How to Add Page Numbers in Canva (and Style Them)

Page numbers turn a pile of slides into a document people can find their way around. A client proposal, a workbook, a lead magnet PDF, a lookbook: the moment someone says 'turn to page six', you need numbers on the page. Typing them by hand works for three pages and becomes a headache at thirty. It also goes wrong the minute you reorder anything.

Canva can number your pages automatically, and the numbers update as you move things around. Here's how that works according to Canva's help centre, plus the one big exception that catches people out: some Canva design types can't do it.

Adding automatic page numbers in Canva, step by step

1. Open your design.
2. Click Text in the editor side panel.
3. Under Dynamic text, select Page numbers.
4. Under Format, pick Numbers only, Page + number, or Page X of Y.
5. Under Show numbers on, choose which pages should display a number.
6. Click Apply properties to all pages.

Canva's help labels every step as available on both desktop and mobile, so the same route should work on either, though menus vary by app version.

Choosing a Canva page number format

The three formats suit different documents:

• Numbers only: clean and quiet, good for slide decks and short brochures.
• Page + number: a little friendlier, handy in guides and workbooks.
• Page X of Y: shows readers their progress, which suits longer documents and proposals.

Page X of Y is my pick for anything a client might print, because it makes a missing sheet obvious straight away.

Choosing which Canva pages show a number

The Show numbers on setting lets you pick the pages. That's the answer to a common question: how to leave the cover blank. Number everything except the front page so your title page stays clean. It's the same idea for a closing page or a full-bleed photo spread, where a number might get in the way.

Changing how Canva page numbers look

Page numbers are text, so you can style them. Canva's help says to select a page number and use the toolbar to change its font, colour, size, effects and position. Brand fonts are available too, which keeps the numbers in line with the rest of your design.

Style one page, then go back to Text, Dynamic text, Page numbers and select Apply properties to all pages. That copies the style to every page, so you don't need to move each number into place by hand.

Page numbers in Canva update on their own

This is the real advantage over typing numbers yourself. Canva's help says the numbers update automatically when you add, delete, hide or move pages. Insert a new slide in the middle of a deck and everything after it renumbers. No hunting through thirty pages fixing digits.

Getting your Canva pages in order before you number them

Because the numbers follow your page order, it's wise to settle the structure first. Drag pages into the sequence you want, delete the ones you don't need and decide whether any should be hidden. Then add the numbers, so you only style them once. If you add them early and keep shuffling, they'll still be right, but you may need to nudge their position when a layout changes.

A short habit helps with longer documents: add the numbers, scroll through every page, and check that none of them sits on top of a photo, a heading or a table. A number that collides with content looks careless, and it's much easier to move it now than after the file has gone to a client.

Removing page numbers in Canva

What you want	What Canva's help says to do
Remove one page number	Select it, then choose Delete on the floating toolbar
Remove every page number	Go to Text, Dynamic text, Page numbers and select Remove all page numbers
Change the style on all pages	Style one, then select Apply properties to all pages

Which Canva designs can't use automatic page numbers

Here's the exception. Canva's help says Whiteboards, Sheets, Docs and Websites don't support automatic page numbers. If you're in a Canva Doc and the Dynamic text option doesn't offer page numbers, that's the reason, and nothing is broken in your account.

The simplest workaround is to build the document as a presentation or a standard design type, where the feature works. If you're stuck in one of the unsupported types, you can add a text box to each page and type the numbers yourself. That's my workaround rather than something in Canva's article, and you'll need to fix the numbers by hand whenever you reorder pages.

Page numbers on Canva designs you share with clients

Page numbers are a small detail that makes a document look finished. If you send proposals, workbooks or guides, they also make a phone call easier: you can point someone to a specific page. Check the numbers on the final export, not just in the editor. A multi-page CV needs them too, and my guide to adding your LinkedIn profile to a resume covers what else to include. My Canva review covers who the tool suits.

If page numbers aren't showing in Canva

• Check you're not in a Whiteboard, Sheet, Doc or Website, which don't support them.
• Open Text, then Dynamic text, and look for Page numbers.
• Check the Show numbers on setting, in case the page you're looking at is excluded.
• Look at whether a page is hidden. Hidden pages affect the numbering.

If the buttons look different on your version of Canva, search its help centre for the current wording.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add page numbers in Canva?

Click Text in the side panel, select Page numbers under Dynamic text, choose a format, choose which pages show numbers, then click Apply properties to all pages.

What page number formats does Canva offer?

Canva's help lists three: Numbers only, Page + number, and Page X of Y.

Why can't I add page numbers in a Canva Doc?

Canva says Whiteboards, Sheets, Docs and Websites don't support automatic page numbers.

How do I remove page numbers in Canva?

Select one number and choose Delete, or go to Text, Dynamic text, Page numbers and select Remove all page numbers.

Do Canva page numbers update when I move pages?

Yes. Canva's help says they update automatically when you add, delete, hide or move pages.