Skip to content
toolwise

Add Page Numbers to PDF

Number the pages of a PDF with your choice of position and style.

Your files never leave your device.

When to use it

Add Page Numbers stamps numbers onto the pages of a PDF. Use it for reports, theses, manuals, legal bundles and printed handouts, especially when you’ve merged several documents and the pages no longer run in sequence. Page numbers let readers refer to “page 12” in a meeting, follow a table of contents, and put printed pages back in order if they get dropped.

How to add page numbers to a PDF

  1. Tap Choose PDF file, or drag a PDF onto the box.
  2. Choose the Position: Top left, Top center, Top right, Bottom left, Bottom center or Bottom right.
  3. Pick a Format: 1, 2, 3, Page 1, Page 1 of 10, 1 / 10 or - 1 -.
  4. Set Start counting at (usually 1) and the Text size (Small, Medium or Large).
  5. Set Skip first pages, for example 1 to leave a cover page without a number.
  6. Press Add page numbers, then Download. The new file ends in “-numbered.pdf”.

A worked example

You’ve merged a title page with a 10-page report into an 11-page PDF for your manager. You want “Page 1 of 10” at the bottom center of the report pages, but nothing on the title page. Choose Bottom center, the Page 1 of 10 format, start at 1, and set Skip first pages to 1. The title page stays clean, the first report page shows “Page 1 of 10”, and the last shows “Page 10 of 10”.

Choosing a style

  • Bottom center is the classic choice for reports and books.
  • Bottom right or top right works well for documents printed single-sided and stapled at the top left.
  • “Page 1 of 10” helps readers see if anything is missing, which is useful for contracts and exam papers.
  • Small text suits most documents; use Medium or Large for slides and handouts read at a distance.

Tips

  • Number the final version. Add numbers after merging, deleting and reordering pages, not before.
  • Continue numbering across volumes with “Start counting at”.
  • Check one page at 100% zoom to make sure the number doesn’t touch footers or logos.

Common mistakes

  • Numbering before reordering, which leaves numbers out of sequence.
  • Forgetting to skip the cover, so the first content page shows as “2”.
  • Using a position already used by a footer, which makes text overlap.
  • Numbering a locked PDF. Unlock it first.

Private by design

Numbers are added in your browser, so your documents never leave your device.

Combine files first with Merge PDF, put pages in order with Reorder PDF Pages, or stamp a label across pages with Watermark PDF.

Frequently asked questions

How do I leave the cover page without a number?

Set "Skip first pages" to 1. The cover gets no number and numbering starts on the second page with whatever "Start counting at" says, usually 1.

What does "Page 1 of 10" count?

The total counts only the pages that get a number. In an 11-page PDF with the cover skipped, the second page shows "Page 1 of 10" and the last shows "Page 10 of 10".

Can I start at a number other than 1?

Yes. Change "Start counting at", for example to 25 if this document continues from another with 24 pages.

Will the numbers cover up my content?

They're placed in the page margin at the position you choose, in a small, neutral style. If your pages have content right to the edge, choose the top or bottom position with the most empty space.

Can I remove the numbers later?

Not with this tool, because they become part of the pages. Keep the original PDF in case you need a version without numbers.

Related tools