You've merged several documents into one report, or you're printing a thesis that must be numbered, and now the pages need numbers people can refer to. Add Page Numbers writes a number on each page, in the position and format you choose, directly in your browser.
The numbers are added on top of the existing pages. If your document already has numbers printed in the footer, adding new ones will show both, so check first.
Step-by-step
- Open the Add Page Numbers tool, or click its card on the home page.
- Click the drop zone or drag in your PDF.
- Choose the "Position", such as "Bottom center" or "Top right". The position follows each page as it's displayed, so landscape and rotated pages are numbered in the right place.
- Choose the "Format": "1", "1 / N" to show the total, or "- 1 -".
- Set "Start at" if numbering shouldn't begin at 1, and "Font size" if the default of 11 is too small or large.
- Tick "Don't number the first page" to leave a cover page blank. The second page then gets the starting number.
- Click "Process now." Your browser downloads numbered.pdf.
Common mistakes
- Numbering a document that already has page numbers. Both sets will appear. Check the original first.
- Forgetting the cover page. If the first page is a cover, tick "Don't number the first page" so the contents start at the number you expect.
- Numbering before merging. Merge all the parts first with Merge PDF, then number the combined file, so the numbers run continuously.
- Placing numbers where the page already has content. Look at the footer and header of your pages and pick an empty corner.
FAQ
Can numbering start at a number other than 1?
Yes. Set "Start at" to any number, for example 5 if the PDF continues a previous document. Tick "Don't number the first page" to leave a cover page blank: the second page then gets the starting number.
Which number formats are available?
Three: "1", "1 / N" (for example 3 / 12) and "- 1 -". The numbers use a standard font, so they look the same in any language and add almost nothing to the file size.
Will the numbers land in the right place on landscape or rotated pages?
Yes. The position is calculated from how each page is displayed, so "Bottom center" lands at the visible bottom of landscape and rotated pages too.
Is my file uploaded to add page numbers?
No. The numbers are added in your browser with pdf-lib, and the file never leaves your device.
Checklist
- The document had no page numbers of its own
- All parts were merged before numbering
- The cover page option matches the document
- The position doesn't cover existing content
- numbered.pdf was opened and the first and last numbers checked