Number the pages of your PDF
Choose where the number goes, how it reads and where the count starts, then download a numbered copy. The work is done in your browser and the file is not uploaded.
- Files never leave your browser.
- No account needed
- No watermark added
- Works on any device
How it works
Step 1: Choose the PDF you want to number.
Step 2: Pick the position, the format, the font size and the color.
Step 3: Set the start number, the first page to number and, if needed, a page range.
Step 4: Select Add Page Numbers and download the numbered PDF.
How page numbering works here
The tool writes a small line of text at the same spot on every page you select. You choose the position (top or bottom, left, center or right), the format, the font size, the color and the distance from the page edge. The text is added on top of what is already on the page; nothing underneath is moved or changed.
Four formats are available: the bare number (1), a label such as Page 1, Page 1 of N, and the compact 1/N. You can also set the number the count starts from, the page where numbering begins, and a page range, which is what makes it possible to leave a cover page or a table of contents unnumbered.
The result is saved as a new PDF. Your original file is not modified, so you can run the tool again with different settings if the first attempt is not what you wanted.
Why use this tool
Skip the cover page
Start numbering on page 2 or 3, and choose which number the first numbered page shows, so covers and front matter stay clean.
Four number styles
Use a plain number for a discreet look, or Page 1 of N when readers need to know how much is left.
Nothing leaves your device
The numbers are drawn in your browser, so a private report or contract is never uploaded to be numbered.
Readable on any background
Set the color and size to match the document, dark grey on white pages or white on a dark design.
Common uses
A thesis or dissertation
Leave the title page and abstract unnumbered and start counting at 1 on the first chapter, as many universities require.
Legal bundles for court
Number a merged bundle of exhibits with Page X of N so that every reference in a submission points to one exact page.
Printed meeting packs
Add numbers to a combined agenda and papers so people can say turn to page 14 and everyone finds it.
Scanned archives
Number a batch of scans that came out of the scanner without any numbering, before the pages get shuffled on a desk.
Long manuals for clients
Put a small number in the top-right corner when the bottom margin is already taken by a footer.
Choosing a position that will not collide with content
Bottom center is the classic choice for reports and books, and it works for most documents. It fails when the page already carries a footer with a company name, a confidentiality notice or a scanned edge, because two lines of text end up on top of each other.
Before you commit, look at three or four pages of the original, including the densest one. If footers vary from page to page, choose the corner that is empty on all of them, which is often the bottom right or the top right. A larger margin moves the number further from the edge and away from clutter, but keep it clear of the printable edge: many office printers cannot print in the outer 5 mm.
- Bottom center or bottom right suits reports, invoices and contracts.
- Top right is a good fallback when the bottom edge already has a footer.
- Use a font size of 9 to 11 points for A4 or Letter pages so the number is readable but not shouting.
Cover pages, front matter and the start number
Two settings work together. The page where numbering begins decides which pages receive a number at all. The start number decides what the first numbered page displays. Together they cover the two common cases.
If a 40-page document has a cover and you want the second page to read 1, begin numbering on page 2 and set the start number to 1. If the cover counts as page 1 in your reference system, begin on page 2 and set the start number to 2, so the printed number matches the position in the file.
Once the file is saved, open it and check the first numbered page and the last page. It takes ten seconds and is the surest way to catch a start number that is off by one.
Numbering after merging, not before
If the document is assembled from several files, number it last. Numbers added to each part first will restart at 1 in every part and cannot be removed afterwards. Combine the parts with Merge PDF, arrange the pages with Organize PDF, and only then run the numbering so the sequence runs through the finished document.
Supported formats
- Input
- One PDF file (.pdf).
- Output
- One PDF file with the numbers added.
Numbers use a standard PDF font, so they appear as Western digits.
Good to know
- The number is drawn over the page. If the page already has text or graphics at that spot, they will overlap; increase the margin or move the position.
- The position is the same on every numbered page. There is no mirrored left/right placement for double-sided printing.
- These are visible numbers, not PDF page labels, so the page counter in a PDF viewer keeps showing its own sequence.
- Existing numbers already printed on the pages are not removed or replaced.
Your files never leave your browser
This tool runs entirely on your device using your browser. Your files are not uploaded to our servers and are not stored anywhere. Closing the tab discards everything.
Frequently asked questions
Can I leave the first page without a number?
Yes. Set the first page to be numbered to 2 (or any later page), and the cover stays clean. You can also choose which number the first numbered page shows.
Are my files uploaded to add the page numbers?
No. The numbers are added in your browser, so the PDF is not uploaded and is not stored by us.
Can I number only some pages?
Yes. Enter a page range and only those pages receive a number. Use this to number the body of a report but not its appendices.
Which number formats are available?
Four: 1, Page 1, Page 1 of N and 1/N. The position can be any of the six top or bottom, left, center or right locations.
Will the numbers cover existing text on my pages?
They can, because they are drawn on top of the page. Move the number to another corner or raise the margin if you see an overlap.