How to add page numbers to a PDF

When numbering a finished PDF makes sense

The best place to number pages is the source document, because a word processor can renumber automatically when you edit. But the source is not always available. You may have received a PDF, scanned a bundle of papers, or assembled a file from several parts, and now need to refer to page 14 in an email or a court bundle.

Adding numbers to the PDF itself is also the only reliable way to number a document that combines pieces from different origins, where each part carries its own numbering or none at all.

Merge first, number last

If your document is made of several files, combine them before adding numbers. Numbering each part separately gives you several sequences that all start at 1, and you would then need to work out an offset for each one.

Put the files in the right order with Merge PDF, check the result, then number the single merged file. If you later need to add or remove pages, redo the merge and number again from a clean copy rather than numbering on top of existing numbers, which would print two sets on the page.

Choosing position and format

Position combines a vertical choice (bottom or top) with a horizontal one (left, center or right), giving six places. Bottom center is the usual default for reports and letters. For documents that will be printed double-sided and bound, the outer corner is easier to find when flicking through pages, so bottom right on odd pages is a convention, though the tool applies one position to the whole range you select.

Format decides how the number reads: a plain 1, Page 1, Page 1 of N, or 1/N. The formats with a total, such as Page 3 of 12, help readers spot a missing page in a printed copy. Use the plain form for short letters and the total form for anything that will be printed and handed around.

Skipping the cover and starting at the right number

Most reports have a cover that should not carry a number, and some have a table of contents that uses a separate sequence. Two settings handle this. The start number is the value shown on the first numbered page, and the first-number page tells the tool where numbering begins, so earlier pages stay clean.

For example, with a cover as page 1, begin numbering on page 2 and start from 1 if you want the first content page to read 1. If you would rather the cover count as page 1 without showing it, begin on page 2 and start from 2.

How to add page numbers step by step

The tool runs in your browser, so the file is not uploaded.

• Open Add Page Numbers and select your PDF. Files up to 200 MB and 2,000 pages are accepted.
• Pick a position and a format, for example bottom center with Page 1 of N.
• Set the start number and the page where numbering begins. Leave the page range as all pages, or limit it if only part of the file needs numbers.
• Choose the font size, color and margin so the number sits clear of the page edge and of any existing footer.
• Run the tool, download the new PDF, and scroll through it to check the first, middle and last pages.

Common mistakes to avoid

The tool adds text on top of the existing page content. If a page already has a footer, a stamp or a scanned page number in the same spot, the two will overlap. Increase the margin, or move the number to the top, before you run it. Check the pages with the most content, not only the first one.

Also watch for pages of different sizes, such as a landscape table in a portrait report. A margin that looks right on A4 may sit differently on a smaller or larger page, so glance at those pages in the result. Finally, make sure the number is readable when printed: a light gray at 7 points may vanish on paper.

When you need more than a number

If you want the document title, a date or the file name to appear alongside the page number, use Add Header & Footer instead. It places left, center and right text in the header and footer, with tokens for the page number, the total number of pages, the date and the file name. Text in headers and footers supports Latin characters only.

Numbers alone are simpler and more predictable, so choose the header and footer tool only when the extra information is genuinely needed.