A digital planner cover is usually the first page of the PDF or notebook file. To change the cover, choose a matching cover page, place it at the front, and check whether your app library shows the new thumbnail.
Use this guide when the planner already opens correctly, but the visible front cover is not the one you want. If the planner has not imported yet, start with the download and app setup guides first.
Quick answer
- Match the cover to the product. Portrait covers fit portrait planners and notebooks. Landscape covers fit landscape products.
- Most covers are normal pages. In many apps, changing the cover means placing a cover page at page one.
- Keep the old cover until the new one looks right. Delete later, not first.
- Check the app library after changing it. Some apps update the thumbnail right away. Others need a set-cover option, close/reopen, or a refresh.
Before you change the cover
- Save a clean backup first. Keep one unchanged copy of the planner or notebook before moving pages around.
- Check what type of cover you have. Use a PDF cover when your app handles cover pages as PDF pages. Use PNG or JPG when your app lets you insert images. Use an app-specific file only when the product includes one for your app.
- Choose the safest cover method for your app. You may replace the first page, insert a new cover page before the planner starts, add a cover image on top of the existing cover, or use the app’s own notebook cover feature.
- Check orientation and size. A portrait cover can look wrong on a landscape planner. A cover made for another product may crop or leave empty space.
- Plan one small edit first. Big page moves, flattening, exporting, or merging can change how links behave. Change the cover, then test links before writing more.
Basic workflow
- Open the planner or notebook in your app. Confirm the file opens, links work, and writing tools behave normally before changing the cover.
- Open the cover page or image you want to use. If the cover is inside another PDF, open that cover file too. If it is a PNG or JPG image, check whether your app can insert images as full pages.
- Copy, duplicate, import, or insert the cover. Use the page manager, thumbnail view, page sorter, page organizer, image insert tool, or cover setting. The exact button depends on the app.
- Place the cover at the very front. Put the new cover before the current first page. Many apps use page one as the visible document thumbnail.
- Check the page fit. Make sure the cover fills the page neatly and is not stretched, squished, cropped in the wrong place, or surrounded by large blank borders.
- Check the library thumbnail. Return to the app library or document list. If the old cover still shows, close/reopen the file or look for the app’s cover/thumbnail setting.
- Delete the old cover only after checking. Keep it until you are sure the new cover is correct and the planner still works.
If your app steps look different
Cover tools are different in every app. Use this page for the safe order, then open the matching Device & App guide for exact buttons.
Good ways to use covers
1. Separate active and backup files
Use one cover for the active planner and a different cover for the clean backup. This prevents opening the backup by mistake and writing in the wrong file.
2. Separate notebooks by purpose
Use different covers for work notes, school notes, home notes, study notes, journal pages, church or Bible study notes, and archives. A visual cover makes the app library easier to scan.
3. Mark the current year or season
If you keep several dated planners, choose a cover that makes the current year or active season obvious. This helps you avoid opening last year’s planner by accident.
4. Make testing copies obvious
If you are testing page copies, stickers, or app settings, give the test file a different cover. That way mistakes happen in the test copy, not the planner you actually use.
When this gets tricky
1. The cover looks stretched, cropped, or too small
What happens: the cover appears on the page, but it does not fit the planner shape.
Example: a portrait cover is placed in a landscape planner, or a phone-sized image is inserted as a full tablet page.
What to do: use a cover made for the same orientation and product size. If the product includes multiple cover files, choose the one that matches the planner or notebook you imported.
2. The app library still shows the old cover
What happens: page one looks correct inside the planner, but the document thumbnail in the app library still shows the old cover.
Why it happens: some apps cache thumbnails or use a separate cover setting.
What to do: close and reopen the document, return to the app library, or check for a set-cover or document-thumbnail option. If the app does not have custom thumbnails, page one can still be the new cover even if the library view is limited.
3. You deleted the old cover too early
What happens: the new cover does not fit, but the old cover is already gone.
Example: the new cover is the wrong orientation and the planner no longer has the original front page.
What to do: undo if possible. If not, import a fresh copy from your saved download and copy the original cover or planner pages again.
4. Links or pages behave strangely after editing
What happens: after moving pages, tabs or index links feel wrong, or the app acts unstable.
Why it happens: some apps handle page edits better than others. Exporting, flattening, merging, or rebuilding the PDF can also change link behavior.
What to do: test the Index, tabs, one month link, and one page link after changing the cover. If links break, go back to the clean backup and use the app-specific guide before trying again.
5. The cover file is a PNG image, not a PDF page
What happens: you have a cover image, but the app wants a page, document, or PDF.
What to do: if your app can insert images as full pages, place the PNG or JPG on a blank page and resize it carefully. If your app does not place images cleanly, use a PDF cover file when available.