Overview
Master layers let you add an element once and show it on every page of your flipbook. Add your logo, a header, or page numbers a single time, then edit them whenever you like. Because it stays one layer, a change you make on any page is applied to all of them.
You may remember Paste on all pages. That option copied your element onto each page separately, so updating a header in a 300-page catalog meant fixing it 300 times. Master layers work differently: one layer, one edit, every page.
💡 Key benefits
- One edit, every page: change the text, font, size or position once, and every page follows.
- Works with any flipbook: a 10-page brochure takes the same effort as a 5,000-page catalog.
- Your call, page by page: leave a master layer off any page it does not suit, like your cover.
- In front or behind: keep master layers on top of your design, or tuck them behind it as a watermark.
- Nothing left behind: delete a master layer once and it is gone from every page.
👥 Where it helps
- Catalog and brochure publishers: keep a header and page numbers running through hundreds of pages.
- Brand and marketing teams: put your logo in the same corner of every page, and update it in one place.
- Sales and internal comms teams: add a confidentiality line or a document title to every page.
Add an element to every page
Start with the element you want to repeat. It can be a text box, an image, a shape, or a group of elements.
- Add it to any page and select it.
- Click Paste on all pages, or right-click the element and choose On all pages.
- The rest of the page fades out and a green On all pages bar appears at the top. This is how you know you are working on your master layers, and not on a single page.
- Click Done when you are finished.
That is it. The element is now on every page. Do the same for anything else you want to repeat.
How to spot a master layer
Select any element and look at the color of the outline around it:
- Green means it is a master layer, so it appears on every page.
- Blue means it is a normal layer, so it stays on this page only.
The Layers panel on the right has two tabs. Layers shows what is on the page you are looking at, and On all pages shows your master layers. Open that second tab whenever you want to work on them.
Edit a master layer
Pick any page, select your master layer, and edit it like you would any other element. Change the font, the size, the color, or move it somewhere else on the page.
Whatever you change is applied to every page straight away, so there is no need to go looking for the element page by page.
Hide a master layer on one page
Covers usually look better without a header or a page number on them. You can leave a master layer out of any page you like:
- Right-click the master layer.
- Go to Visibility and choose Hide on this page.
Want to hide it everywhere for now, but keep it for later? Choose Hide on all pages instead. Each master layer shows a small visibility icon, so you can always see where it is turned on.
Put a master layer behind your page content
Master layers normally sit on top of everything else on the page. If you would rather have one behind your content, as a watermark or a background, you can move it back.
Open the On all pages tab and you will see two groups: In front of page layers and Behind page layers. Drag your master layer under Behind page layers, and your page content will sit on top of it from then on, including anything you add later.
Remove a master layer
Right-click the master layer and choose Delete from all pages. It disappears from every page at once, so there is nothing left to clean up.
Troubleshooting
- Your element shows up on one page only: it is still a normal layer. Select it and click Paste on all pages, or right-click it and choose On all pages.
- Your master layer is missing from a page: it is hidden on that one. Open the On all pages tab, select it, and turn Visibility back on.
- A master layer is covering your design: drag it under Behind page layers in the On all pages tab.
- Your edit did not reach the other pages: check the outline was green when you made it. A blue outline means you edited a normal layer that simply looks the same.
Additional tips / FAQs
- Can I add a master layer to the odd or even pages only? Not yet. A master layer goes on every page, and that is true in double page mode too. For now, hide it on the pages where you do not want it.
- Can I change a master layer on just one page? Not yet. Your edits reach every page. The option to style a single one is on the way.
- Does this work with page numbers? Yes. Page numbers work just like any other master layer. How to automatically number the pages of your flipbooks walks you through it.
- What happened to Paste on all pages? It is back, and it now creates a master layer instead of copying your element onto each page.
- Can I turn a few elements into one master layer? Yes. Group them first, then add the group to all pages.
Next steps
- How to automatically number the pages of your flipbooks
- Page headers and footers across a whole flipbook catalog
- Arranging elements on a page in Flipsnack's Design Studio
- How to rename layers in the Flipsnack Design Studio
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