Add Page Numbers to PDF
Number the pages of a PDF with your position, format and start number.
Number the pages of any PDF
Page numbers make long documents easier to read, discuss and print. If your PDF was exported without them, or you merged several files into one, this tool adds clean page numbers to every page. You choose where they go, how they look and which number to start from.
How to add page numbers
- Drop a PDF onto the box above or click it to choose one.
- Pick a position: top or bottom, and left, centre or right.
- Choose a format such as
1,Page 1,Page 1 of 12or1 / 12. - Set the font size, colour and starting number.
- Tick Skip the first page if your document has a cover.
- Click Add page numbers. The numbered PDF downloads and a preview appears below.
Options
- Six positions: top left, top centre, top right, bottom left, bottom centre and bottom right.
- Four formats, including totals so readers know how long the document is.
- Starting number for documents that continue from an earlier part, such as a chapter that begins on page 41.
- Skip first page leaves the cover blank. Numbering begins on page two with your starting number.
- Correct placement on rotated pages, so numbers sit in the right corner even when a page is set to landscape.
Who needs page numbers?
Students add numbers to theses and assignments to meet submission rules. Lawyers number bundles so everyone can refer to the same page in a meeting. Businesses number proposals, manuals and reports before printing. Authors number manuscripts before sending them to editors or printers.
Numbering merged documents
A common workflow is to merge several files with the Merge PDF tool and then number the combined document here, so the page numbers run continuously from the first file to the last. If you later remove pages, number the edited file again from the original version so the sequence has no gaps.
Tips for professional results
Bottom centre is the most common and neutral choice. Bottom right works well for documents that will be printed single sided, and a size of 10 to 12 points matches normal body text. A mid grey colour looks subtle on most pages. If your PDF already has a footer, place the numbers at the top to avoid overlapping it.
The numbers are added as real text using a standard PDF font, so they print sharply. Your file is processed in your browser and is never uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start numbering from a number other than 1?
Yes. Enter any starting number. The first numbered page gets that number and the following pages count up from it.
What happens when I skip the first page?
The first page gets no number. Numbering starts on the second page with your starting number, and totals such as "of N" count only the numbered pages.
Will the numbers cover my existing content?
They are placed in the margin area near the edge of the page. If your document already has text there, choose another position or a smaller font size.