Add page numbers to a PDF
Stamp page numbers onto a PDF with control over position, start number, page range, font, size, margin, colour and formats like Page 1 of 10.
- Runs in your browser
- Files are never uploaded
- Free, no account
How to add page numbers to a PDF
- Drop the PDF onto the box above. Page one appears in the live preview.
- Pick one of the six positions — the three bottom slots are the conventional choice for reports.
- Set the format, the first number, the pages to number, and the type settings: font, size, weight, colour and margin.
- Step through a few pages in the preview to check nothing collides with your content.
- Press Add numbers and download.
Numbering a document with a cover page
The two fields that matter are Pages to number and First number, and they are independent on purpose.
| You want | Pages to number | First number | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number everything | (empty) | 1 | Page 1 reads "1" |
| Skip the cover, start at 1 | 2- | 1 | Physical page 2 reads "1" |
| Skip the cover, keep true numbering | 2- | 2 | Physical page 2 reads "2" |
| Continue a previous volume | (empty) | 148 | Page 1 reads "148" |
Formats and the custom pattern
Three presets cover most needs — 7,
7/24 and Page 7 of 24. The
custom pattern accepts any text plus three placeholders:
{n}— the printed number, counting from your first number{total}— the last number that will be printed{p}— the physical page number in the file
So Exhibit A — {n} of {total} or
ACME-2026-{n} both work, which is enough for simple Bates
style numbering on an exhibit bundle.
Choosing size and margin
PDF measurements are in points: 72 points to an inch, about 28.35 to a centimetre. A default of 11 pt text set 28 pt from the edge puts the number roughly a centimetre inside the trim, which matches most word-processor footers. Increase the margin if your document already has a footer rule, and check the preview on a landscape or A3 page if the document mixes sizes — the position is measured from each page's own edges, so mixed-size documents stay tidy.
Pages that carry their own rotation flag are handled correctly: the number is placed relative to the page as the reader sees it, not the raw coordinate system, so a sideways scan gets an upright number in the right corner.
Questions
Can I start numbering at a page other than the first?
Yes. Set the page range to skip a cover — for example 2- — and set the first printed number independently, so page 2 of the file can read “1”.
What number formats are available?
Plain (7), with a slash (7/24), “Page 7 of 24”, or a custom pattern where {n} is the current number, {total} the total and {p} the physical page.
Will the numbers overlap my content?
They sit in the margin at the position you pick, and the live preview shows page one exactly as it will print. Increase the margin if your layout runs close to the edge.
Can the numbers be removed later?
Not easily — they are drawn into the page content stream, like a printed folio. Keep your unnumbered original if you may need to renumber.