In　the　present　work,　a　phase　field　numerical　manifold　method　(PFNMM)　is　proposed　for　crack　growth　in　brittle　materials.　The　advantages　of　the　phase　field　method　(PFM)　in　modeling　crack　initiation　and　crack　branching,　and　those　of　the　numerical　manifold　method　(NMM)　in　discretizing　the　computational　model　are　integrated　together　in　the　proposed　numerical　model.　The　proposed　numerical　model　is　very　suitable　for　simulating　multiple　crack　propagation　problems.　The　implementation　details　of　the　proposed　numerical　model　are　well　presented.　Several　benchmark　examples　are　adopted　to　validate　the　proposed　numerical　approach.　The　results　indicate　that　the　crack　propagation　topologies　and　force-displacement　curves　obtained　by　the　proposed　numerical　model　are　in　good　agreement　with　others,　e.g.　Miehe　et　al.　(2010)　and　Molnar　and　Gravouil　(2017)　[3].　The　convergence　of　numerical　solution　from　the　proposed　numerical　model　is　also　investigated.　The　PFNMM　deserves　a　further　investigation.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd