# Pages, master pages, guides and layers > Add and arrange pages, repeat headers, footers and page numbers with master pages, set margins, columns and guides, and organise elements on layers. Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/design-pages-masters-and-layers Section: Office > PlexiiDesign Plans: All plans Updated: 2026-10-15 PlexiiDesign works like a page-layout program. A design can have many pages. **Master pages** hold what repeats on every page, such as a header, a footer and the page number. **Margins**, **columns** and **guides** give you a grid to line things up to, and **layers** let you hide or lock groups of elements while you work. ## Before you start - Pages, masters, guides and layers are on every plan. - Open a design in PlexiiDesign, or click inside a Design widget on a desk. See [PlexiiDesign overview](https://plexiidesk.com/help/design-overview). - A publication from the PlexiDesign page starts with four pages, margins and **Master A** already set up. See [Start a design at the right size](https://plexiidesk.com/help/design-start-a-design). Most of these settings are in the **Page layout** panel. Click **Layout** in the toolbar, or choose **Layout** > **Margins, columns & layers…**, to open it. ## Pages The page strip under the page has a button for each page, showing its printed page number and, in small letters, the master it uses. - **Go to a page:** click its button. Rest the pointer on it to see the page number and its master, such as "Page 3 — Master A". - **Add a page:** click **+ Page** at the end of the strip, or choose **Insert** > **Page**. The new page goes at the end. - **Delete a page:** rest the pointer on its button and click the small **×**. A design always keeps at least one page. If you delete the wrong page, click Undo. ### Facing pages For a booklet or magazine that is printed on both sides, turn on **Facing pages (spreads)** in the **Page layout** panel, or choose **Layout** > **Facing pages**. The page strip then groups the pages in pairs as they will sit side by side, with page 1 on its own as the cover. ### Page numbering **Numbering from** in the **Page layout** panel sets the number of the first page, such as 3 for a document whose first two pages are printed separately. Page numbers in the strip and on the pages follow it. ## Master pages Anything on a master page shows on every page that uses it, underneath that page's own content. Use masters for a running header, a footer, a logo or the page number. ### Edit a master 1. Open the **Page layout** panel and, under **Master pages**, click **Edit** next to the master. Or choose **Layout** > **Master pages** > **Edit** and the master's name. 2. A banner above the page says **Editing**, the master's name, and that changes there appear on every page that uses it. 3. Add text, shapes, pictures and lines as usual. 4. Click **Done** on the banner, or **Layout** > **Master pages** > **Stop editing master**. On the pages, the master's content shows beneath the page's own and cannot be selected there. Edit the master to change it. ### Number the pages Put the page number on a master so every page shows its own: 1. Edit the master. 2. Choose **Insert** > **Page-number frame**. A small text frame with `{#}` goes at the bottom centre of the page. 3. Click **Done**. Each page now shows its own number in that place. In any text frame on a master, `{#}` becomes the page number and `{pages}` becomes the number of pages, so you can write "Page {#} of {pages}". If you choose **Insert** > **Page-number frame** on an ordinary page instead, it places that page's number as plain text, and a note says it is on this page only. ### Add, rename and assign masters - **New master:** click **+** (**New master page**) next to **Master pages** in the panel, or choose **Layout** > **Master pages** > **New master page**. New masters are named **Master B**, **Master C** and so on. - **Rename:** double-click a master's name in the panel and type a new one. - **Choose a page's master:** go to the page, then pick a master in **This page uses**. Choose **None** for a page that should show no master, such as a cover. - **Delete a master:** click its bin button. Pages that used it then use no master. New pages use the first master in the list until you choose another. ## Margins and columns Under **Margins & columns** in the **Page layout** panel: - **Top**, **Right**, **Bottom** and **Left** set the margins, in pixels. - **Cols** sets how many columns the page is divided into, from 1 to 20, and **Gutter** the space between them. The margins and columns show on the page as guide lines and do not print. Elements snap to them as you drag, and text set out by **Redesign** follows them. See [Lay out a document with Redesign](https://plexiidesk.com/help/design-redesign-wizard). ## Guides - **Add a guide:** drag down from the ruler along the top of the page to add a vertical guide, or drag right from the ruler down the left side to add a horizontal guide. The guide goes where you let go. - **Remove a guide:** click it. - **Remove them all:** click **Clear guides** in the **Page layout** panel, which also shows how many are placed. Elements snap to guides as you drag them. To hide the margins, columns and guides while you look at the design, click **Guides** in the toolbar, or turn off **Layout** > **Show layout guides**. Click it again to show them. They never appear in an export. ## Layers Layers group elements so you can work on one part of a design without disturbing the rest, such as keeping a background picture out of the way while you place text. Every design starts with one layer, **Layer 1**. Under **Layers** in the **Page layout** panel: - **New layer:** click **+**. New layers are named **Layer 2**, **Layer 3** and so on. Click a name to rename it. - **Hide or show:** click the eye button. Hidden layers are not shown on the page and are left out of exports. - **Lock or unlock:** click the lock button. Elements on a locked layer stay on the page but cannot be selected or moved. - **Move elements onto a layer:** select them on the page, then click **Move here** next to the layer. When a design has more than one layer, the inspector also has a **Layer** list for the selected element. - **Delete a layer:** click its bin button. Its elements move to **Layer 1**. > **Tip:** > Put a full-page background picture on its own layer and lock it. You can then drag across the page to select text and shapes without picking up the background. ## Common questions **My header does not show on one page.** That page uses no master, or a different one. Go to the page and check **This page uses** in the **Page layout** panel. **I cannot select something on the page.** It is either on a master page, so edit the master, or on a locked layer, so unlock the layer. **The page numbers start at the wrong number.** Change **Numbering from** in the **Page layout** panel. **Something is missing from my export.** It may be on a hidden layer. Show the layer and export again. ## Related tasks - [PlexiiDesign overview](https://plexiidesk.com/help/design-overview) - [Start a design at the right size](https://plexiidesk.com/help/design-start-a-design) - [Thread text through frames](https://plexiidesk.com/help/design-text-frames-and-stories) - [Lay out a document with Redesign](https://plexiidesk.com/help/design-redesign-wizard) - [Export and print a design](https://plexiidesk.com/help/design-export-and-print)