page number tool in Canva

Canva's page number feature lives in the Elements panel on the left side of the editor. Open any multi-page design — a presentation, document, or report — and click the Elements tab. Search for "page number" in the search box, or scroll down to find it under the Text section. When you click it, Canva inserts a text box with a placeholder that automatically updates to show the correct page number on each page.

The page number appears as a small box with a number inside it. You can drag it anywhere on your page — the footer, the corner, the margin — and it will stay in that position relative to the page edge across all your pages. If you're working on a template or a design you plan to reuse, this automatic updating saves you from manually numbering each page.

Key Takeaways

  • Page numbers are found in the Elements panel under Text, and you search for "page number" to locate them quickly.
  • Once inserted, the page number automatically updates on each page without you having to edit it manually.
  • You can resize, recolor, and reposition the page number box just like any other text element in Canva.
  • Page numbers only work on designs with multiple pages — single-page designs will show the same number on every page.
  • If you want to exclude the first page from numbering, you can delete the page number element from that page only.

Resizing and styling your page numbers

After you insert a page number, click on it to select it. The text formatting toolbar appears above the canvas. You can change the font, size, color, and alignment just as you would with regular text. If the default size is too large or too small for your layout, drag the corner handles of the text box to resize it, or use the font size dropdown in the toolbar.

To match your page numbers to the rest of your design, explore the same font family and color scheme you used elsewhere. If your document uses a sans-serif font like Poppins or Open Sans, use the same font for the page numbers. This keeps the design cohesive and makes the numbers feel intentional rather than tacked on.

Positioning page numbers consistently across pages

The position you choose for your page number on the first page carries over to every other page automatically. If you place it in the bottom right corner of page one, it will appear in the bottom right corner of page two, page three, and so on. This consistency is one of the main advantages of using Canva's page number feature instead of typing numbers manually.

Common positions are the footer (bottom center or bottom right), the top corner, or the outer margin of a two-column layout. Think about where readers naturally look when they flip pages — usually the bottom corner — and place your number there. Avoid putting page numbers in the middle of the content area where they might distract from the actual design.

Removing page numbers from specific pages

If you want to hide the page number on your first page (a common choice for title pages or covers), click on that page in the pages panel on the left. Then click on the page number element and delete it. The page number will disappear from that page only and reappear on page two and beyond.

You can do this selectively for any page. If you have a title page, a blank divider page, or a back cover where you don't want a number, straightforward navigate to that page, select the page number, and press Delete or Backspace. All other pages keep their numbers.

Using page numbers with Canva templates

If you started with a Canva template for a presentation, report, or document, the template may already have page numbers built in. Check the footer or corners of the template pages before adding your own. If the template has page numbers you want to keep, you don't need to add new ones — they'll update automatically as you add or remove pages.

If the template has page numbers in a style you don't like, you can delete them and insert your own. Select the existing page number, delete it, and then add a new one from the Elements panel. This gives you control over the look and position while keeping the automatic updating feature.

What happens when you duplicate or rearrange pages

When you duplicate a page in Canva, the page number element duplicates with it, but the number itself updates to match the new page's position in the sequence. If you duplicate page three, the new page becomes page four, and its page number automatically changes to four. You don't have to edit it.

If you rearrange pages by dragging them in the pages panel, the page numbers update in real time. This is especially useful when you're reorganizing a long document and don't want to manually renumber everything. The automatic updating means your page numbers always reflect the actual page order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I start page numbering from a number other than 1?

Canva's automatic page number feature always starts at 1 and increments by 1 for each page. If you need to start at a different number, you can delete the automatic page number and type numbers manually into text boxes on each page. This removes the automatic updating, so you'll need to edit each page individually if you rearrange them later.

Why isn't the page number showing up on my design?

Page numbers only appear on designs with more than one page. If you're working on a single-page design, the page number feature won't work. Convert your design to multiple pages by clicking the plus icon in the pages panel, or check that you're not viewing a single-page template.

Can I add different page number styles to different sections?

Canva doesn't have built-in section numbering (like "Chapter 1-1, Chapter 1-2"). You can manually type custom numbers into text boxes on specific pages, but this removes the automatic updating. For complex numbering schemes, you may need to use a different tool like Google Docs or Microsoft Word.

What if I want page numbers only on certain pages?

Add the page number to your first page, then delete it from any pages where you don't want it to appear. You can do this page by page. This is useful for hiding numbers on title pages, dividers, or back covers while keeping them on the rest of your document.