Add Page Numbers to PDF

Add Page Numbers to PDF lets you add page numbers to PDF documents in your browser. Choose one of six positions, pick a format such as 1, Page 1, Page 1 of N or 1 / N, set the starting number, skip a cover page, and adjust the font size, colour and margin. A small page diagram shows where the number will sit. The numbered PDF downloads straight to your device, and the file is never uploaded.

How to use the PDF page numbers

1. 1 Open your PDFDrop a PDF onto the tool or click to choose one. The number of pages is shown once the file has been read.
2. 2 Choose the positionClick a spot on the page diagram or use the position menu: top or bottom, left, centre or right.
3. 3 Pick a formatChoose plain numbers, Page 1, Page 1 of N or 1 / N. The diagram shows a sample of the first and last numbers.
4. 4 Set the start and skip optionsChange the start number if the document continues from another, and tick skip the first page to leave a cover unnumbered.
5. 5 Adjust size and margin, then saveSet the font size, colour and distance from the edge, press Add page numbers and download the new PDF.

Why page numbers still matter

Page numbers are easy to forget when a document is created in one program and then combined, scanned or exported into a PDF. Yet they matter the moment anyone needs to discuss the document. In a meeting, page 14 is quicker to find than the page with the second table. In a legal bundle, references to page numbers are how everyone stays on the same page, quite literally. In a printed report, numbers are the only way to put loose sheets back in order after they have been dropped or photocopied.

Numbering is also expected in many formal settings. Universities ask for numbered dissertations and coursework, tender portals and grant applications often require numbered pages, and court bundles in England and Wales are normally paginated so that every party can refer to the same page. This tool adds clean, consistent numbers to any PDF without needing the original Word or design file.

Choosing a position and format

Bottom centre is the most common position and suits most reports, letters and manuals. Bottom right is popular for documents printed single-sided and for legal bundles, because the number is easy to see when flicking through a stack of paper. Top right works well for academic work and for documents that already have a footer, such as letterheaded paper with company details at the bottom.

The format controls the wording. A plain number is neat and unobtrusive. Page 1 is clearer for readers who are less familiar with the document. Page 1 of N and 1 / N tell the reader how long the document is, which helps them spot a missing page, and is a sensible choice for contracts, statements and anything that will be signed or audited.

• 1: the shortest option, ideal for books, manuals and presentations.
• Page 1: clear and friendly for general readers.
• Page 1 of N: shows the total, useful for contracts and forms.
• 1 / N: a compact version of the same thing for tight footers.

Start numbers and skipping the cover

The start number lets you continue numbering from another document. If a report is split into two PDFs and the first ends on page 40, set the second to start at 41 and the numbers will run on naturally. You can also start at zero, or at any other whole number your document needs.

Tick skip the first page when the document has a cover or title page that should stay clean. The first page then gets no number, and the second page shows your start number, which is 1 unless you change it. If you would rather the second page show 2, as some style guides prefer, simply set the start number to 2. With the Page 1 of N formats, the total is worked out from the pages that actually carry a number, so the last page always matches it.

Font size, margin and colour

PDF measurements use points, where 72 points make an inch, or roughly 2.8 points per millimetre. The default size of 11 points matches typical body text and is easy to read when printed. Go smaller, around 8 or 9 points, for a discreet number on a brochure, or larger for presentations that will be shown on a screen.

The margin sets how far the number sits from the edge of the page. The default of 28 points is roughly one centimetre. Most home and office printers cannot print right to the edge of the paper, so avoid margins much below 20 points if the document will be printed, otherwise the numbers may be cut off. If your pages already have content close to the edge, increase the margin or choose a different position so the number does not overlap existing text.

Number pages without uploading them

Documents that need numbering are often dissertations, legal bundles, medical reports, tenders and financial statements, none of which you would want to hand to an unknown server. This tool reads the PDF and writes the numbers into it entirely inside your browser, using JavaScript on your own device. The file is not uploaded or stored anywhere, and there is no sign-up or limit on how many documents you number.

The numbers are added as real text using the standard Helvetica font that every PDF reader includes, so they stay crisp at any zoom level, print cleanly and add very little to the file size. Pages that have been rotated in the original document are handled automatically, so the number appears upright in the position you chose as the page is displayed.

Tips for bundles and combined documents

When you are building a bundle from several files, add page numbers last. Combine the documents with Merge PDF, remove or reorder pages with Organise PDF Pages, fix any sideways pages with Rotate PDF, and only then add numbers, so they run continuously through the finished document. If you number first and then reorder, the numbers will be out of sequence.

If some pages already carry printed numbers from the original document, choose a different corner for the new numbers so the two do not collide, or use a format such as Page 1 of N that is clearly different. To mark a document as a draft or confidential at the same time, add a watermark with Add Watermark to PDF before or after numbering.

Common uses for numbered PDFs

Almost any document of more than a few pages benefits from numbering, but some situations call for it in particular. Students submitting dissertations and coursework are usually told exactly where numbers should go. Solicitors and litigants preparing bundles need continuous pagination so everyone can refer to the same page. Businesses sending tenders, proposals and policies make life easier for reviewers who need to point to a specific clause.

Numbers also help with printed documents that are handed out and collected again, such as training packs, exam papers and meeting papers, because missing or out-of-order pages are spotted immediately.

• Dissertations, theses and coursework submissions.
• Court bundles, witness statements and exhibits.
• Tenders, proposals, policies and handbooks.
• Combined scans of receipts, statements and letters.
• Training materials and meeting papers.

Examples you can copy

Position:  Bottom centre
Format:    1
Start at:  1
Skip first page: yes
Result:    title page blank, page 2 shows 1

Position:  Bottom right
Format:    Page 1 of N
Font size: 9 pt
Margin:    28 pt (about 1 cm)

Start at: 41

14 pt  = about 5 mm
28 pt  = about 10 mm
57 pt  = about 20 mm
72 pt  = 25.4 mm (1 inch)

Common mistakes to avoid

Frequently asked questions